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Sue Chambers

Sue Chambers

As the CEO and President of Strouse Corporation, Sue Chambers is responsible for leading all facets of the business. Sue has a proven executive management track record and over 20 years of experience driving sales growth and operational innovation in the adhesive conversion industry. Sue possesses strong leadership, strategic vision, and savvy marketing skills. Sue has an MBA from Loyola University in Maryland. Since 1997 Sue Chambers joined Strouse and led the transformation into an enterprise-focused company while growing the company into a world leader in the innovative production of pressure-sensitive adhesive with revenue of over 20 million and growing. In the last three years, Strouse revenue has grown 62%; the number of employees has grown and continues to achieve and maintain ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certification. Strouse built a new production plant going from 40,000 to 62,500 square feet, increasing the production space by 50%. The building also can expand to 82,500 sq. Feet. Sue is active in the community serving on the Industrial Development Board presently and earning several business awards over the years. Most recently, 3M has recognized Strouse as a supplier of the year. She is also on the Dale Chambers Foundation board that raises money for local charities in the community.

Recent posts by Sue Chambers

3 min read

What Are Adhesive Release Liners? How Do You Select One?

By Sue Chambers on Sep 20, 2023 9:00:00 AM

Have you ever gone to peel a sticker but couldn’t remove it from the sheet? 

Topics: Adhesives Generally Converting
6 min read

Your Guide to Heat Activated Adhesives

By Sue Chambers on Aug 30, 2023 9:15:00 AM

A heat-activated adhesive is a type of adhesive, usually applied to a tape backing, that will not bond at normal temperatures. Instead, it becomes sticky in certain temperatures, wherein the adhesive chemicals are activated and can form a bond. 

Topics: Adhesives Generally
6 min read

4 Critical Considerations When Choosing a Wound Dressing Adhesive

By Sue Chambers on Aug 30, 2023 9:00:00 AM

Can a skin adhesive serve every type of injury?

Topics: Adhesives Generally Medical Adhesive Tape
6 min read

What is Rotary Die Cutting? Problems it Solves and Uses

By Sue Chambers on Aug 9, 2023 9:00:00 AM

The US craft industry is worth over $44 billion USD. 

Topics: Converting Rotary Die Cutting
5 min read

The Advantages of Using Double-Sided Medical Tape

By Sue Chambers on Aug 1, 2023 9:15:00 AM

Attaching one substrate to another.

Topics: Medical
4 min read

5 Advantages of Proper EMI and RFI Shielding Techniques

By Sue Chambers on Aug 1, 2023 9:00:00 AM

With so many people relying on the apps on their phones, glitches can feel like the end of the world. 

Topics: Electronics
8 min read

Your Guide to Thermal Interface Material

By Sue Chambers on Jul 4, 2023 9:00:00 AM

You think you’ve finally built the perfect sandwich when you suddenly take a bite and realize there’s nothing inside.

9 min read

The Basics of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape

By Sue Chambers on Jun 30, 2023 9:15:00 AM

Have you ever wondered how tape works?

Topics: Adhesives Generally
9 min read

An Overview of Thermal Insulation Tape

By Sue Chambers on Nov 15, 2022 11:36:58 AM

Thermal insulation tape, like all thermal insulation materials, reduces the amount of heat transfer between objects. The most widely known application of this concept is the insulation that goes in houses to save money on energy.

5 min read

The Problem of Using Rolls of Tape Instead of Die Cut Adhesives

By Sue Chambers on Oct 26, 2022 10:00:56 AM

Many flexible material converters become partners with manufacturers in the automotive industry, a highly competitive environment where precision is necessary. The vehicle building process can be compared to die cut adhesives. 

9 min read

What is the Correct Gasket Material for Your Next Project?

By Sue Chambers on Dec 14, 2021 8:30:00 AM

When something works well, you likely won’t even notice. In the manufacturing world, well-running machines result from precise engineering with the right components to make for a smooth, dependable, and quiet experience. When it comes time to build those machines and consider such parts as an industrial gasket, it’s vital to ensure the right pieces are in the right spots and made to tight tolerances for the most accurate fit.

In your search for the right gasket material, you’ll find an abundance of options. What is gasket material, and what material will you need? Before you engineer your next flexible material, read our overview of gasket materials to see what might work best.

