Butler, Wis.-based medical device contract manufacturer Molded Rubber & Plastics Corp. has expanded the clean room at its headquarters facility to meet demand for existing product lines for growing customers.
"We have been systematically growing and scaling with our customer as they continue to gain market share and expand their business," MRPC President and CEO Greg Riemer told Plastics News in an emailed statement.
The eight-month project repurposed existing manufacturing space into a new clean room.
"Specifically related to the clean room 7 expansion, we have added two new silicone injection presses this year," Riemer said. "In 2025 we will likely purchase … one additional silicone injection molding press and a thermoplastic injection molding press to further support the program and our customer."
MRPC is in the process of adding six additional silicone injection molding machines in 2024 for a separate customer program, he added.
The company's business programs and other business growth initiatives in 2025 are expected to drive hiring at MRPC, Riemer said.
"In conjunction with the new presses that we are purchasing, we are also investing aggressively in automation," he said. "This automation equipment will allow us to redeploy our labor force to other more important functions within the plant."
MRPC's new automated thermoplastic injection molding machines will handle secondary processes and automation with vision systems machines will check for part critical to quality features.
"Automation, to include real-time process monitoring, was a focus of this clean room expansion project," Carl Lider, MRPC's chief operating officer, said in a news release.
The new clean room also created space for device assembly, packaging and other finished medical device assembly processes.
"This clean room expansion project is an investment in our team, and in our customers," Lider said. "The new technology supports success on the project side, and on the customer side, because it creates efficiencies while enhancing product quality."
MRPC has about 300 employees and 95 presses at facilities in Wisconsin, Florida and New Hampshire. The company has total annual sales of about $60 million.