Fueling Success for Our Customers

Aah, summer. 

Boating on the lake. Riding the ATV trails. Mowing the lawn. Landscaping around the house.

Whatever summer activity you enjoy, if it involves the use of fuel, it may include tubing from Finger Lakes Extrusion.

Our FuelFLEX™ 65 product line is made in America for use with petroleum-based products. Its translucent yellow color identifies it as a fuel line while allowing the user to monitor flow. 

On land

Anyone who has ever poured gas into their lawnmower or trimmer knows it’s not always an easy – or clean – task. 

Years ago, the EPA issued new rules requiring portable fuel containers to meet performance standards for spill-proof systems.

Finger Lakes Extrusion makes part of the flexible spout extension sold by No-Spill®, a company that designs and manufactures gas cans available at stores across the country.

FuelFLEX™ 65 makes fuel easier to transfer and harder to spill.

Our tubing is also found in internal fuel lines in small engines, from lawnmowers to chainsaws to off-road vehicles used for landscaping, groundskeeping or recreation. If you’ve ever taken yours in for repairs or tune-ups, your local shop could be using our products.

On water

Preventing spills and waste is also important to protecting our lakes and waterways.

“As a company with a deep commitment to the environment, this is a benefit that’s very important to us,” said Erica Wright, Finger Lakes Extrusion VP. “Performance plastics offer a big advantage when it comes to environmental responsibility.”

Flexible plastic tubing is especially useful for hard-to-reach applications. 

Fuel tubes are commonly used in fuel transfer systems and siphons, such as those used to fill the gas tank in a boat. These products eliminate the need to hold a gas can over water, therefore preventing fuel from spilling into the lake. The tubing runs from the unit directly into the tank.

“When we take our 5-gallon gas can down to the lake to fill our boat, we use a siphon. One, we don’t have to hold that heavy 5-gallon can, and two, we’re not going to spill any gas into the lake,” added Wright.

Undersea

At Finger Lakes Extrusion, we will go to any depth to satisfy our customers.

Our tubing is a component of underwater remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, that are used in the subsea oil and gas industry to inspect and maintain deepwater wells. 

These unoccupied, highly-specialized robots ensure the safety of their human operators at the surface. ROVs can travel to deeper areas where manned diving is not possible or practical, and can stay underwater longer than a human diver, making operations more efficient. 

In the plant

FuelFLEX™ 65 is also designed for use with petroleum-based oils and lubricants on the factory floor. 

We supply a customer that sells components for industrial sewing machines in the textile industry. Our tubing is part of the built-in lubrication system and helps deliver the oil that keeps the needle lubricated and functioning.

Fuel tubing is also an essential component in metalworking, transferring cutting fluids and coolants to milling machines.

Engineered for performance

Our products are engineered for high performance. 

Plasticizer is a substance that is added to plastic to make it flexible. We use a special plasticizer to manufacture FuelFLEX™ 65 that gives it a higher resistance to ethanol and a longer shelf life than traditional PVC fuel tubes. It also makes this tubing less likely to swell, harden or crack.

FuelFLEX™ 65 is a cost-effective option for customers and complies with all applicable environmental requirements including REACH, RoHS and Proposition 65.

“Where our company really stands out is in our customization and customer service. We can cut the tubing to the size you need. We can print on it. We can save you time,” said Wright.

Natalie LeGrett

Customer Account Specialist

Natalie is a 2011 graduate of St. John Fisher College with a bachelor’s degree in business management and concentration in Human Resources. After 14 years of working in the Staffing Industry as a Recruiter and other various roles she was looking to switch gears and start a new career path. She had ties with Erica as she assisted in staffing temporary staff to FLEX for years. She decided not to return to the corporate world after maternity leave and start at FLEX where she has been a Customer Account Specialist. She is passionate about her family and two sons who always keep her on her toes; we enjoy creating memories as a family and enjoying the sunshine every chance we get! 

Keith Ellsworth

Production Manager

Keith has been a member of our team since 2007. With a degree in Business and a minor in Computer Science along with decades of mechanical experience, Keith brings a great deal of knowledge to the company. Keith coordinates all production activities and works with customers to help develop products that fit their needs. After years of racing stock cars and taking his motorcycle to track days, this busy Dad of two treasures the days when he gets to ride his motorcycle to work.

Phil Scott

President of Operations

Phil has been a member of our team since 2009. Phil is a 2008 graduate of SUNY ESF with a degree in Conservation Biology. After gaining hands on experience on the extrusion lines during the summers of his college career, Phil decided that working at FLEX™ was better suited to him than a career in the environmental field. Phil handles all building and equipment maintenance and purchases. He is our resident outdoorsman, most passionate about white tail deer hunting and management.

Erica C. S. Wright

President of Sales

Erica is a 2006 graduate of SUNY Geneseo with a degree in Mathematics with a minor in Business Studies. After 4 years in Corporate America working as an actuary, she was looking for a change. Finger Lakes Extrusion offered her that change and in 2009 she made the switch. Erica handles all finance and human resource functions at Finger Lakes Extrusion along with sales travel and quoting. All of these functions guarantee that no day is the same – her favorite characteristic of the job. Triathlons and lake life with her family are Erica’s most treasured moments.