Thermoset molder and compounder Mar-Bal Inc. has expanded its product mix into sheet molding compound (SMC).
SMC materials sold by Chagrin Falls, Ohio-based Mar-Bal will be sold through the firm's AltraSet Composite Technologies unit, which opened in 2018.
In a news release, officials said the addition of SMC enhances Mar-Bal's industry commitment as "the one-source solutions provider," bridging a gap in the industry for customers seeking lower volume product orders of 10,000 pounds or less. Mar-Bal's SMC production also offers short lead times and unique materials for custom formulations, officials added.
Company officials compared the move into SMC with the company's start with bulk molding compound (BMC) in the 1970s. "The goal is the same," they said. "Provide superior low-volume formulation of high glass structural composites for companies that are left behind by current leading suppliers."
Mar-Bal's SMC line can be based on polyesters, vinyl esters, epoxies or hybrid materials and can be reinforced with glass fiber or glass mats. The firm has installed an SMC and pre-preg machine made by Schmidt & Heinzmann GmbH & Co. KG for SMC work. The machine comes equipped with a multicomponent pumping, dosing and mixing (PDM) system.
The new machine is fully automated and can make high glass structural composites and perform small runs of different sizes up to 24-inch or 48-inch widths.
"We are now custom formulating, producing and selling SMC commercially in the U.S.," Technology Director Casey Blabolil said "Many of our existing BMC customers are beginning to take advantage of our SMC offerings to assist them with meeting their production needs."
Larry Landis, senior vice president of technology, added Mar-Bal isn't interested in high-volume traditional materials used in body panels, drain pans or similar items. "Our goal is to fill a gap in the marketplace for those seeking optimal, lower volume demand formulation and material value," he said.
Mar-Bal "has a dedicated growth path" in providing customers with thermoset composite solutions, including part design, specialized material formulations, decorating, assembly and customized automation, Bruce Acord, engineered products senior vice president, added.
Mar-Bal's existing product lineup includes BMC materials, molded insulators, detectable warning systems, fire resistant wastebaskets and other custom molding solutions.
Mar-Bal started material operations in Painesville, Ohio, in 2018 at a former Core Systems injection molding plant. In early 2023, Mar-Bal opened a new production site in nearby Solon, Ohio. That 20,000-square-foot location makes composite materials. The firm also has a research lab at its headquarters location in Chagrin Falls. All three Ohio sites are in the Greater Cleveland area.
In addition to its Ohio locations, Mar-Bal operates manufacturing plants in Dublin, Va., and Cuba, Mo., as well as a plant and sales office in China. The firm has installed 10 new molding machines in total at its plants in the last five years.
Mar-Bal has annual sales of more than $100 million. The firm's two largest end markets are electrical and appliance. It also sells into the industrial, foodservice, transportation and construction industries.