Horn Plastics to build new facility

Custom molder and toolmaker Horn Plastics recently broke ground for the construction of a new 86,000 sq. ft. facility on a six-acre site close to the company’s current location in Whitby, ON. The plant is scheduled for completion in January of 2002. According to president Asir Rizvi, equipment from Horn’s existing two plants will be moved into the new plant, allowing the company to consolidate its operations under one roof.
“We see this as an opportunity to increase efficiency, reduce waste and enhance manufacturing flexibility,” Rizvi said to a crowd of employees and officials gathered for the ground breaking ceremony.
Rizvi noted that the new plant represented a commitment to long-term growth for both its customers and its 250 employees . The plant will house all of the company’s 40 injection molding presses, ranging from 15- to 720-tons in clamping force, as well as assembly and toolmaking operations.
Horn Plastics Ltd. was founded in 1979 as the molding arm of D&E Precision Tooling. In 1989 Hornco Plastics was established to manufacture parts requiring higher tonnage presses. Both companies were purchased in 1998 by J.H. Rayner, a company incorporated in Switzerland. Rizvi says the new plant will allow Horn Plastics to focus on expanding its customer base with a full-service manufacturing approach, from design through assembly.
Business machine components and assemblies currently account for about 45 percent of the company’s business, with the remainder split between the automotive, medical and electronics markets.
The company added a 720-ton Toshiba injection molding machine last year and is looking to further expand its higher-tonnage business under the right market conditions, according to Rizvi.
“Our plan is to add six machines within six years, depending on business capacity,” he reports, noting that the property upon which the new plant is situated has room to accommodate additional expansion of up to 33 percent.