Laddawn rapidly ramps up its extrusion and bag making capacity

Laddawn Inc., a family-owned processor of polyethylene bags, film and tubes, has tasked extrusion systems manufacturer Gloucester Engineering to supply the processor with 10,000,000 pounds per year's worth of plastics processing and converting machinery for the Laddawn facility in Sparks, Nevada.

Laddawn purchased a new 104"-wide blown film line from Gloucester in August 2011 and then followed up on that order with one for four GEC 4180 S bag converting machines that will also be installed in the Nevada facility. The equipment will be used to process sheeting and for in-line bag conversion.

Laddawn already runs a number of Gloucester lines at its facilities in Iowa and Texas, including a line very similar to the new 104"-wide blown film line recently ordered. The processor is headquartered in Devens, MA, and sells all of its output to film and bag distributors.

For Laddawn's facility in Nevada, Gloucester's engineering department had to design the extrusion and other equipment so that it was able to sustain seismic 4 constraints; the design of the blown film tower and its integration into the new building obviously posed more than the usual challenges.

In addition to the engineering work, Gloucester (Gloucester, MA) reckons it landed the order because it was able to commit to Laddawn's aggressive delivery schedule requirements.