Brazilian plastics and rubber processor Grupo GA230 is setting up its first U.S. operation in a leased building in Century, Fla.
AlgaPlast Corp., the American subsidiary, will focus on injection molding gas pump nozzles for Austin, Texas-based Wayne Fueling Systems and Dover Fueling Solutions, which are part of Dover Corp., a publicly traded company based in Downers Grove, Ill.
"We already supply them here in Brazil and through that relationship we have granted a major project to supply directly to Austin," said Marcos Martins, chief financial officer of AlgaPlast and Grupo GA230.
The Century plant will open in late August or early September with five employees and four or five injection molding machines. The 40,000-square-foot building has room to grow.
"We're dedicating our efforts in order to enlarge our scope of operation, sharing the kind of technology that we have on plastic injection to reach different segments perhaps and reach different perspectives of customers," Martins said.
AlgaPlast will produce the nozzle for a gas pump, which requires big machines and precise logistics. The company built molds in Brazil and test-molded parts in Paraguay before moving production to the United States.
The company worked with local officials including the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance on the project. AlgaPlast credits them with helping to get the new plant operating in less than a year.