The need to crosslink polymers to improve their physical properties has been an accepted method in polymer industry since many decades.

In general there are three crosslinking methods that are applied commercially in the heat-shrink industry.

While the improved maximum operating temperature was one of the initial attractions of crosslinking, there are other important product advantages as a result of crosslinking polymers, such as:

- reduced deformation under load, known as creep
- improved chemical resistance
- increased abrasion resistance
- improved impact properties
- memory characteristics.