Alliance Precision Plastics Corp. recently expanded its Spindale, N.C. operations in a big way, turning to Wittmann Battenfeld to add seven injection molding manufacturing cells.
Alliance, which is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., acquired the Spindale assets of Molding Dynamics Inc. in early 2012. It also earned the opportunity to help an existing customer, a leading appliance manufacturer, to launch a major new project.
The company responded by adding 17,500 square feet to the existing plant for warehousing space. The project started in July and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. That in turn enabled it to free up space for the new work cells.
Alliance said that the new project required machines that offered flexibility, customization, and a fast turnaround.
“We had worked with Wittmann Battenfeld before on a custom spool automation project back a few years ago and we had some great feedback from our employees on the ease of use and quality of the Wittmann robots,” said Alan Kearns, general manager at Alliance's Spindale facility, in a news release.
As a result Alliance purchased seven injection molding machines (a TM500, 2 HM150s, 2 HM90s, a HM 65, and a HM MC300 two-shot machine), 4 robots, 5 granulators, 3 driers, 3 loaders, 2 pickers, 5 TCUs and a silo.
The company said that by buying from a single source, it was able to take delivery on the items within three months and it allowed for a quick start on the project.
Kearns they worked with Wittmann to customize a two-shot machine.
“The mold size required a big machine and the shot sizes demanded something different,” he said.
Alliance has two facilities in Rochester, as well as the Spindale site. It also is a 50 percent partner with McAlpin Industries in A-M MEX, a plastics, metal and assembly operation in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. It has over 90 injection molding machines overall.
