Business is good for Polymer Machinery Co., so the supplier of rubber molding equipment is thinking about what typically comes next-a physical expansion.
The Tallmadge, Ohio-based company has done well handling machinery made by Pan Stone Hydraulic Industrial Co. Ltd. and ZW Hydraulic A.G. So much so that Polymer Machinery President Kendall Ashby said the firm hopes to expand soon. The company currently operates out of two buildings.
``We'd like to consolidate into one building, and have more room for inventory,'' Ashby said at a combined exhibit of the International Rubber Molding Conference and the International Silicone Conference. The events, held April 4-5 in Dearborn, Mich., were organized by Rubber & Plastics News, with GE Advanced Materials Silicones and Wacker Silicones the partners for the silicone meeting, and LWB Steinl the co-organizer of the molding session.
Polymer Machinery's exhibit featured information about equipment of both the machinery makers the firm represents.
``Business has been good compared to the past couple of years,'' Ashby said. ``The difference is the industry has specialized a bit, rather than companies making a broad range of products. Those that specialized are keeping up.''
Ashby said his firm does installation, training, stocks parts and handles regular replacement of machinery parts.
He said Pan Stone-based in Taichung, Taiwan-itself has a plant expansion in the works, and is turning out quality products that have sought-after features. Pan Stone's vacuum compression molding machines come in several types, and can produce a variety of rubber parts, such as oil seals, O-rings, washers, pharmaceutical goods, gaskets, keypads and shock absorbing items, to name a few.
Ashby said the machines are time-savers and automatic.
The ZW Hydraulic line Polymer Machinery handles is extrusion systems for rubber compounds. The Ruemlingen, Switzerland, company makes both gear-pump and ram-type extruders.
The ZW equipment can provide a fully continuous cold feed, as well as pelletizing. It's a one-man operation, Ashby said.
Polymer Machinery currently is stocking one ZW unit and four Pan Stone machines, he said.