4 min read

Top 5 Benefits of Using Heat-Resistant Gasket Material

By Sue Chambers on Nov 29, 2021 8:00:00 AM

“High temperature” in the industrial world means something entirely different than what you’ll see during the evening weather forecast. When machines are working hard to create products or keep operations running smoothly, moving parts, chemical reactions, and even the substances being used can conjure up scorching temperatures that must be kept in check. 

When you account for these extreme temperatures with the proper equipment, including a suitable gasketing material, you can keep productivity moving at a regular pace. To illustrate this, we’ve gathered the top 5 benefits of using heat-resistant gasket material for your reference.

Topics: Gaskets
4 min read

5 Questions to Ask Before Selecting a Rubber Gasket Seal Adhesive

By Sue Chambers on Nov 23, 2021 8:30:00 AM

Simply put, a gasket seal prevents a liquid or air (most often) from going somewhere you don’t want it to go or doing something you don’t want it to do.

Gaskets can be made of metal, plastic, silicone, polymers, neoprene, foam, or rubber. A majority of the time, an adhesive holds them in place, depending on the application (of which there are literally thousands). Yet, not all gasket applications require an adhesive. For instance, some are held on by mechanical fasteners: bolts (classic car engine) or screws (watch).

None of this is news to you, likely, but here’s something new. Think of gaskets as the function it performs, not the construction of the piece itself (its material or shape). So, a gasket can simply be a piece of 3M VHB tape used in a cell phone screen to prevent rainwater from entering, or a piece of double sided tape used within a membrane switch touch panel.

Topics: Gaskets
3 min read

Is Your Adhesive Tape Converter Limiting Your ROI?

By Sue Chambers on Nov 19, 2021 9:45:00 AM

Manufacturers rely on adhesive tape converters to provide accurate and high-performing adhesive components that add value to projects. Converters with decades of custom adhesive solutions experience — most often full-service adhesive tape converters — put a premium on ensuring that finished components/products also drive businesses’ bottom lines.

Topics: Converting
5 min read

Life-Changing Applications of Adhesive Tape: 10 Essential Uses!

By Sue Chambers on Sep 10, 2021 7:45:00 AM

I bet wherever you’re reading this blog article, at this very moment, you’re within an arm’s length of pressure sensitive adhesive tape (or PSA tape) in some form.

That’s how prevalent its use is in our modern world. And for good reason! PSA tape has helped change how we spend our days and has improved (and saved!) lives. It’s so important that we previously dedicated a 3-part series to pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

In this blog article, let’s touch on some of the many ways adhesive tape is used (we included 10) and how often you likely use it without even knowing.

Topics: Adhesives Generally Converting
4 min read

3M™ VHB™ THIN FOAM TAPES ARE THE ULTIMATE ELECTRONICS BONDING SOLUTION

By Sue Chambers on Aug 24, 2021 10:43:37 AM

When inspiration hits like lightning, the result can be a cutting-edge electronics product. From smartphones to HDTV screens to marine navigation systems, electronics manufacturers rely on the thinnest products in 3M’s VHB portfolio to fit into electronic assemblies, places where thick VHBs cannot fit.

Electronic device engineers know space usually isn’t the only challenge. Modern electronics bonding solutions often must address impact resistance, waterproofing, heat resistance, and/or reworkability to create a device with reliable functionality. In addition to overall performance, some surfaces — paints, metals, low surface energy plastics — are hard to bond and require unique acrylic foam tapes such as 3M VHB tape.

When a spark of creativity results in devices optimized for the IoT, 5G, and beyond, specialized VHB tape is often needed as well. This article dives deeper into how pressure sensitive adhesive converters meet the high standards of the electronics industry today and into the future.

Topics: Adhesives Generally Electronics 3M VHB Tape
4 min read

What is Tensile Strength and How is It Measured?

By Sue Chambers on Oct 21, 2020 9:31:46 AM

The stress is on.

You’re under pressure to create the best possible product. That includes choosing the right material, the right adhesive, the right format, the right elongation at break percentage … even the right converter!

That’s because you know your product will be under pressure, too. It has to perform with a certain tensile strength — the maximum force or stress a material can withstand while being pulled apart from both ends before failing. That’s why it’s also called “breaking strength.”

Topics: Adhesives Generally
5 min read

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape Series #1: Performance and Versatility

By Sue Chambers on Oct 15, 2020 10:46:00 AM

NOTE: This article is #1 in a 3-part series on the power and versatility of pressure sensitive adhesive tape. It’s really a celebration of applications and possibilities. Part 2 covers 3M™ VHB™ tape as a superior bonding solution, and Part 3 offers help on choosing a converter.

