Color and additives materials maker Americhem Inc. has increased annual production capacity by 3 million pounds at its headquarters site in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
The firm accomplished this increase by adding two small lot manufacturing work cells and by making other improvements to the site's manufacturing area, officials said in a March 10 news release.
The new work cells have allowed Americhem “to increase service and cost effectiveness and reduce lead times” for customers, according to Matthew Miklos, Americas commercial vice president and general manager. He added that Americhem has seen increasing demand for smaller lot sizes of its masterbatch concentrate products.
“This new small lot capacity will be directly targeted to those demands, and will also increase the quality and consistency of small lots,” Miklos said in the release.
The new cells also have improved process flow and reduced waste at the site, officials added. The cells also include two new pelletizers that can create multiple product forms.
Other growth steps taken by Americhem in Cuyahoga Falls include relocating the plant's re-crystallizer and outfitting it with new material handling capabilities. Bar coding also has been introduced in the plant's compounding area, which officials said will increase quality control and maximize effective inventory control.
Plant manager Linda Manfull added that all of the changes “have been made with our customers in mind, upgrading capabilities where they need them the most.”
Americhem ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. In late 2014, the firm acquired color compounder LTL Color Compounders Inc. of Morrisville, Pa.
