|
1) |
What is your company niche and what does your company do that is
notable,
unique or different?
|
We specialize in low volume molding
and mold building. Our mold specialty is aluminum molds but we
also do P-20 molds and some hardened steel molds. We’ve been
building aluminum tooling for 35 years and that’s really where we
excel. We like to say that we’re basically a low-volume molder but
we come with all the bells and whistles of a high volume molder,
offering part design assistance, tight tolerance molding, assembly
and decorating in
addition to our primary services.
We know what’s required to build an
aluminum tool that will have some durability. Large part molding
is also one of our niches. We do fast-turnaround tool building and
mold a variety of commodity
and engineering grade resins including ABS, Acetal, Nylon, PBT
Polyester, Polycarbonate, PC, PE, PP, PPS, PEI, and more. |
Mike Walter, General Manager of
MET Plastics, Inc. in Elk Grove Village, IL. |
|
|
2)
|
When and how did you get into the industry, what attracted you to
it?
I grew up in the industry.
It’s a family business and I have been working here part time since
I was in high school. My dad started the company with two
partners in 1970. He bought the company outright in the
1980’s. It was originally called MET Prototype Molding.
At that time we built strictly prototype tooling and did
limited runs, pilot runs. I came on board full time
about 10 years ago. After a few years of trying to
figure things out, due to the changes in the industry, I
finally started taking the company in a new direction and
focused on low volume tooling and production.
|
|
3) |
Relate a notable "best time" for your company.
|
One best time, and I wasn’t active
full-time with the company yet, was in the early 80’s when we moved
from our facility in Chicago to Elk Grove Village. There was a lot
of growth going on then with prototype work. I would say that now
is our other best time because we’re growing and we finally figured
out who we are and what direction we want to head in. We found our
niche and we’re very comfortable with where it’s taking us. |
MET Plastics Toolroom and the Moldmaking Team. |
|
|
4) |
Similarly, relate notable challenges that your company has
overcome.
|
In 2001, when we moved to a new
facility and basically tripled our size, the economy went south.
That was a great challenge. We were working very long hours for a
couple of years after that just to keep the company busy and start
it moving in a new direction. Luckily we were able to get a couple
of large tooling orders from new and old customers and it helped
give us the jump start that we needed. |
MET Plastics,
Inc. in Elk Grove Village, IL |
|
|
5)
6)
|
When you are working on projects with your customers, what aspects
would you like them to
better recognize?
They need to get the molders and mold makers involved early on a
project so that the design doesn’t evolve needlessly into something
that is not moldable or is too expensive to produce. They also
need to recognize that mold builders can be much more effective as
partners rather than being regarded as a commodity. Mold builders
can provide immeasurable value to a project if customers think
along partnership lines.
List newly acquired technology, machinery or
key personnel (in last
year).
|
We haven’t added anything in our
tool room in the last year; however we added a 720-ton press in our
production dept. and also purchased an optical CMM for our quality
dept. We’ve been adding capacity in our assembly dept. through new
personnel as well. |
Optical CMM
for the Quality Department. |
|
|
7)
|
Has your company recently expanded? Plans to expand or form
partnerships/alliances?
|
We expanded four years ago as I mentioned earlier and tripled our
size. We’re currently investigating partnerships with companies
both domestic and offshore. We’re looking for opportunities to
expand that way and grow further. We’ve also added an assembly
department and are looking to continue to expand that end of our
business. We’ve seen about 20% growth in the last year and expect
that will continue. |
 |
|
|
8) |
Are you involved in any industry organizations or educational
programs related to the trade?
We’re members of the American
Mold Builders Association (AMBA) and I have been president of the AMBA
Chicago Chapter for the last two years. We’re also active with Mid
America Plastics Partners (MAPP), which is similar to the AMBA except
it’s for processors; and we’re members of the Tooling & Manufacturing
Association (TMA). |
9)
|
What do you think about changes occurring in the industry due to
globalization? How has it
affected the way you do business?
I think it’s created a double
standard within the industry. We found that customers have
developed a different set of requirements for overseas vendors than
they have for domestic vendors. But it’s made us review all of our
business costs and streamline them where possible. It’s
also helped us to define our niche so that we don’t compete
strictly on price. There’s definitely a double standard, but we’ve
managed to work around that and continue to serve our customers
successfully. |
|
10)
|
What will the industry look like in 3 to 5 years?
It will be smaller with much
consolidation. Globalization will play an increasingly important
role. Hopefully we, as an industry, will be selling more to other
nations because U.S. molders and mold builders will be further
defining their niches and offering those capabilities to the rest
of the world. |
|
Additional Background Information |
 Number of years in business: 35
Current number of employees: 30
Current square footage (each
location): 30,000 sq ft
Additional locations: none at this
time
Website:
www.metplastics.com
Types of tools built and/or run:
Low volume tooling in aluminum & P-20, hardened steel also
Industries served: Medical,
Business Equipment, Service and Aerospace/Defense |
|
|