Initially molding 65- and 95-gallon container bases for the waste industry, International Contract Molding LLC (ICM; Charlotte, NC) has added a 3200-ton KraussMaffei injection molding machine to its Carolina plant. The custom injection molder, which specializes in the design and manufacture of large-tonnage molding projects, now has 12 injection molding machines at its Charlotte plant ranging in size from 310 to 6600 tons, with the 6600-ton machine being a Battenfeld twin 3300-ton set up. The 3200-ton KM machine went online in June and after starting out on the container base molding for the waste industry, it will subsequently run parts for the irrigation, automotive, and material handling markets.

ICM's 3200-ton KraussMaffei injection molding machine

In 2010, ICM's Charlotte plant installed two other KM machines, including another 3200-ton system, as well as a 1000-ton machine. Kenn Budlong, ICM general manager, said the latest machinery addition will help it serve existing customers, as well as be able to bring on new ones. An ICM spokesperson told PlasticsToday that the Charlotte plant employs 180, with 240, including plants and field sales, company wide. The Carolina facility has 127,000 sq ft of production space, and including outdoor inventory, covers 373,000 sq ft. ICM declined to reveal the total dollar investment in the new machine.

A subsidiary of Otto Environmental Systems North America Inc., ICM also has a plant in Eloy, AZ with five machines ranging from 1250 to 3500 tons. The plants are ISO 9001:2008 and ISO/TS 16949 certified and provide custom and contract molding services. Otto was named to the Inc. 5000 list in 2010. That list recognizes the most entrepreneurial and fastest growing companies in the U.S., with ICM ranking number 102 among its peers in the manufacturing sector and 3297 overall. Otto Environmental Systems North America Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary Otto Group Holdings BV, a privately held European company specializing in waste collection products and services.