Molded Devices Inc. has acquired another dip molder and coater — Galow Plastics of Oshkosh, Wis. ― and added five Arburg injection molding presses in its Tempe, Ariz., facility.
The Galow acquisition, effective Jan. 1, “expands our exposure in the Midwest,” Dave Schoell, MDI vice president of sales, said by telephone. Terms were not disclosed.
The Oshkosh location has 15 employees, occupies about 40,000 square feet and offers services that mostly overlap and complement MDI's existing dip molding and coating operations in Riverside, Calif., Miamisburg, Ohio, and Sellersville, Pa.
Privately held Riverside-based MDI says it has North America's largest custom dip molding operations and believes in the synergy between dip molding and injection molding for customers with certain needs. MDI uses automatic and manual systems in processing coatings of vinyl, plastisol suspensions and PVC in a range of colors and finishes.
The Tempe location is dedicated to injection molding services. MDI boosted its capabilities at the 40,000-square-foot site to a total of 14 presses with clamping forces of 33-440 tons and reconfigured the manufacturing floor to optimize productivity. MDI added Arburg electrics of 55, 110 and 165 tons and two servo-hydraulics of 440 tons each, according to Tom Star, president of the Tempe operations.
In addition to its Tempe quality laboratory, MDI acquired a 28-by-40-inch programmable Carl Zeiss coordinate measuring machine with an articulating head and automated tool changer, an 18-by-18-inch automated Ram Optical Instrumentation video measurement system with dynamic edge technology, a Sartorius Omnimark moisture analyzer, an Avalon Vision Solutions video system and hand-held wireless measuring devices. MDI connects the equipment to statistical process control software.
Star said MDI aims to achieve Six Sigma certification in Tempe and has enrolled its employees in online training from A. Routsis Associates Inc. of Dracut, Mass., relating to manufacturing technology, resin processing and engineering and design services.
