Möllertech sites operation in Georgia
BIELEFELD, GERMANY — Möllertech GmbH & Co. KG is investing $9.75 million to start an injection molding plant in Elberton, Ga., to serve automotive customers, primarily BMW AG.
The firm's Moeller Tech unit will locate the Elberton plant in a 130,000-square-foot building already outfitted for plastics manufacturing, according to a news release from Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Möllertech, based in Bielefeld, said the plant will employ 75.
Local economic development officials said in June that they were finalizing a deal with a European plastic molder, but at that time they did not name the client. The Southeast has seen an increase in auto assembly plants from both European and Asian automakers.
Auto molder FPE to open Canada plant
ORMOND BEACH, FLA. — Auto parts maker Florida Production Engineering Inc. will open an injection molding plant next year in Stratford, Ontario.
The 65,000-square-foot plant — formerly occupied by Collins & Aikman Inc. — will create at least 30 and as many as 50 jobs, according to Canadian media reports. The plant is scheduled to open in April 2011.
Officials with FPE and the city of Stratford could not be reached for comment. FPE — based in Ormond Beach, Fla., and with a corporate office in Troy, Mich. — is part of Ernie Green Industries, a group of auto-focused firms based in Dayton, Ohio.
FPE makes wheel trim and numerous other parts for domestic and foreign automakers, and serves other industrial markets including aviation and medical.
EPI relocating Ark. production to Tenn.
ST. LOUIS — Injection molder Engineered Products Industries LLC will close its plant in De Queen, Ark., moving 200 jobs to Nashville, Tenn., the Associated Press reported Sept. 2.
Calls to the De Queen plant and to EPI's corporate headquarters in St. Louis were unsuccessful.
According to the AP story, the maker of parts for outdoor equipment is a major supplier to chainsaw and lawn and garden equipment manufacturer Husqvarna AB, which recently consolidated a De Queen plant with a Nashville facility.
EPI also has a plant in Sherman, Miss. It operates presses from 30-720 tons to supply the appliance, electronic, lawn and garden, and outdoor power-equipment markets.
Wausaukee Composites plans expansion
WAUSAUKEE, WIS. — Wausaukee Composites Inc. is planning a $1.9 million expansion at its Owosso, Mich., facility.
The company will install a new top-coat paint line in Owosso once it receives final word from a key customer, said plant manager Don Ranville. Wausaukee makes construction and agricultural composite parts for the Owosso plant customer, which has asked its suppliers to begin doing top-coat painting, Ranville said in an Aug. 31 phone interview.
Wausaukee already does a prime coat on fiberglass and other composite parts, he said. Once the line is running, the firm will bid on other business that requires full painting capabilities.
The Wausaukee-based firm also is in preliminary stages of expanding other manufacturing at Owosso and expects to add up to 156 jobs there within the next five years. The company now employs 132 people.
The state of Michigan approved a $783,909 tax credit to help finance the expansion and Owosso Township is considering a tax abatement of $40,000.
Eptech changes name to Injection Works
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — Thermoplastic injection molder Eptech Corp. announced Aug. 30 that it has changed its name to Injection Works Inc.
“Our new name, Injection Works, more clearly states and emphasizes the focus that we have, and gives us a solid foundation for future growth,” President Chris Rapacki said in a news release.
The 22-year-old company's original name, Eptech, was derived from a combination of “Eastern Pennsylvania” and “Technology,” to represent its location and concentration at the time.
Now the firm focuses exclusively injection molded components. Injection Works' 46,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Mount Laurel has 22 presses from 22-720 tons and white room and Class 100,000 clean room environments.