Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2023 winners
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Bioplastics Live
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Resin Prices Overview
    • Commodity Thermoplastics
    • High Temperature Thermoplastics
    • Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Thermosets
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
News
March 06, 2020 11:02 AM

Mearthane acquires PMI, expands polyurethane portfolio

Andrew Schunk
Rubber & Plastics News
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Mearthane Products Corp.
    Mearthane Products Corp. continues its expansion with the purchase of Polyurethane Molding Industries, Mearthane’s fifth acquisition in the last three years.

    It's all about one-stop shopping for Mearthane Products Corp., as the expanding developer and manufacturer of polyurethane and metal components has purchased Polyurethane Molding Industries, Mearthane's fifth acquisition in the last three years.

    Terms of the transaction, announced Feb. 26, were not disclosed.

    "Our longer-term vision is to be the preferred partner for precision polyurethane applications," said Mearthane President Pete Kaczmarek. "This means having a broad array of technologies and capabilities under one name."

    PMI, of Woonsocket, R.I., is a provider of reaction injection molding and custom part finishing services, making 3D printer covers, ATM bezels, camera holsters, and medical instrument front covers and side panels, among other products, according to PMI.

    PMI President Len Strapponi will remain with Mearthane as director of business operations and process development, and PMI's Brian Johnson will take over as operations manager of the Woonsocket location.

    "While PMI has always offered high-quality painting and labeling on our RIM parts for customers, combining with Mearthane will allow us to expand that into a more complete product offering," Strapponi said. "A lot of our customers' projects end up as complex assemblies, including a RIM urethane enclosure, cast urethane parts, machined components and sheet metal elements, which are then finish-painted. We will now be able to offer the whole package in many cases."

    With 40,000 square feet at its Woonsocket facility, PMI brings 25 employees to Mearthane's workforce, giving Mearthane 100 employees total — with 75 employees at Mearthane's 35,000-square-foot Cranston, R.I., location).

    Kaczmarek said there were some early restructuring and position changes with the acquisition, but all 25 PMI employees are expected to be retained, he said.

    Strapponi said his role will change slightly in that he will work directly with customers, attempting to improve lead time and prototype offerings.

    "I'll be responsible for improving our speed in getting prototypes and technical information to our customers. This will help them get their products to market faster," he said.

    The acquisition represents about a 20 percent increase in total annual sales revenue for Mearthane, Kaczmarek said.

    Specifically, PMI gives Mearthane an immediate presence in the medical device industry, as PMI is adept at rigid RIM and custom part finishing services, Kaczmarek said.

    Rigid RIM allows Mearthane to use thermosetting urethanes in a process that is similar to injection molding, which requires a thermoplastic, Kaczmarek said.

    "We are able to get a much higher level of physical properties with RIM than in thermoplastic materials, achieving the economies of scale," he said.

    Rigid RIM vs. elastomer RIM processes

    RIM's "sweet spot," according to Kaczmarek, is in structural component enclosures, where the end use is both structural and cosmetic. As such, RIM can be used for moderate volumes — the high hundreds or low thousands of units.

    "RIM locks in at a slightly smaller max volume, but it offers great physical properties and a great cosmetic appearance," Kaczmarek said. "One of the great things about RIM products is they are paintable, and PMI has a very, very good painting and finishing department.

    "We can color match, texture match, add coatings, stencils or print as customers may need. For applications that are very visible, we can leverage these capabilities."

    There are two basic families of RIM materials, he said.

    Creative Urethanes Inc. of Virginia, another of Mearthane's acquisitions over the last several years, uses RIM processes, but based on elastomeric thermoset urethanes. These products are more rubber-like in character that can be found in flexible, impact-resistant applications, such as wheelchair seats or other high-end cushion devices, Kaczmarek said.

    Conversely, PMI offers rigid or structural RIM, a process that uses structural urethane foam that ultimately has the feel of a metal enclosure, with great impact and dent resistance and lighter weight per square inch than a solid material or metal, Kaczmarek said.

    And it is just this sort of molding process that is useful in medical devices that need to be cosmetically attractive, with paint or a coating, and in military and defense applications, such as electronics or avionics, where sensitive equipment needs to be enclosed in a case, Kaczmarek said.

    In addition, rigid RIM allows for excellent environmental and chemical resistance, he said.

    "One of most attractive things about this acquisition is that it immediately boosts our presence in medical devices, which many people in the industry believe is a nice area of long-term growth and innovation," Kaczmarek said.

    The company now offers both types of RIM casting as well as cast molding, the latter of which Mearthane employs at its Cranston facility, Kaczmarek said.

    "Typically a customer will come to us with all kinds of applications, and the first thing to determine is if thermoset polyurethane is right for them," he said. "We have multiple processes and a lot of approaches and capabilities to give them what they need. If they do not need a thermoset polyurethane, we can help them find another solution."

    Mearthane's top official said that branding will remain the same, as PMI will retain its labeling for the sake of consistency and customer recognition.

    "Our typical approach is to make sure that those who know PMI can find them," Kaczmarek said. "We want to retain brand visibility as long as it is worthwhile.

    "But we also want to make clear that PMI is now part of a larger, more capable organization, and keep those two things balanced."

    Strapponi said customer reaction has been positive.

    "They are excited that we are able to offer more services, such as machining, sheet metal and cast urethanes. This will help our customers reduce their vendor base on many projects," he said.

    Past acquisitions make for bright future

    Looking forward, Kaczmarek said Mearthane will continue to try to push polyurethane materials into market sectors where they did not previously exist.

    "I think one of the things we are seeing, as we make our capabilities more well known and educate the marketplace, is that applications that are not using polyurethane either should be or could be," he said. "We are looking at where it could have better properties for the product."

    He also said that RIM processes can carry somewhat of a stigma in their use with prototyping, due to often expensive, upfront tooling costs.

    "We are developing early-stage prototyping using RIM and cast formulations that we do in Cranston," he said. "We are bullish on the acquisition and the future. The market is growing, and we are demonstrating the ability to convert other materials."

    Kaczmarek said Mearthane continues to maintain and expand its applications in defense, food packaging, paper and media handling, fitness and recreation, medical devices and industrial, according to company.

    The firm acquired Morris & Broms LLC, a provider of precision stamping and sheet metal fabrication services based in Cranston, in April 2019.

    Prior to that, Mearthane acquired Creative Urethanes in October 2018; Rhode Island Water Jet LLC, a provider of precision computer numerical control components, of Newport, R.I., in May 2018; and Elmco Tool Inc., of Bristol, R.I., in September 2017.

    Mearthane will continue to look at other acquisitions, but with the understanding that such purchases can take time to integrate.

    "We will continue to look," Kaczmarek said. "That said, it takes a while to integrate a business acquisition so we will be working on that. PMI brings a new customer base to whom we can now offer a wider range of customized polyurethane solutions."

    Strapponi added that PMI had been constrained in how fast it could move and how much the company could invest in new products and engineering.

    "As part of Mearthane, we can realize these goals more quickly together," Strapponi said. "It's truly a win for PMI, a win for Mearthane and a win for our customers."

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Treaty talks end with plans for a draft agreement, but hurdles remain
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    PVC compounder Manner launches $54M expansion in Illinois
    2
    Debate exposes divisions in plastics treaty talks
    3
    Treaty talks end with plans for a draft agreement, but hurdles remain
    4
    India's Vasantha invests $7M to open mold making support firm in Ohio
    5
    Graham Packaging wins validation for GHG emissions reduction
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2023 winners
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Bioplastics Live
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Resin Prices Overview
      • Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temperature Thermoplastics
      • Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Recycled Plastics
      • Thermosets
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified