Mastercraft Cos. is using a midyear lull to restructure its management ranks and target injection molding and tool-building opportunities in medical and other markets.
``The level of quoting activity is bright, but we have our challenges,'' Arle Rawlings, president and chief executive officer, said in a telephone interview.
Phoenix-based Mastercraft named industry veteran Dale Behm as chief operating officer; Bob Corey, engineering and business development manager for the mold-making division; and Dan Horner, quality manager.
In an era of consolidation for molders and toolmakers, Mastercraft has ``low debt structure'' and is positioned to ``go after the right kind of business,'' according to Behm, who sees the industry downturn leveling off.
``Those companies left standing and not having high debt structure will do fine,'' Behm said.
Mastercraft is preparing for newly awarded work on an electronic device and high-end swimming pool pop-up heads and valves. It also has a bid pending on a nonclassified Department of Defense project.
The company's custom injection molding division, Polycraft Industries Inc., operates 30 presses with clamping forces from 40-440 tons, including two all-electric machines.
The Mastercraft Mold Division added two Fadal high-speed computer numerically controlled vertical machining centers in September.
Some customers require molds made in Asian shops, and Mastercraft has contracted through suppliers in China and South Korea for tools.
Mastercraft employs 85, including six tool builders. The company's 2007 sales approached $10 million, up from $8.7 million for the previous year. The medical market accounts for roughly 45 percent of its business, with the remainder in electronics, automotive, industrial and defense applications.
Rawlings established Mastercraft in 1968 to make molds and formed the injection molding side in 1982. Offices and molding operations occupy 36,500 square feet. The nearby tool shop has 21,500 square feet.
Behm's past positions include CEO of American PureTex Water Corp. of Houston; vice president of Chino, Calif.-based Trend Technologies LLC's plastics technology group; and president of Puget Plastics Corp. of Tualatin, Ore.
Corey operated B&G Tool Corp. in Chicago, and Horner was with the Phoenix facility of Portola Packaging Inc.
