Matrix Plastic Products Triples Floorspace With Expansion
The facility, which includes 88,000 square feet of manufacturing space, will support scalable production, cleanroom manufacturing and NPI projects.
Matrix Plastic Products LLC, a Wood Dale, Illinois-based injection molder serving the medical device industry, is expanding its operations to a larger facility to accommodate growth, increase manufacturing capacity and broaden its services.
The move is driven by increasing customer demand and the need for additional space to support scalable production, cleanroom manufacturing and new product information (NPI) projects, according to a release.
“This expansion is a strategic investment in our customers and our future, allowing us to continue an accelerated growth trajectory while keeping our talented team of employees intact,” says Andy Ziegenhorn, CEO. “Essentially tripling our available floor space better positions us to ramp programs, invest in new equipment and technology, and continue delivering the quality and reliability that medical device OEMs need from their preferred supply partners.”
Matrix says the expanded facility will offer:
- 88,000 ft.2 of new manufacturing space
- 3,300 ft.2 of expandable ISO 8 cleanroom capacity with increased controls
- Dedicated engineering lab to support early stage NPI projects
- New equipment and process capabilities in tooling, molding and quality
- Layout improvements designed for “lean” medical manufacturing
- Backup power with a large uninterruptible power supply system
In terms of equipment, the company’s molding presses range from a 15-ton Wittmann MicroPower 15 up to 300 tons, Anne Ziegenhorn, Matrix sales and marketing manager tells Plastics Technology. The addition of a Sodick Plustech 300-ton horizontal TR300EH and 40-ton vertical VR40G-LP at the new facility will increase the total machine count to 21, with ample floor space for further expansions, she notes.
Matrix also added a new Coherent ExactWeld 230 laser welder for production while the tooling department is incorporating a second Sodick ALN400G iGroove+ (SPW) Wire-EDM, which Anne Ziegenhorn says is capable of handling a minimum wire diameter of .002" (thinner than an average human hair). A new OGP SmartScope M45 3D multisensor, dimensional measuring system will also be integrated into the quality department’s inspection equipment.
Located in nearby Bloomingdale, the facility’s initial operations are scheduled to begin during the second quarter with full operations shifted to the site by year-end.
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