What's the word on rotational molding? More.
For rotomolders, this year's ranking research for fiscal 2021 shows, well, more. Like larger volumes and higher prices. The average sales per company is up 15 percent. Polyethylene pricing was up 17.5 percent, contributing to material costs pass-through gains. The total related sales for our 106 ranked firms is $2.9 billion, up 14 percent from last year.
Proprietary molding takes the largest share, which is what we expected, with 55 percent of the total sales, representing the brands that make products like tanks, carts, toys, kayaks and playground equipment. Our 1999 ranking had this group at 62 percent of the total. Custom molding runs close behind with 41 percent of this ranking's total sales.
Captive molding comes in at just under 5 percent. This group represents those manufacturers who rotomold a component or part of their finished product, like machine housings. This is the most difficult sector to explore because most firms don't consider themselves rotomolders.
So, what's the biggest news?
Tank Holding Corp. acquired Dutchland Plastics LLC earlier this year, giving Tank the largest dollar gain in our ranking.
Ranked at No. 4, Centro Inc. has a new plant in Iowa, expecting production to start next February.
Custom rotomolder Solar Plastics LLC, which ranked at No. 11, has started up production in Monterrey, Mexico.
Who are our biggest movers?
Atlas Molding LLC of Leola, Pa., moved up 28 spaces to rank at No. 51.
CPI Products of Port Washington, Wis., moved up 25 spaces to No. 60. The industrial molder also holds our biggest percentage gain at 183.3 percent.
PW Aire Technologies of Olivet, S.D., moved up 22 spaces to No. 54.
Redline Plastics LLC of Manitowoc, Wis., moved up 16 spaces to rank at No. 40.
Horizon Manufacturing Group LLC of Lake Mills, Wis., moved up 14 spaces to No. 26.
Johnson Outdoors Inc. of Racine, Wis., moved up 12 spaces to No. 21.
EnviCor Enterprises LLC of Smithfield, N.C., moved up 10 spaces to rank at No. 42.
GVL Polymers Inc. of Litchfield, Minn., moved up 10 spaces to rank at No. 50.
Diversified Plastics Inc. of Latta, S.C., moved up nine spaces to No. 32.
Some 39 more rotational molders are included online as directory-only listings. While we don't have ranking data for these yet, they are still added to our listings.
Make sure to check out our website for the full listing, at www.plasticsnews.com/rotomolders. The data, as a spreadsheet download, is available to data-level subscribers. For details, send a note to [email protected].
If you work for a company that is missing from the ranking, we would like to include you next time. Just send a note to Hollee Keller at [email protected] or mail your information to Plastics News, P.O. Box 790, Tallmadge, Ohio, 44278.
Keller is the editorial research coordinator for Plastics News and author of the All Things Data blog. Follow her on Twitter @holleekeller.