Blow molder Apex Plastics Inc. is looking to boost output and productivity by investing in new machinery and equipment.
The company recently purchased a Bekum H-155 dual-station blow molding machine, along with downstream equipment — a servo takeaway system from MTM Systems, a deflashing unit, trimmer, leak detector and materials-handling equipment — in total, an investment of about $1 million, said President Damon Neff.
The investment will improve capacity and efficiency, opening up some new opportunities for the Brookfield, Mo.,-based company, Neff said by phone.
The new machine features higher cavitations than the company's other equipment — up to eight — and allows the plant to make lager containers. The new downstream equipment will make it better equipped to mold handleware, he said.
Apex specializes in short to medium runs of custom or proprietary bottles and containers, including those in specialty shapes and colors. It serves mainly the home, cosmetics, automotive, agriculture and animal-health markets.
The company plans to further increase capacity by replacing all of its older machines with similar Bekum H-series models, Neff said.
Apex has 35 employees, runs 11 machines and has annual sales of about $4 million.
It is a division of PCE Inc., a private holding company based in Lincoln, Neb.
