Distributor and custom fabricator ePlastics acquired a Haas VF-4 mill, leased more space and received recognition from the International Association of Plastics Distributors.
Haas Factory Outlet of Anaheim, Calif., supplied the computer-numerical-control vertical machining center to ePlastics' customized order, “allowing us a much larger format for either multiple small parts or larger taller single parts,” said Elliott Rabin, president of Ridout Plastics Co. Inc., which does business as ePlastics. In addition to plastics, the San Diego firm mills aluminum for some key customers.
The factory outlet, a division of Machining Time Savers Inc., represents machine tool builder Haas Automation Inc. of Oxnard, Calif.
For the space contiguous to its current facility, ePlastics leased 10,000 square feet in June bringing its total to 40,000 square feet. “We picked up additional parking and loading docks,” Rabin said.
ePlastics won the IAPD's 2015 plastics application design competition for its innovative use of cast acrylic sheet in the exterior louvers for a home in San Diego. Peers attending the Sept. 21-24 IAPD convention and plastics showcase in San Diego selected the application from among four finalists from across the country.
The IAPD contest was open to any material furnished by an IAPD member company in the past year.
Previously, Lucite International recognized ePlastics and Jeff Kull Construction Development with a Just Imagine award for the application. Sheets of LuciteLux Frost-brand acrylic in a glacier green hue were thermoformed and then wrapped around an aluminum frame. Lucite International is an operation in the rayon group of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp.
ePlastics employs 48 full-time “with several celebrating more than 20 years with the company,” Rabin said.
Product lines include acrylic and polycarbonate sheets, rods and tubes; multiwall PC sheet; fiberglass sheet; corrugated fiberglass; high-performance engineering sheet and rod; fiberglass and resin systems; and plastic glue and accessories.
In addition to the new mill, ePlastics operates dual head Motion Masters of 48 by 96 inches and 96 by 96 inches, two triple head 24-by-48-inch Kennards, a Haas Mini Mill and a 100-watt Universal Laser of 18 by 24 inches.
