Medical molder Phillips-Medisize Corp. is adding metal injection molding capacity and more clean room space as parts of expansions at several Wisconsin operations.
The company will add 10 metal molding presses and a continuous debind and sintering furnace at its Menomonie, Wis., metal molding facility. Phillips-Medisize has started expanding the site's area to about 50,000 square feet. The operation will have four continuous and three batch furnaces when the project is done.
Also underway is construction of a 33,000-square-foot addition to the New Richmond, Wis., facility. The project, due for completion in late 2015, includes more clean room space for production and assembly of diagnostic and surgical products.
Overall, Phillips-Medisize is investing $30 million at five Wisconsin plants. Future projects are on the drawing board for expansions in Hudson, Phillips, Medford and Eau Claire.
Phillips-Medisize injection molds metal parts of up to 150 grams. It claims the technology can yield components that typically cost 50 percent less than for CNC machining or investment casting. Metal molding allows production of complex, strong parts with dimensional stability and high quality surface finish, the firm states on its web site.
Phillips-Medisize is qualified to receive up to $5 million in Wisconsin tax credits over 39 months, depending on how many jobs are created. It forecasts up to 484 new jobs will be added in the state.
The company is vigorously recruiting medical and pharmaceutical device engineers and other skilled workers to support its business in drug devices, consumable diagnostics and surgical devices.
The company had 2013 estimated North American injection molding sales of $330 million, according to Plastics News' recent survey. It injection molds a range of thermoplastics, mainly for medical and healthcare but also for defense, automotive and consumer markets. Other materials it molds include liquid silicone rubber, ceramics and magnesium.
