GW Plastics Expands Silicone Business

GW Plastics Inc. (Bethel, Vt.) is expanding its GW Silicones affiliate, investing approximately $2 million to add a 3000-ft² cleanroom capable of housing eight to 10 new injection molding machines. This is the fourth expansion of GW Silicones since its launch in 2008. Earlier this year, GW Plastics announced a 30,000-ft² expansion to its Royalton, Vt. Facility.

Including this expansion, GW Silicones now operates from a 12,000-ft² Class 8 ISO 9001 and ISO 13485-certified cleanroom. Running all-electric and hybrid molding machines, GW says it has multiple screw and barrel assemblies for each press to allow it to mold a wide range of part sizes. The company has incorporated 6-axis robots that operate within the machine envelope, providing insert loading and part extraction. A company spokesperson told Plastics Technology that this expansion will allow GW to increase its number of LSR capable machines by 30 percent. Its LSR machines range in clamp force from 40 to 300 tons.

GW Silicones also has internal toolmaking capabilities to support its LSR business. The company noted that over the last few years, it has also invested “millions of dollars” into its moldmaking unit. Applications for GW’s silicones business come in the medical and automotive space, including fluid management and dental applications and electrical connectors and spark plug boots. GW has been making LSR tools in house for the last six years.

GW Plastics’ Manufacturing and Technology Center in Royalton covers 24 acres and includes a Product Development Center, Process Development and Training Center, Mold Division, thermoplastic molding facility, and GW Silicones. Including this new LSR expansion, the Manufacturing and Technology Center now covers 100,700 ft² of manufacturing space.