Keeney Manufacturing Co. has installed nine more injection molding machines at two of its East Coast plants to increase production capacity for plastic plumbing parts.
The machines went to the Newington, Conn., facility, which is also the company headquarters, and a plant in Winchester, N.H., which is called Plumb Pak North. The equipment installations boost the number of injection molders to a total of 33 at the two sites, according to the Hartford Courant.
The company also has manufacturing plants in Norcross, Ga., and Sparks, Nev., which are called Plumb Pak South and West, respectively, as well as facilities in Montreal and Jiangmen, China.
Founded in 1923, Keeney Manufacturing started out making coin air valves and brass fixtures before expanding into PVC, ABS, polypropylene and polyethylene parts for under-sink repairs, bath drains and toilet repairs.
The company still makes brass plumbing parts in addition to stainless steel, iron and chrome-plated products.
Keeney Manufacturing says it is one of the world's largest makers of tubular brass and plastic plumbing and water supply products for residential and commercial construction and the professional plumbing and do-it-yourself markets.
The investment in new molding machines is part of a lean manufacturing initiative to increase cycle times while reducing energy use, according to the local paper, which featured a photo of a Wittmann Battenfeld unit. New molds and packaging equipment also were purchased.
Later this year, the manufacturer plans to bring in additional machines to create a fully automated production cell.