LSR molder Starlim expanding at Ontario plant

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molder Starlim North America Corp., the subsidiary of Austria’s Starlim Sterner Group, is investing $10.4 million into its manufacturing location in London, Ont., with both equipment and 26 new jobs.

Starlim produces LSR components for the health care, mobility, automotive, and consumer goods industries. In a Jan. 15 news release, Starlim officials said the investment will support the company’s addition of a new curing oven and cleanroom and new manufacturing equipment at the London plant.

“This strategic investment will allow us to meet the needs of the growing medical device sector by implementing a manufacturing process that is first of its kind,” said Vijai Lakshmikanthan, CEO of Starlim North America. “We have been working with our customer for over two years to bring this innovation to our plant in London.”

At the provincial level, the project is being supported by nearly $1.3 million through the Regional Development Program’s Southwestern Ontario Development Fund; and nearly $1 million from the Ontario Together Fund.

Starlim opened the London facility in 2004, and expanded at the location in 2015.

Family-owned since its founding in 1984, Starlim Sterner Group has manufacturing operations in China, Germany, Italy, and Morocco, in addition to Austria and Canada. The organization says it produces over 14 billion silicone parts every year for a wide variety of industries and applications, including Tier 2 or Tier 3 auto parts.