“What it will do is make customers aware, not only of what we really do, our capabilities, but also make them aware of new technology.” David Lawrence, president of plastics machinery, said about about the open house.
Milacron, which grew from a small machine shop in downtown Cincinnati, is a plastics machinery manufacturer with businesses around the world. The company builds machines that are used to produce a product people use every day: plastic. Everything from plastic spoons to car bumpers are made by Milacron’s machines.
The company, employing more than 711 regional employees, has re-invented itself for success in recent years, and much of that success comes in the form of the machines, which are made right here in Clermont and Brown counties.
“I firmly believe the only way you make money is to manufacture product,” said Dennis Smith, president and CEO. “Our intent is to build a world class manufacturing business here in Afton and Mt. Orab.”
And while business has been booming in the last two years, it hasn’t been an easy road to success.
“This industry, several years ago, had fallen into hard times,” Smith said. “What we’re enjoying is a rebound of some of that.”
The rebound is partially linked to the status of Milacron’s key customers, such as the automotive industry. But the company has also been proactive about ways to improve and increase sales along the way.
Smith said the company has worked on product development and repair, product investment, and has brought production of several of Milacron’s machines back to the U.S, including a machine that was produced in India.
“We made the decisions we made to be able to make money,” Smith said. “We’re seeing a strong 2010 and 2011. Our expectation is that growth can go on significantly longer.”
And with the growth, comes the opportunity to expand research, which Lawrence said Milacron has also done recently.
“With more strength financially, we’ve invested in research and development,” Lawrence said.
One area of research Milacron pursued was energy efficiency. After researching ways in which they could save energy, Milacron created a new generation machine that conserves energy by changing the way pumps on the machine run. Milacron unveiled the new machine to guests at the open house.
Guests were also able to tour the facilities during the open house and see how machines were made and assembled. Milacron’s 190,000 square foot Mt. Orab facility is where parts of machines are made, and the 465,000 square foot Afton facility is where the parts are assembled and tested before the machines are sold.
The two plants mostly manufacture injection molding machines, and Milacron is the only plastics injection molding manufacturer still based in the U.S.
The machines, which can weigh up to 200 tons, are created to exert a large amount of force on a mold filled with liquid plastic. Whether the product is a plastic bucket or a car part, Milacron can create a machine to produce the product.
“We’re very proud of this facility,” Lawrence said about the assembly facility. “Customers too. When they see your operation it impresses them.”
In addition to injection molding, Milacron also manufactures some extrusion molding and blow molding equipment. Extrusion molding squeezes plastic out of an opening and it cools into a long line product, such as piping. Blow molding machines use air to shape plastic into products such as a milk cartons.
According to Mark Vanzant, director of manufacturing and engineering, machines are sold for as much as $2 million and the company manufactures around 400 to 500 machines a year. Vanzant also said the company was heavy on big machine sales this year.
With increased growth also comes the need for additional employees. Milacron is not only hiring at their Ohio facilities, but the company is also looking to become involved with local colleges, to help train students for a career in a different type of manufacturing.
“We can and will build a world class company in Ohio,” Lawrence said. “Our other mission is to return the company to the level of prominence it deserves.”