WILMINGTON, DEL. - During the next five years, DuPont Films will invest $75 million to double its worldwide Kapton polyimide film business. DuPont will quadruple Kapton capacity at its plant in Pasadena, Texas, according to a company news release. It also will expand film casting capacity at facilities in Circleville, Ohio, and in Tokai, Japan, where it operates a joint venture with Toray Industries Inc.
The firm also will upgrade finishing facilities in Luxembourg.
The unit is working with flexible circuit, tape and label, and wire insulation customers to create products and process capabilities in audio/speaker, automotive, communications and computer markets, said Lynn Millikin, worldwide business director for DuPont High Performance Films, in the news release.
The high-performance films business also will add market-development staff to support new industry segments, the release said. DuPont recently opened an applied technology laboratory and a small-lots research manufacturing facility in Circleville to develop products.
DuPont, based in Wilmington, had film and sheet sales of $1.3 billion in 1994.
Molder Buckhorn buys Indiana facility
BLUFFTON, IND. - Buckhorn Inc., a subsidiary of Myers Industries Inc., has bought a 174,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bluffton.
The company, which injection molds plastic industrial containers from high density polyethylene foam, expects to begin production in 1996, said spokesman Thomas Auld. He would not give a purchase price.
Auld said it is not yet clear how many manufacturing lines will be housed in the building.
Buckhorn, which is based in Milford, Ohio, operates one other plant in Dawson Springs, Ky. That location will continue to operate, Auld said.
Buckhorn containers are used in the shipping, storage, handling and recycling industries. Myers, based in Akron, Ohio, manufactures plastic, metal and rubber products.
Ohio blow molder moving to new plant
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO - Business has been good for blow molder Pro-Gram Plastics Inc., leading the company to expand its manufacturing space.
Pro-Gram is moving this month to its new $2 million, 65,000-square-foot factory in Geneva, Ohio, from its original site in a 16,000-square-foot facility in Willoughby.
``We just ran out of space, and have been forced to run trucks on a 7-mile round trip just to warehouse our products,'' said Walt Sargi, president. ``The new spot will enable us to increase production and have the warehouse right on the site.''
Pro-Gram blow molds custom and stock, high and low density polyethylene, PVC, and polypropylene containers and components for the household and automotive chemical, food and pharmaceutical markets. The company's stock bottle lines range from 4-ounce to 1-gallon sizes.
The company will add a new blow molding line to the 19 it is moving from Willoughby, Sargi said. He said he hopes operations will begin by November.
Otto to buy foru Ube molding machines
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Otto Industries Inc. announced a $6 million investment in four new Ube Industries injection molding machines.
The purchase is in response to continued high demand for its refuse containers from municipalities, private waste haulers and industry.
One new machine has 3,500 tons of clamping force, while three have clamping forces in excess of 1,000 tons. The machines are scheduled to begin operation in February.
Otto's Charlotte facility underwent a $9 million expansion this summer to accommodate the new machines. Already installed are two Battenfeld machines with clamping forces in excess of 1,000 tons.
``Our material handling division continues to experience dramatic growth, as well as the continued profitability required for future investments and innovation,'' said Richard E. Stegall, the company's vice president of material handling.
Otto Industries is a branch of the Otto Group of Kreuztal, Germany.
