A surgical stapling device includes an elongate body, a tool assembly pivotably coupled to the elongate body for articulation, and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is movable in relation to the tool assembly to eject staples from the tool assembly and cut tissue clamped between jaws of the tool assembly. The drive assembly includes a working end that is coupled to a flexible drive beam. The flexible drive beam includes a metallic core member and outer laminates secured to opposite sides of the core member. The outer laminates are formed of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the core member to minimize firing forces of the surgical stapling device.