CHICAGO — Sencorp Systems Inc. plans to construct a foam extrusion research facility in Bloomfield, N.Y., this fall, the firm announced June 19 at NPE 1997 in Chicago.
Officials would not release the amount to be invested.
The 6,000-square-foot operation will be built on property owned by Commodore Machine, an equipment and toolmaker for foam lines and a manufacturer of expanded polystyrene foam products. The lab will include a commercial-size foam extrusion line to develop machinery, EPS and expanded polyethylene products.
Sencorp also expects to research materials like polyesters, polypropylenes and new blowing agents, and to design a development handbook.
In addition, customers will be able to work with their specifications and resins in trials and projects.
``You can't take a customer in to work in another customer's plant to show him how something works,'' said Barry Curtis, national accounts manager for extrusion systems. ``We're building technology that will benefit the customer. They have ideas to try, and this gives them the opportunity to try.''
Customers from around the world are welcome to test materials at the facility. Another benefit of having an off-site, dedicated research center is avoiding down time.
``Resin producers, anyone in the business or who wants to be in the business of foam production, and equipment buyers can use the research facility,'' Curtis said.
Sencorp has been preparing for the facility for a year. As far as the firm knows, no other suppliers have a dedicated facility for foam extrusion, although customers may have in-house lab lines.
Sencorp Systems, based in Hyannis, Mass., is a member of DT Industries Packaging Group. It builds foam extrusion systems for EPS and expanded PE. DT is in Springfield, Mo.
