WOODSTOCK, GA. — RJG Inc., the training and technology supplier for injection molding, has opened an 8.000-square-foot training center in Woodstock Ga., near Atlanta.
For RJG, based in Traverse City, Mich., the southern location becomes a central place for training in its Master Molder certification programs, plus shorter classes such as Injection Molding Essentials, Math for Molders and Systematic Molding.
The Georgia center has room for seven injection molding machines, required for hands-on training in Master Molder I and Master Molder II, according to Steve Bruining, consulting/engineering lab technician.
In the past, in the Southeast RJG did training mainly in customer factories — and RJG still offers than service. The company rented conference rooms for some training, but many Master Molder candidates had to travel to Traverse City in northern Michigan.
Trainer Jason Robinson served the Southeast for several years. Now he is based in at the Woodstock training center. Pat Mosely is moving from Traverse City to the Georgia to be another trainer there.
Bruining is a Master Molder I, who has taken the RJG class on tool launches and the eDart system with his previous employer, an injection molder. Bruining got his Train the Trainer certification recently, so that he can become a trainer as well.
About 80 people attended a grand opening at Woodstock on April 22.
So far, the center houses six injection molding machines: three Nissei presses with 40 tons of clamping force, a 55-ton Toshiba and a 55-ton Toyo and a 55-ton Milacron. The seventh press will come in later.
Bruining said the machines are on consignment. The RJG center is open for sales people to bring customers in to see the presses running, when there are no classes using it, he said.
“That's pretty much what I tell anybody that comes in here. I want to create more of a showroom environment,” he said. “I want to promote our partners.”
During a tour, Bruining pointed out other equipment: Dri-Air dryers and loaders, Regloplas temperature control units, Burger & Brown Smartflow water manifolds, molds from Extreme Tool and Progressive mold bases.
Fordham Plastics Equipment and Zag Equipment provided RJG with a used Budzar chiller.