Injection molder PM Plastics Inc. is investing $3 million to upgrade its plant in Orchard Park, N.Y., to shift its focus from basic contract manufacturing to making more precision products.
The company will receive tax breaks worth $300,000 from Empire State Development in exchange for creating jobs. ESD said in a Jan. 13 news release that PM has agreed to retain 17 jobs and add 26.
PM is owned by Ben Harp and Tom Rybicki, who bought it in March 2022. Both men had been executives at medical plastics company Polymer Conversions Inc., also of Orchard Park: Harp was president and Rybicki was operations director. Harp also had worked in resin sales for General Polymers early in his career.
Harp said in a Jan. 18 telephone interview the new PM jobs will be created about equally over a five-year period.
The plant upgrades, which should be complete by midyear, will include six to eight new injection molding machines added to the current stable of 22, all with clamping forces of 55-550 tons, Harp said.
The company also will install multi-axis robot capability and automated assembly equipment that will allow for technical applications and tight-tolerance molding for aerospace and defense work.
"This allows us to open up to new markets" while improving mold quality and capacity for existing customers, Harp added.
PM Plastics now serves markets including construction, industrial, food and beverage packaging, first-responder equipment and sports/recreation. Some of its products include the Frisbee-like polypropylene discs used in the yard game Kan Jam, connectors and straps used to secure equipment in emergency vehicles and components for hunting and fishing equipment.
Other enhancements to the 65,000-square-foot plant will include upgraded urethane flooring, lighting, drywall and HVAC equipment.
Harp and Rybicki said they knew the previous PM owners, Mark Zybert and Paul Sparks, very well. Zybert and Sparks approached them about purchasing the firm. The new owners have been planning to expand almost from the beginning.
"After we got to know our [PM] people and got to meet our customers, [we knew] investing in the business would be a nice opportunity for us and them," Harp said.
Currently the co-owners are "putting on all the hats" to run the business.
"We've been working together for over 20 years," Harp said. "We know each other well, we complement each other and we look forward to doing so for years to come."