Vision Molded adds structural foam units
NAPOLEON, OHIO — Vision Molded Plastics Inc. of Napoleon recently bought two 500-ton Uniloy Milacron structural foam molding presses.
The presses have been operational since Feb. 1. The company already had eight presses, including 400- and 500-ton models and 750- and 800-ton twin-screw presses.
Vision, a subsidiary of Glendora, Calif.-based Carson Industries, is a structural foam and gas-assist custom molder.
The company makes a variety of products including outdoor furniture; storage containers; playpens; and a product called a dog loop, a large dog house and run.
Company bookings have almost doubled in the last 18 months, and it looks to grow by another 50 percent by 2000, John Wurst, marketing vice president, said in a news release. Vision reported annual sales for 1998 at $19.2 million, up from $11 million in 1997.
The company employs 125 at its 100,000-square-foot facility.
Injection presses set in motion at Trend
SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Beginning in June, Trend Technologies Inc. plans to move eight injection molding machines to Zapopan, Mexico, from Longmont, Colo., and add eight new presses in Colorado.
``Our objective is to not move too many things too quickly,'' said Bert Vermuelen, Trend vice president and the Colorado site general manager with additional responsibility for the Mexican development program.
Fernando Casillas joined Trend Technologies SA de CV as general manager in May and has established the Guadalajara-area assembly operation in a 5,300-square-foot facility. The machines being moved have clamping forces of 55-200 tons.
In Colorado, Trend makes tools and, on 34 presses of 28-200 tons, molds precision and internal mechanical parts principally for printers and medical devices. Other Trend plants mostly make and assemble computer enclosures.
San Jose-based Trend also has operations in Round Rock, Texas; Albuquerque; Dublin, Ireland; San Diego; and Elk Grove Village, Ill.
Aim all-electric press gets up and running
LONGMONT, COLO. — Aim Processing Inc. of Longmont is gaining experience with its new 110-ton, all-electric, Milacron Roboshot injection molding machine.
The machine began production in early January, opening the way for the company to use multiple-cavity molds.
Aim's 1998 molding sales increased about 25 percent over the previous year, President Jacqueline Jones said in a telephone interview. Aim's 1998 total of ``slightly above $1 million'' was lower than 1997's $1.1 million, which was inflated because of tooling dollars passed through to customers, she said.
Aim was formed in 1994, relocated six miles to a custom-design, 10,000-square-foot facility in September and now employs 12. The former quarters was only 4,800 square feet.
In addition to the Roboshot, Aim operates three hydraulic presses of 88, 40 and 24 tons and supplies secondary services. The firm sold a 40-ton hydraulic press.
Robbins relocating, boosting presses
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. — Robbins Scientific Corp. plans to move in June to a much larger facility and increase its captive injection molding and toolmaking capacities. Both the existing and new locations are in Sunnyvale.
The maker and distributor of biomedical laboratory articles and instrumentation will boost its number of presses 10 percent, John Sphar, production manager for the plastics group, said in a telephone interview. He would not disclose the current number of presses, but said have 28-200 tons of clamping force.
Robbins will relocate about four miles to a leased, 90,000-square-foot facility. The new location will have equipment assembly, applications laboratory and toolmaking and repair capabilities.
The firm has used the existing site since 1989 and plans to sublet the 36,000 square feet, possibly with some plastics processing equipment.
Robbins employs 150 and principally uses polypropylene in controlled-environment molding of pipette tips, centrifuge tubes and microscope plates and trays.