ASK Plastics Inc. strengthened its distribution and molding capabilities by acquiring custom injection molder Jamison Plastic Corp.
ASK will make the Jamison operation, renamed ASK Lehigh Valley, its main assembly and supply-chain management facility, ASK said in a news release. The Allentown, Pa., operation is centrally located and provides better warehousing and distribution accessibility than ASK's head office facility in Philadelphia, said ASK president and owner Andrew Vartanian. He said officials are considering whether to expand Allentown's 110,000 square feet to replace outside, leased warehouse space.
The former Jamison business also gives ASK more large-tonnage presses and will help speed up turnaround times. Allentown's presses run to 1,000 tons of clamping force, while ASK's presses in Philadelphia go to 1,500 tons.
Jamison was slated to be bought by Topcraft Precision Molders Inc. of Warminster, Pa., in 1999 but the deal fell through for unspecified reasons. Vartanian said he and a partner bought the business in 2000 and Vartanian bought out the partner in December to make it part of ASK.
Jamison has custom molding sales of about $8 million to $9 million a year, according to Vartanian. The Philadelphia operation has annual sales of about $20 million, he said in a telephone interview. ASK rehired former Jamison employees, now numbering 105 in Allentown vs. 170 in Philadelphia.
Vartanian said ASK customers want the firm to take on more responsibilities, so it has evolved to meet those needs. Though its main services are engineering, design, mold making and manufacturing, it has diversified into value-added services and distribution.
ASK announced the hiring of Ralph Lees for the newly created position of chief operating officer for the Philadelphia and Allentown operations. His last position was a five-year stint as vice president of operations for Graco Children's Products division of Newell Rubbermaid Inc. Kim Robinson remains vice president of operations for ASK and Tony DePrince continues as vice president of engineering at Philadelphia.