NORFLEX® hoses
NORFLEX® is the axially extruded hose construction from NORRES BAGGERMAN. It is not built by welding a strip in a spiral — it is pressed out in one length in a single production process. The result is a hose without a weld seam, with perfectly uniform wall thickness and smooth surfaces both inside and out. Available without or with fabric reinforcement, which raises pressure resistance markedly.
Construction description
NORFLEX differs from the other six constructions by being axially extruded — not spiral-welded. The material runs along the hose's axis, not in a spiral around it. In practice the hose is pressed out of an extruder in one continuous length, with consistent wall thickness all the way through and smooth surfaces both inside and out. There is no weld seam, no welding points, no spiral profile — just a homogeneous wall.
That gives two practical benefits and one limitation. The benefits are uniformity and tightness: the wall thickness is tightly toleranced all the way around, and there is no weld seam as a potential weak point. The limitation is pressure and vacuum capacity: without an embedded stiff spiral, an axially extruded hose collapses more easily under negative pressure than a spiral-welded construction. That is the challenge the fabric reinforcement variant solves.
Without fabric reinforcement
With fabric reinforcement
Variants
NORFLEX without fabric reinforcement
The simple axially extruded hose. The wall is a homogeneous extrusion without embedded reinforcement. Smooth surfaces, uniform wall thickness, gas- and liquid-tight. The hose is flexible but has lower pressure resistance — suited to low- and moderate-pressure lines where smoothness is required and the extreme surface consistency is an advantage. Full or partial colouring is available from the factory.
NORFLEX with fabric reinforcement
The same axially extruded base principle as above, but now with a fabric thread embedded uniformly and tightly in the wall. The fabric is firmly bonded into the material and runs continuously — not as a loose insert. That gives the construction three notable properties: high compression strength, high axial stiffness and good flexibility at the same time. The hose remains lightweight compared to a comparable rubber hose. It is the variant chosen when the axially extruded hose must handle higher pressure or better vacuum capacity.
Properties
- No weld seamAxial extrusion produces the hose in one continuous length — no weak points at a seam edge.
- Uniform wall thicknessTightly toleranced wall thickness all the way around — consistent structural and thermal performance.
- Smooth interior and exterior surfacesThe extrusion naturally produces smooth surfaces both inside and out — no ribbing, no spiral profile.
- Gas- and liquid-tightThe homogeneous wall without weld seam provides high reliability against leakage.
- High pressure resistance (with fabric)Embedded fabric thread increases compression strength markedly — suited to higher operating pressures.
- High axial stiffness (with fabric)The fabric gives the construction lengthwise stiffness combined with good bending flexibility.
- Good flexibilityEven with fabric reinforcement, NORFLEX retains good local bending flexibility — the thread is uniformly embedded, not a stiff spiral.
- Customisable colourFull or partial colouring is available from the factory.
Applications
NORFLEX without fabric reinforcement is typically used wherever a consistent surface profile is critical and pressure requirements are moderate — liquid and gas conveyance, instrumentation, sensor lines and applications where a weld seam would be a hygienic or quality concern. The uniform wall thickness means the hose behaves predictably under pressure and temperature.
NORFLEX with fabric reinforcement is chosen where the axially extruded construction's uniformity should be retained while adding pressure resistance — pressurised gas and liquid lines, hydraulic and pneumatic lines, and applications where an embedded stiff spiral is not desired (for example where magnetically or electrically neutral hoses are an advantage).
Manufacturer and distribution
NORFLEX® is developed and manufactured by NORRES BAGGERMAN in Gelsenkirchen, Germany — one of the world's leading producers of technical hose systems for industrial and process applications, ISO 9001:2015 certified by TÜV Rheinland. Particulair is the distributor for NORRES BAGGERMAN in Scandinavia and provides the local advisory work, customisation and installation support that makes the construction practical in your specific process.
Related constructions and documentation
Frequently asked questions about NORFLEX
What does axially extruded mean?
Axially extruded means the hose is pressed out in one length in a single production process — without weld seams and without welding points. The material runs along the hose's axis, not spirally around it. The result is a perfectly uniform wall thickness and a smooth surface both inside and out. That sets NORFLEX apart from the spiral-welded constructions like AIRDUC, PROTAPE and NORPLAST, which are built by winding and welding a strip.
What is the difference between NORFLEX with and without fabric reinforcement?
NORFLEX without fabric reinforcement is the simple axially extruded hose — smooth surfaces, uniform wall, gas- and liquid-tight. It is suited to lines where low to moderate pressure and smooth flow are required. NORFLEX with fabric reinforcement has a fabric thread embedded uniformly and tightly in the wall — that gives high compression strength and high axial stiffness combined with good flexibility, and the hose becomes markedly pressure resistant. Choose without fabric for simple lines; choose with fabric when pressure or vacuum capacity is needed.
Why does NORFLEX have no spiral seam?
Axial extrusion produces the hose in one continuous length — there is no welding process binding strips together. That removes the weld seam as a potential weak point and gives the hose a consistent wall thickness without deviations at the seam edge. The trade-off is that the hose cannot be supplied in the same kinds of folding geometry or spiral profile as the spiral-welded constructions.
Can NORFLEX be used for vacuum?
NORFLEX without fabric reinforcement has low vacuum capacity — without an embedded reinforcement there is nothing to resist collapse under negative pressure. NORFLEX with fabric reinforcement increases pressure resistance markedly, but even with fabric, an axially extruded hose typically does not reach the same vacuum level as AIRDUC or NORPLAST with their embedded stiff spirals. For strong vacuum, a spiral-welded or clamp profile construction is often the right choice.
Can NORFLEX be grounded against electrostatic charge?
NORFLEX has no built-in metal conductor in its base construction — neither steel spiral nor earthing wire. For ATEX zones, the hose must be supplied in an antistatic material formulation (typically marked AS) that itself dissipates charge through the wall's surface resistance. Specific zone suitability requires a documented test report under ATEX 2014/34/EU and TRGS 727.
Where do I find the specific NORFLEX models?
This construction page describes the construction principle. The actual NORFLEX variants (with material and certification details, dimension tables and lead times) are listed under the product overview. If you need help finding the right match for your application, contact us.