Dresser, Wis.-based injection molder Tenere Inc., which designs and makes plastic and metal components, is adding rapid prototyping to its portfolio with the purchase of Protogenic Inc. of Westminster, Colo.
Protogenic had been owned since 2008 by Spectrum Plastics Group of Minneapolis. Terms were not disclosed.
The acquisition is part of a growth plan instituted by Tenere owner Watermill Group of Lexington, Mass., said Jeff Tomassoni, Tenere vice president of sales.
Watermill purchased Tenere in December, and has already taken steps to grow the business. It added about 30 employees and new equipment to boost the Dresser metal-fabrication facility. It expects Protogenic to provide even more opportunities for Tenere, according to Tomassoni.
Protogenic does prototyping and casting. It has 38 employees at its 22,000-square-foot facility in Colorado. The company offers stereolithography, laser sintering and 3-D printing, as well as cast urethane and cast silicone. It is also aligned with fast-moving industries like medical devices, aerospace, defense, electronics and consumer products.
“They're truly a rapid-prototyping company. They can quote within minutes or a few hours and the delivery as far as turnaround can be 24-72 hours,” said Tomassoni.
Protogenic can help all of Tenere's facilities, he said, but it is particularly helpful to Tenere's injection molding operation in nearby Lakeland, Colo.
“It fills a gap for a lot of customers that have RP requirements,” he said, noting that it will build on the engineering end of Tenere.
Tenere's Lakeland facility is about 60,000 square feet. Its 19 injection molding machines range in clamping force from 25 tons to 1,000 tons. The company also has three other facilities in Wisconsin, in Dresser, Somerset and St. Croix Falls.
Tenere fabricates sheet metal and machined products, and provides integration and assembly services. It serves OEMs in network communications and enterprise software, as well as the agriculture, medical and aerospace industries.