When manufacturers need to bring together two or more surfaces, either temporarily or permanently, they often choose to use a viscous substance — adhesive bonding — because of its many assembly advantages and versatility. The materials used to do this could be adhesive tape, adhesive film, glue, epoxy, or something else, however, pressure sensitive adhesive tape (PSA) is becoming increasingly popular.

4 min read

What It Means to be a 3M Preferred Converter

By Sue Chambers on Oct 6, 2020 9:17:00 AM

Excellence.

Every business wants to achieve it, and every business wants to partner with other businesses that achieve it. And while saying you have it is easy, being recognized for it by an industry leader is quite another thing.

For companies in the converting industry, being honored for excellence by 3M is the top of the top. It shouts to the world that a converter deeply understands the industry leader, and the industry leader trusts them.

This article explores the origins of the 3M Preferred Converter program, digs into why it matters in a highly competitive marketplace, and shares why customers should care.

Topics: Adhesives Generally Converting 3M News
5 min read

4 Key Materials When Building Microfluidic Devices

By Sue Chambers on Sep 17, 2020 12:09:18 PM

Although small in size, microfluidic devices carry an enormous burden. Patients and caregivers rely on them for accurate test results and crucial information at the point-of-care. They screen for cancer, monitor blood glucose, detect pathogens. As they transport and protect samples of blood or other fluids, consistent and reliable performance is imperative. What could be more important?

Topics: Microfluidics
1 min read

How Thermally Conductive Adhesive Tape Boosts Performance of Electronics

By Sue Chambers on Jul 14, 2020 10:10:18 AM

Many electronics products require specific adhesives that dissipate heat. Thermal interface materials (a combination of high-performance acrylic adhesive and highly conductive ceramic particles) enhance performance by minimizing reliability concerns and reduced operational lifetimes that are often affected by heat.

Topics: Adhesives Generally Strouse News 3M News Electronics
3 min read

3M Automotive Masking Tape Best Practices To Boost Paint Production

By Sue Chambers on Jun 16, 2020 8:28:36 AM

Is your paint process one of the most scrutinized steps in your entire assembly process?

How’s that department performing? Experiencing any bottlenecks?

Whether manufacturing for automotive, military, aerospace, industrial, or electronics, every industry expects the highest quality product. And, with the painting process usually being quite complex, there can be many delays and rework.

Topics: 3M News
3 min read

Elongation : What is it and Why Does it Matter?

By Sue Chambers on Jun 9, 2020 4:02:11 PM

Have you ever seen this spec listed on a material data sheet? 

“Elongation at Break %”

To understand it, and realize why it’s important in adhesives, let’s first tackle two definitions.

Topics: Converting
8 min read

Foam Gaskets - Foam Gasket Tape - An Ultimate Guide

By Sue Chambers on May 8, 2020 12:00:33 PM

Any time a mechanism requires superior barrier and bonding features, gaskets are ideal. However, these handy devices are far from one-size-fits-all.

While many gaskets are comprised of flat materials such as paper, rubber, metal, silicone, felt, and neoprene, foam delivers impressive sealing capabilities that are important to know.

Topics: Foam Gaskets
1 min read

Strouse Designs and Starts Producing Face Shields

By Sue Chambers on Apr 6, 2020 4:41:56 PM

Strouse is proud to now offer two versions of a face shield that are made entirely in Westminster, MD. Both masks offer a soft foam headband, anti-fog PET, one size fits all adjust-ability, and latex free materials. We've designed the construction of these masks to be fully automated on our presses. 

10 min read

The Importance of EMI Shielding

By Sue Chambers on Dec 30, 2019 11:03:37 AM

About every 11 years the sun's magnetic field flips. North becomes south and south becomes north. This change causes solar storms on the sun's surface that send solar flares careening towards Earth.

Topics: Electronics EMI Shielding
2 min read

Strouse Completes Establishment Registration with FDA

By Sue Chambers on Nov 12, 2019 7:00:00 AM

Strouse, an industry leading adhesive tape converter and custom manufacturer is proud to announce its medical device establishment registration with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The registration builds on Strouse’s wide range of adhesive tape converting capabilities and allows for deeper penetration into medical device projects and the overall medical and healthcare market

Topics: Medical Strouse News Quality Assurance