Press Release – Wallace Instruments Establishes First African Operation in Côte d’Ivoire
Wallace Instruments West Africa brings trusted, traceable quality measurement closer to natural rubber production
Dorking, UK, September 2026 – Wallace Instruments, the UK manufacturer of materials testing equipment, has established Wallace Instruments West Africa, a new company based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, marking a significant expansion of its support for the natural rubber industry in the region.
Wallace has a long-established customer base across West Africa, with natural rubber producers and processors relying on its instruments for plasticity, PRI and viscosity testing. The new operation brings Wallace servicing, calibration, spare parts and technical expertise closer to those customers, reducing turnaround times and establishing a local presence from which to build long-term relationships.
Côte d’Ivoire is West Africa’s leading natural rubber producer and has become one of the world’s largest exporters of technically specified rubber (TSR), serving tire and rubber product manufacturers around the globe, including the Americas. Well-maintained, calibrated instruments produce consistent, traceable results at source that benefit the entire supply chain by providing greater confidence in the quality behind every shipment.
The new facility will include a laboratory and training center, giving existing and prospective customers a place to see Wallace equipment in operation and access hands-on testing and technical guidance. Wallace Instruments West Africa technicians are trained by Wallace and equipped with the OEM calibration kits required for complete and compliant calibration, while customs-cleared stocks of spare parts held in Abidjan will reduce lead times.
The company will also work with an exclusive local partner to offer servicing and calibration for other equipment used across plantations and processing facilities in West Africa.
“Our aim is to bring trusted, traceable quality measurement closer to natural rubber production,” said Wallace Instruments Managing Director Chris Norval. “Establishing Wallace Instruments West Africa helps our customers maintain reliable testing and strengthen quality control, while giving the wider supply chain greater assurance in the test data. We’re excited to be building our team locally and look forward to growing with the region.”
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ABOUT WALLACE INSTRUMENTS
For more than 75 years, Wallace Instruments has designed and manufactured precision testing equipment for the rubber and plastics industry. Its product range covers plasticity, viscosity, hardness, density, compression and flex testing, as well as laboratory aging and specimen preparation equipment, supporting research and quality assurance in natural and synthetic rubber production as well as tire and rubber product manufacturing.
Its equipment is designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom by Tenon Engineering, a sister company that also supplies other world-leading scientific instrument manufacturers.
Both companies are based in Dorking, Surrey.
Contact information: George Bates ([email protected])
For more information on this press release contact:
David Cawthra | Gail Reader
RUBBER HEART Ltd
The Townhouse, 114 – 116 Fore St, Hertford, SG14 1AJ, United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)7825 232601
T: +44 (0)7968 081261
E: [email protected]
www.therubberheart.com
