Intek garners award from Minn. alliance
HASTINGS, MINN. - Intek Plastics Inc. was honored as Minnesota's 2006 Manufacturer of the Year among midsize companies by a state-based educational manufacturing association.
The Manufacturers Alliance's annual award is given to three Minnesota companies for finding new ways to add value and become more productive. Intek was cited for its commitment to lean-manufacturing principles.
The company undertook a lean strategy three years ago. Its management and union leaders attended training sessions at the University of Kentucky.
Intek, founded in 1961, received ISO 9001:2000 certification in February. The company employs more than 350 at two facilities in Hastings, where it is based. A profile extruder, it also fabricates subassemblies for original equipment manufacturers. Intek serves the construction, refrigeration, agriculture, recreation, appliance, telecommunication, point-of-purchase and transportation areas.
Acquired Mo. facility joined with Titan unit
WESTPORT, CONN. - Private equity firm Charter Oak Capital Partners LP has repositioned a Poplar Bluff, Mo., injection molding plant within Revere Industries LLC's Titan Plastics Midwest division.
Until May 1, the plant was part of Titan Plastics Group Corp., a separate investment of Westport-based Charter Oak.
``Acquisition of the Poplar Bluff facility enables us to improve our geographical presence,'' said Mike Leitert, president of Clyde, Ohio-based Titan Plastics Midwest.
The Poplar Bluff facility employs 160, operates 45 injection presses and, among other work, supplies small-engine gas tanks to Briggs & Stratton Corp., hand-tool housings to Black & Decker Corp. and decorative handles to Dura Automotive Systems Inc., Leitert said by telephone.
Overall, Titan Plastics Midwest employs 677, operates 240 presses of 25-1,500 tons, has annual sales of about $130 million at Clyde, Poplar Bluff and Brampton, Ontario, and, separately, is involved in a plastics processing joint venture in Guangdong, China.
Montrose Molders adds Nissei presses
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. - Montrose Molders Corp. added a couple of Nissei 400-ton injection molding presses to start the year as it focuses on improving efficiency.
``We want to take advantage of quicker cycle times and better efficiencies,'' President William H. Wilson said in an April 18 telephone interview.
He said the additions replaced older machines and are part of a plan to add five new machines in the next five years. The South Plainfield-based company has 35 presses with clamping forces of 75-720 tons in its 80,000-square-foot facility. About 80 percent of the presses are running with robots.
Wilson, who has 28 years of experience in tooling and molding, bought the business from his father, William B. Wilson, in January 2005. The older Wilson retired after building a business he started as a tooling firm in 1966. Montrose Molders was added in 1969 to test those tools.
``We rely on our tooling background, and that's a big advantage,'' the younger Wilson said.
He said the custom molder uses an in-house mold maker, Continental Precision Corp., as well as an offshore affiliate, Asia-tronics in Shenzhen, China, depending on customers' needs.
``For any kind of big parts, it doesn't pay to have the mold built overseas, but this gives a customer another option, and they can get quotes domestically or overseas,'' Wilson said.
The company has $12 million in sales and is hoping to grow the business to $20 million by 2012, he added.
He said Montrose has boosted its management team. Jeff Carroll, who had been with the company for four years, also became a partner in early 2005 and serves as vice president and general manager. Todd Nicolay was appointed as sales director at the end of 2005.
Montrose Molders operates in a variety of markets, including point-of-purchase displays, medical, food packaging, lawn and garden, office products, automotive and consumer products.
