Reusable packaging maker Nefab Group AB, through the company's Polyflex division, is opening a new location in Michigan for the design, prototype and manufacture of injection molding tooling.
The new location in Grand Blanc, Mich., is part of what the company calls a "larger expansion strategy to bring injection molded parts to market more efficiently while prioritizing sustainability and cost effectiveness."
The 19,000-square-foot site also allows Polyflex to increase production capacity and reduce lead times for injected molded packaging products made at the company's nearby Farmington Hills, Mich., site that serves automotive customers.
"Leveraging the latest technology and boosting our in-house capabilities gives us greater control over costs and timing," Polyflex Chief Operating Officer Darrell Tiedeman said in a statement. "With these innovations, we can deliver injection molded tools and other critical components faster than ever."
Polyflex makes returnable injection molded and thermoformed packaging, and the company said the new site will "strengthen sustainable packaging support for automotive manufacturers."
The new site's equipment allows Polyflex to "design, prototype, and build tooling for injection molded solutions all in one location," the company said.
Along with new equipment, the Grand Blanc facility also includes a training room for both employees and customers to learn about advancements in packaging and tooling.
"Informed customers are empowered customers. We invite them to experience the technology firsthand, walk through the processes, and see how our solutions can improve their operations," Tiedeman said in the statement.
Nefab, in announcing the new location, also indicated the company has reused more than 1 million pounds of plastics to make new products this year.
Once customers are finished with their reusable packaging, the company provides a credit for those products that are then reground for use in new products. This "not only reduces environmental impact but also ensures that valuable materials are efficiently reused, aligning with Nefab's mission to deliver sustainable packaging solutions," the company said.
Stockholm-based Nefab has annual sales of $966 million, locations in 38 countries and employs more than 4,900 workers.