Polymer Color Services LLC plans to set up a compounding plant in the Midwest next year.
The Easely, S.C., producer of color concentrates wants to expand its geographic reach, according to Mike Haubert, vice president of sales. The 5-year-old company is looking to set up its second facility in mid- to late 2003, he said in a telephone interview. The firm now serves the Midwest through two sales groups there.
Polymer Color recently doubled productivity on three of its compounding lines and added a fourth line. New screws helped boost production rates and color dispersion. The company now can make 6 million pounds per year of concentrates, Haubert estimated.
Polymer Color also added two 25-ton injection molding presses, to give it four presses dedicated to making color chips. Haubert said his firm focuses on custom color matching and recently added a second chemist for its research and development work.
``We color all thermoplastics, including PVC and cellulosics,'' Haubert said. The company sells concentrates into all processing sectors and does some adhesives business as well. The company boasts a maximum of three days for color matching and a similar period for production, he said.
Haubert and Polymer Color President Matt Aldenderfer helped found the company in 1997 after working in the compounding business in Indiana. An undisclosed investor also is a partner. Haubert did not disclose the sales figures for Polymer Color or the size of its staff.