Galaxy Tool Corp. expands capability and capacity as it revisits its plastics heritageGalaxy Tool Corp. expands capability and capacity as it revisits its plastics heritage

Regarding the purchase, Galaxy Tool's vice president of business development, Paul Maples, stated, "Galaxy continues to see a surge in demand from current and potential customers for 5-axis machining. The addition of this machine allows us to offer shorter lead-times while enhancing customer support and creating additional growth opportunities for Galaxy." The company operates in a 90,000-sf facility and has 140 employees.

Galaxy also recently installed a Tarus gun drill, with drilling capabilities of .250 inches - 2 inches in diameter, and bore travel of up to 96 inches. The offset gun drill is being retrofitted with a new Fidia CNC control. Galaxy anticipates the gun drill will be operational by November of this year.  

Andy Plyler, president and CEO of Galaxy Tool, said that the company had its origins in the moldmaking business for the plastics industry when the company was founded in 1985. Galaxy's proximity to the Wichita area, home to aerospace companies such as Cessna and Beechcraft - now called Hawker Beechcraft- gave it the opportunity to supply those companies with machined metal components. "That became a larger part of our business," said Plyler in a telephone interview.

"Strategically, we're getting back to our roots and being a leader in the plastics business, and dedicating machinery such as the gun drill, and personnel to the moldmaking part of our business, and grow that," Plyler explained. "We have several sister companies that mold parts, so we're hoping to capture some mold work from them as well. Currently, they purchase a lot of their molds offshore."

In the few months since new strategy was implemented, Plyler noted that the company has had good response from customers in the plastics market. "We're seeing a lot of work come back from China as well," said Plyler. "We've had one primary customer tell us they're constantly pulling work from China because they're doing so much rework."

Galaxy Tool is a major supplier for the design, manufacturing and assembly of components and production tooling for the aerospace, defense and plastic markets. Some of the company's customers include Boeing, Spirit Aerosystems, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Rubbermaid and Coleman. Galaxy Tool's parent company Galaxy Tool Holding Company is majority owned by Gladstone Investment Corp.