Trexel wins innovation award

Congratulations to Trexel Inc., which on May 11 received a 2011 Smaller Business Innovation Award from the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE). The NEIA program recognizes companies that have transformed innovative ideas into products and services that deliver proven value to customers. Steve Braig, president & CEO of Trexel, said in a news release: "This is a great honor for our company, as nearly 200 companies competed in this year's competition. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, who continue to build a strong, innovative and rapidly-growing global business in the plastics industry." Trexel is well known in plastics circles for its MuCell microcellular foaming technology, which allows injection molders to make parts faster and using less material with enhanced dimensional stability. Trexel was one of nine companies honored this year, and the only plastics firm. (Two other winners have tangential plastics connections: Biovation LLC, a Boothbay, Maine, company that develops non-woven fiber products with antimicrobial properties for food packaging, wound care and customer OEM applications; and TEI Biosciences Inc., a Boston biomedical company that makes devices used for soft tissue repairs).