Peek behind the data shows how top injection molders grew in 2021

In April, we sent out our survey forms for this year's ranking of North American injection molders. Early indicators had respondents reporting 20 percent gains.

But after all of the research, this week we publish the top 100 with $30.4 billion in sales. The average company was up 6.9 percent. That adds up to nearly $2 billion more than the previous year.

Our No. 1 spot goes to food packaging and servingware company Berry Global Inc. of Evansville, Ind., reporting a $275 million increase in organic sales.

For the biggest percentage gain, we look to custom and contract molder 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics Ltd. of Holiday City, Ohio, which comes in with an incredible 85.7 percent increase, while also noting the acquisition of a Covington, Ga., facility from Vantage Products Corp.

In the top 100, the biggest distribution of sales dollars is in the $250 million to $1 billion range. These 40 companies make up 60 percent of the total sales in this week's ranking.

Next week we will rank the "small" injection molders, which is a pretty relative term when it comes to this ranking. No. 101 on our list will have annual sales just $72 million.

The "small" molders listing will rank more than 480 companies.

While higher resin prices and inflation no doubt contributed to injection molders' 2021 sales growth, pricing played a smaller role than you might expect. Many companies experienced lag times in passing through higher prices, making it difficult to make a direct estimate of company sales changes based on material costs alone.

Added capacity and/or acquisitions were the major factors in sales growth this year, with molders serving the packaging market reporting the biggest gains.

According to our data, North American injection molding sales have been climbing since fiscal year 2019. Plastic molders stayed open through the pandemic, making critically needed personal protective equipment, medical devices, packaging and other products needed to battle COVID-19.

Shortages and backlogs have kept the molders very busy since then. We heard from many that cited labor shortages and capacity growth as major challenges. Even ancillary equipment is hard to get: One company said it's going to be more than six months before they can expect shipment on a new forklift.

• Michigan has the most injection molding headquarters, with 22 of the top 100 making it their home. Illinois follows with 10.

• Previously, the 2018 fiscal year for the top 100 had the largest average sales per company with $287 million, compared with $301 million for 2021.

• 27 percent of the firms listed this week have been included in the top 100 since we went electronic in 1999.

• 12 percent of the top 100 have presses with a clamp-tonnage range of 2,000 tons or larger.

• Rosti in Germantown, Wis. moved up 55 spaces to rank at No. 95.

• Beacon Manufacturing Group in Alexandria, Minn. moved up 27 spaces to rank at No. 96.

• 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics Ltd. in Holiday City, Ohio moved up 26 spaces to rank at No. 54.

• PSI Molded Plastics in Wolfeboro, N.H. moved up 26 spaces to rank at No. 99.

• Novolex in Hartsville, S.C. moved up 18 spaces to rank at No. 57.

• Dinesol Plastics Inc. in Niles, Ohio moved up 18 spaces to rank at number 62.

• Thomson Plastics Inc. in Thomson, Ga. moved up 14 spaces to rank at No. 100.

• Medegen Medical Products LLC in Gallaway, Tenn. moved up 12 spaces to rank at No. 45.

• Nolato Americas in Bethel, Vermont moved up 10 spaces to rank at No. 34.

• Iris USA Inc. in Surprise, Arizona moved up 10 spaces to rank at No. 51.

Watch for next week's issue for the rest of this year's injection molders ranking, we've been working hard to capture all the capacity increases and acquisitions for this group.

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 me at [email protected] or mail your information to Plastics News, P.O. Box 790, Tallmadge, Ohio 44278.

Hollee Keller is Plastics News' editorial research coordinator and author of the All Things Data blog. Follow her on Twitter @holleekeller.