California's Honor Plastics & Molding Inc. is becoming the central home for the consolidated operations of three different injection molding companies, including product lines run by one of the plastics' industries most established molders.
In the process, the Ontario, Calif.-based company is adding a 530-ton injection molding press and processing capability well above its previous range of 60 to 250-ton presses.
Dennis Savalia, president and CEO, took over Honor Plastics in 2016 from James and Susan Prior, who decided to retire after 25 years in business. He also was selected by Woodrow Wilson Pearce, who had run Pearce Plastics Inc. in Pasadena, Calif., since 1945 to take over his lines of cosmetic caps and pet products. Pearce died Nov. 6 at the age of 96.
“Relationships are very important in your life,” said Savalia, explaining his habit of keeping in close touch with industry associates.
In July 2016, Savalia assumed responsibility for Precision Plastic Concepts of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Frederick Fitzgerald had operated Precision Plastic for 23 years prior to his death at the age of 61.
Savalia combined operations from Pearce and Precision at Honor's two plants in Ontario.
In September, Honor ordered the new press from equipment distributor L.K. Systems Inc. He said in a telephone interview that he expects delivery of the press by the end of January.
“There is some business I can target, mostly commercial,” he said.
Savalia, 53, grew up in India and moved to the United States with his parents at age 21. Members of his family were involved in the circuit board business, giving Savalia a window on the technology. He gravitated to sales and marketing and worked for conglomerate AT&T Inc. for a few years.
In another evolution, he became involved in automotive retailing through Penske Corp.'s Atlantic region and California operations.
Currently, Savalia's financial partner is Hi-Rel Plastics & Molding Inc. in Riverside. Previously, Savalia was Hi-Rel's general manager and vice president. Earlier, he was vice president at Tri-Star Plastics and Molding Inc. in Anaheim.
Honor Plastics is certified under ISO 9001:2008 and is moving toward qualification under the 2015 version. In addition, Honor is going through the steps toward designation for ISO 13485 quality management for medical devices and AS 9100 for aerospace components.
Honor employs 25, occupies contiguous buildings of 12,000 and 10,000 square feet and primarily serves the engineering, aerospace and medical markets.
The plastic and rubber machinery division of TMC Technology Corp. of Taichung City, Taiwan, manufactured all of Honor's 13 current injection molding machines.
Honor Plastics had 2016 sales of about $2.5 million. Savalia projects approaching $3.2 million in 2017 including the Honor, Pearce and Precision businesses.
Separately in November 2011, technology entrepreneur Savalia started the color concentrate and additive firm Plastic Innovations Inc. in Jurupa Valley, Calif. “The idea came to me: if we can do injection molding, why not do color concentrates?” he said. “We decided to start from scratch.”
General Manager Terry Moreno had worked for 20 years with color pigment supplier Color Science Inc. in Santa Ana, Calif.
Plastic Innovations employs about 18, leases 22,000 square feet and had 2016 sales of about $2 million. Plastic Innovations produces polymer alloys, blends, additives and composites along with color-concentrate and pre-colored materials.