Thermoformer Alga upgrades toolmaking
CRANSTON, R.I. - Custom thermoformer Alga Plastics Co. has replaced two computer numerically controlled machining centers in an upgrade of its tooling fabrication capabilities.
Alga installed a pair of Haas CNC centers in January at its Cranston plant. Trident Machine Tools Inc. sold the equipment.
The Haas VF units make prototype and production tooling. The equipment has increased machining time and tooling capacity, said Michael Spolidoro, vice president of engineering and design. Alga also operates other CNC machining centers from Mazak Corp.
Thermoforming employees account for about two-thirds of Alga's work force, with the other third in tooling and engineering.
Moldamatic expands at Pennsylvania site
PENNDEL, PA. - Custom injection molder Moldamatic Inc. has acquired a 20,000-square-foot structure adjacent to an existing Moldamatic molding site of the same size in Newportville, Pa.
Moldamatic completed the transaction in April and will use the building for warehousing in the near term ``with the intent of expanding production at a later date,'' President Raymond Malenfant said by telephone.
A few minutes away, the firm occupies 120,000 square feet in three Penndel buildings.
Moldamatic employs 150, operates 48 presses with clamping forces of 40-450 tons and had sales of $24 million for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
Deswell buys presses for China operation
HONG KONG - Deswell Industries Inc. has ordered 12 injection molding presses worth about US$1.5 million that it will install by July in China. The firm also has upgraded tooling software.
The firm is buying Mitsubishi and Chen Hsong machines with clamping forces of 365-550 tons and will place them temporarily in Dongguan and Shekou plants.
Deswell is constructing a 550,000-square-foot injection molding plant in Dongguan, plans to begin operations there in October and gradually will relocate work from the existing sites in Dongguan and, 25 miles away, Shekou. The new plant will boost plastics division capacity by about 40 percent. The company plans to build another 150,000-square-foot site in Dongguan that should be operating by March.
Publicly traded Deswell makes electronic products and subassemblies, other plastic parts and metal items for original equipment and contract manufacturers. The Hong Kong company employs about 3,500, including 2,300 in its plastics division. A year ago, those employment numbers were 4,600 and 2,900.
As of Aug. 31, Deswell operated 252 standard presses and 14 double injection molding machines.
Newell Rubbermaid closing Ohio plant
CANTON, OHIO - A Newell Rubbermaid Inc. plant that makes car safety seats for children is slated to close by the end of the year, according to local news reports.
The plant, in Perry Township near Canton, injection molds and assembles infant auto seats. It was bought by Rubbermaid Inc. in 1998 as part of Century Products Co. and combined with Rubbermaid's Graco child products business.
A report in the Massillon Independent said the firm told employees the plant and its equipment are outdated and would cost too much to update. The Akron Beacon Journal said 160 nonunionized employees work in the molding and office operations. The plant employs about 430.
The Akron newspaper said Joseph Marotti, Rubbermaid Group Worldwide vice president for human resources, indicated that production will be relocated to the firm's plants in Macedonia, Ohio, or Greer, S.C., or both.
Company officials did not respond to calls.
Amcor buy to boost European presence
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - Melbourne-based Amcor Ltd. will acquire flexible packager and extruder Tobepal SA.
Amcor would not disclose the acquisition price, but said it was 6.2 times last year's earnings. One report estimated the deal at A$70 million to A$75 million (US$37.6 million to $40.3 million).
Russell Jones, Amcor managing director, said Tobepal operates three plants in Spain: one at Burgos and two at Logrono. The plants had combined sales of 74 million euros (US$65.9 million). Most of Tobepal's sales were in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic markets.
He said the three plants will fit well with Amcor Flexibles Europe's existing operations. After the merger, AFE will have about 25 percent of the Spanish flexibles market.
AFE formed last year through a three-way merger of Amcor's European flexible packaging operations, Danisco Flexible A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Ahlstrom Corp. of Helsinki, Finland. Jones said Tobepal's technology complements AFE's, and is particularly strong in extrusion and lamination.
