Plastic Molding Manufacturing Inc. (Hudson, MA) continues to provide innovative, plastic molding services by adding two-shot injection molding capabilities to its ISO Class 8 cleanroom. The company completed the installation of a 110-ton, two-component molding machine this month. The Arburg two-shot machine, located in the company's Hudson facility, provides advanced plastic molding capabilities for healthcare applications requiring an ISO Class 8 cleanroom environment.

George E. Danis, CEO, told PlasticsToday that the company continues to add equipment to keep up with customer demand, including more requirements for multi-shot molding and cleanroom capabilities. "We're moving forward as demand in the plastics industry increases," said Danis. "We're seeing a lot of movement toward reshoring, and we're looking at this as a primary initiative to bring jobs back to America, as customers look to re-engineering their products and need molders to meet their needs."

Two-shot molding provides extensive design opportunities for single-cycle, two-component molding. Added-value benefits include reduced molding times and reduced labor without the need for insert overmolding or secondary operations. Product design options include multi-color components for grips and buttons or multiple materials.

Products such as enteral feeding devices, drug filtration products and insulin delivery devices containing multiple materials and components gain market advantages from two-shot technology, noted the company's information. "The complexity of these product designs are simplified in the two-shot molding process allowing product integrity improvements, which ultimately benefit the end user," according to Plastic Molding Manufacturing. The two-shot machine was purchased to provide a stronger production process for medical applications with ISO cleanroom requirements.

Plastic Molding Manufacturing's 5,000-square-foot cleanroom is equipped with standard horizontal presses, as well as a vertical rotary shuttle table for insert overmolding. The cleanroom is regulated by clean air flow and continuous positive air pressure and controlled temperature and humidity, which prevent the concentration of airborne particles and contaminates.

Plastic Molding Manufacturing currently operates 83 presses companywide at its three facilities: Hudson, MA; Berlin, CT; and its newest acquisition in Lancaster, PA. The company serves a diverse customer base that includes medical, filtration systems, electronics, industrial and commercial products and housewares.

"We're pleased with the progress we've made, but we'd like to make additional acquisitions by the end of this year," Danis said, noting that he is currently searching in the midwestern and southern United States for opportunities. "We want be a national company offering local and regional locations from which to serve our customer base."