Gain Technologies Inc. and owner Michael Ladney have earned a reputation for aggressive legal moves, but the gas-assisted molding technology supplier was promoting something else during an open house in June - Gain's ``solutions-based,'' partnership mentality.
Gain moved into the 34,000-square-foot headquarters near Macomb, in Shelby Township, earlier this year, from its former building in Sterling Heights, Mich., measuring 20,000 square feet.
The headquarters has a large injection molding area, with six Intertech presses with clamping forces from 83-300 tons. A complete mold shop - something brand new for Gain - enables the company to make molds for prototyping or production.
The open house, June 16-18, featured seminars on water-assisted molding, as Gain kicked off its relationship with PME Fluidtec GmbH of Kappel-Grafenhausen, Germany. Other exhibitors included dryer supplier Matsui America Inc., robot maker Star Automation Inc. and Plasdan Group, an engineering firm that makes multishot tooling and modular injection units.
Ladney's firm also has jumped into the injection molding press business, selling the Intertech line from Taiwan. Gain hired David May, former national sales manager of Mitsubishi presses for MHI Injection Molding Machinery Inc., to head sales at Gain's new Plastics Machinery Group. Enaiviv Machinery Industrial Co. Ltd. in Yung Kang City, Taiwan, makes the presses.
In water-assisted technology, Gain now handles sales and service for PME Fluidtec. Ladney said European molders have used water-assist for years, but it is just getting started in the United States. He said Gain is doing prototype work on the process for Ford.
Theo van Kessel, PME Fluidtec's managing director, said PME water-assisted molding systems are running on 45 injection presses in Europe. PME's largest water-assist application is on a press with 3,500 tons of clamping force molding trash bins in Germany. Another, more common application is a door handle for the Opel Astra. The process uses water, instead of gas, to push out excess plastic inside the mold and create hollow parts.
Gain employs 22 people in Shelby Township, including seven in the tool shop.
