Flambeau Inc. has been adding equipment at several plants during the past year and is now putting the finishing touches on upgrades to integrate business functions across its operations.
The company has added injection molding machines at three of its nine North American plants: three presses with 330-730 tons of clamping force in Middlefield, Ohio; two in Madison, Ga. (200- and 900-ton); and one 750-ton machine in Columbus, Ind. The final two presses should be operational by July.
Flambeau also began implementing an enterprise resource planning system in May and expected the transition to be complete by June 7, according to Sonja Stauffacher, vice president of administration.
"This will greatly increase our efficiencies in order processing and production-related information," she said by email June 2.
Flambeau, based in Baraboo, Wis., is a major manufacturer of products for a range of markets including consumer, industrial and automotive. Though the COVID-19 pandemic created a general economic slowdown last year and hampered logistics for many companies, Flambeau said it saw a surge in demand at its U.S. facilities.
The new machines will be used to make stock and custom products for Flambeau's fluids and packaging divisions; stock boxes and cases for Flambeau Outdoors, ArtBin and other packaging lines; and proprietary products including Brute toolboxes, gun cases and tackle boxes.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, Flambeau had estimated total annual sales in North America of $635 million. Based on Plastics News and industry estimates, Flambeau currently has North American injection molding sales of about $145 million and operates 128 presses.
Flambeau also does blow molding and mold making. It employs more than 900 workers in the U.S. and at a plant in Saltillo, Mexico. Outside the U.S., the company has a plant in Ramsgate, England, and a sales office in Shenzhen, China.