BRISTOL, PA. - Custom injection molder Abtec Inc. plans to add four Arburg presses at its new Bristol plant this year to keep up with growth in its electronic and medical business. Abtec moved from Croydon, Pa., on Sept. 1 to the larger Bristol facility it bought and renovated this year. National Sales Manager John Buzash said the 35,000-square-foot plant triples the size of the previous facility.
Abtec will spend more than $1.6 million on the building and equipment additions. The company recently started its 18th press. A $640,000 low-interest loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority helps with expansion costs.
Buzash said one of Abtec's specialties is molding small parts for reel-to-reel assembly. The company overmolds up to 128 pieces on a metal strip for electronic parts such as dip switches and nonintrusive medical components. The company molds engineering resins and thermoplastic elastomers, and most of its presses have clamping forces of 50-125 tons.
Expansion into extrusion and other technologies is planned within a year, he said. No details were provided.
He said Abtec's sales will grow by more than 40 percent this year but he declined to disclose figures.
The firm employs about 50 and plans to hire more toolmakers, designers and engineers this year.
