Sekisui Plastics opens hybrid foam molding operation in Mexico

Sekisui Plastics USA (Mount Pleasant, TN) has officially opened a new $7 million manufacturing facility in the city of Valle de Santiago, Mexico. The plant, which came on line in July this year, has a molding capacity of approximately 60 tonnes per month for Piocelan hybrid moldable foam resin, with room for future growth.

Piocelan is a hybrid foam molding material based on polyethylene and polystyrene. Among its applications are bumper cores and door pads, and packaging of auto parts for shipment. Sekisui Plastics counts among its Piocelan customers all of Japan’s automakers. Piocelan foam is also employed in packaging for electronic components such as liquid crystal display modules and glass substrates.

“This new company headquarters and manufacturing plant in Valle de Santiago gives us the molding capacity we need for our expanding customer base,” said Thomas Pontiff, President, Sekisui Plastics USA and Sekisui Plastics Mexico. “It puts us in closer proximity to both our current and targeted OEM customers who require just-in-time (JIT) delivery.”

The 61,000 square foot facility houses administration, customer service, and sale functions according to Alfonso Escobedo, General Director, Sekisui Plastics Mexico. “In the near future we anticipate having technical service, prototyping, tool manufacturing, and raw material production.”

“Sekisui Plastics chose to locate its 6-acre plant in Valle de Santiago because it has a good, stable workforce and one that has ready access to shipment via major highways as well as customers and prospects,” said Pontiff. The new facility will create around 80 area jobs.