Injection molder and mold maker Crescent Industries Inc. is making plans for a multimillion-dollar improvement project at its New Freedom, Pa., facility to help it keep ahead of competitors, officials said.
Crescent has positioned itself in the medical, dental, defense and aerospace industries, which have all remained strong despite the recession, said Vice President Eric Paules in Feb. 27 telephone interview. But the strength of those industries also means that other molders now are emphasizing work in those fields, which increases the number of Crescent's competitors.
“We need to stay one step ahead,” he said.
The extent of the improvements will depend on whether Crescent is successful in its bid to borrow up to $5 million in tax-exempt financing through the York County Industrial Development Authority.
Paules said the firm hopes to get its answer by mid-March and begin work in the summer.
Its plans focus on both the mold-making and clean room molding facilities.
Crescent's tooling operations are in an older building that has multiple elevations, so molds take longer to move from one machine to another.
“It's all about being lean, and if we could do without a lot of the handling that's now required, that's going to make a difference,” he said.
On the molding side, Crescent already has a small Class 10,000 clean room, but it wants to create a bigger space that will allow it to add assembly, packaging and other post-molding operations in a clean room setting.
Crescent has 130 employees. Its 20 injection molding machines have clamping forces of 35-385 tons. The company also provides engineering services and prototype molding.