Medway Plastics Corp., a custom injection molder based in California for 41 years, is expanding into a 51,000-square-foot facility in Pflugerville, Texas, that will serve as its regional manufacturing facility and extend its reach to new markets in the Southwest, Central and Midwestern states.
Founded in 1974 to serve the automotive, sports and other industries, Medway has been located on a five-building campus in Long Beach since 1981. However, the family owned business could move its entire operation to the suburb of Austin, Texas, in the next 5-8 years.
“Our decision to expand Medway Plastics Corp. in Pflugerville was very strategic and is a direct result of the strong support we received,” Medway President and Chairman Tom Hutchinson Jr., a second-generation owner, said in a news release.
He was referring to economic development incentives that include a $50,000 relocation grant and $100,000 to create 100 new jobs — $1,000 per job — in the next five years. Medway has agreed to hire 20 full-time employees at an average salary of $40,000 per year within the next year. State grants will be used for workforce training and recruitment.
Medway also will move its research and development department to Texas, but continue other operations in Long Beach, where it uses green technology to generate electricity from natural gas. The system also recovers heat and converts it to refrigeration for mold cooling.
Sustainable business practices at Medway go back decades. During manufacturing, the company recycles all plastic scrap materials into appropriate products. No plastic waste goes to the landfill, and for 30 years the company has offered a “lifecycle” program for customers. Broken, worn-out and old parts can be returned to Medway for a material credit. The parts are then ground up and turned into new products.
Medway serves a variety of industries, such as automotive, food and beverage packaging, furniture, sporting and marine goods, and medical devices. Its press fleet ranges from 60 to 1,000 tons and single- to multi-cavity configurations to produce small, medium and large parts.
It has some proprietary products, including chair bases,
The 17-year-old R&D department handles product and process development and material science in thermoplastic resins and tooling. The company says the department has developed more than 40 U.S. and international patents for contract and in-house projects.
In Pflugerville, Medway entered into a long-term, lease-purchase deal for a facility that formerly housed a FedEx operation, which moved to a different site in that city. Local officials credit the area's booming population and diverse talent for helping it retain and attract businesses.
“It is clear that Pflugerville is a forward-looking, business friendly city,” Hutchinson said. “Medway Plastics can now tap into new markets in Texas and the U.S.”
Medway Plastics was ranked at No. 201 in the most recent Plastics News ranking of North American injection molders with sales of $24 million.