Badger Plug Co. has extended its protective plugs customer base by acquiring and closing a rival, Joseph Homa Consultants Inc. of Montreal.
Badger, based in Greenville, Wis., bought Homa June 1 and closed the firm's plant the same day, according to Badger sales manager Thomas Duffy. It moved some Homa molds to Greenville but did not relocate Homa's injection molding equipment.
Badger claims to be the world's leading producer of roll protection products such as plastic core plugs for film, paper and other rolls. Homa's markets and products overlapped Badger's, but Homa was especially focused on core plugs for paper and related mills in and near the province of Quebec. Homa also molded handles for bags, spools, cones for threads and coffee can lids.
“This acquisition will add some models to our already extensive line of plastic core plugs,” Duffy stated. Badger has supplied Canadian customers and is converting some of them to its own plug products.
Duffy did not disclose why Homa was for sale and former Homa officials could not be reached for comment. The Homa company, founded in 1977, also did business as JHC Plastics.
Badger is a family owned company in business since 1931. It injection molds a wide array of core plugs for protection, suspension and handling of roll products for packaging, paper, film, foil and other roll products. High density polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene are the major resins it molds and it also makes core products from wood and metal. In addition, it does custom molding for various packaging components, Duffy explained. Its injection press clamps range up to 900 tons.