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April 09, 2015 02:00 AM

Jefferson Rubber eyes more opportunities in plastics market

Chris Sweeney
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    A look at Jefferson Rubber Works' manufacturing facility in Worcester, Mass.

    WORCESTER, Mass.—Jefferson Rubber Works Inc. got a taste of the plastics industry in 2014 and sees bigger things on the horizon.

    The firm, which purchased a plastic injection molding machine in June 2014 to support its business in the pet care industry, sees more opportunities for plastics and may add another by the end of the year or early 2016.

    Jefferson Rubber Works molds flavored chew toys for pets out of polyurethane and plastic materials.

    Dave Pentland, president of Jefferson Rubber Works, said the firm is looking to expand its plastics business outside of the pet industry. The firm secured business to mold a polyurethane medical product for the equine industry in addition to soliciting other new business opportunities.

    “There is a lot less going offshore and a lot more domestic opportunities,” he said. “Certainly in pet products there is a big push for American-made toys and that kind of thing. They kind of equate what's gone on with the pet foods in China with the pet toys. People are looking for a better sense of mind as to what their pets are playing with.”

    The addition of the machine last year added about four more jobs at the company.

    Pentland said future investments—such as a second plastics molding machine and bigger molding machinery to support the U.S.-based fluid transfer rubber business—could add anywhere from five to 10 more jobs in the next two years.

    Jefferson Rubber Works recently purchased a new plastics molding machine to further service business it acquired in its purchase of Astro Manufacturing Co. in 2013.

    One new addition is Christen Holmberg, who will serve as the director of sales and marketing. He joins Jefferson Rubber Works from Meggitt Polymers & Composites—an aerospace elastomer supplier—where he most recently was responsible for program management of sealing systems products for the airframe market.

    Jefferson Rubber Works compounds a variety of materials and polymers, with the rubber side representing about 90 percent of its business, according to Pentland. The company has been in the rubber molding business since 1975 and, in addition to the pet industry, the firm services the automotive, industrial and military industries.

    The firm, through it Ruff Dawg division, purchased Astro Manufacturing Co. in 2013.

    Astro molds hard flavored chew bones made out of polyurethane molded by a plastic injection molding machine. Jefferson Rubber Works brought the manufacturing of those toys under its umbrella, inspiring the need to expand further into plastics and purchase the machine.

    Jefferson Rubber Works is located in Worcester and has approximately 40 employees.

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