Ductwork Is the Meal Ticket for Molder

Growth in blow-molded and injection-molded automotive ductwork business has kick-started a massive expansion phase at Toledo Molding & Die. The company has been tracking growth of 15 to 20% over the last two years, necessitating both the purchase of new equipment and additional plant capacity. It recently opened a new 194,000 sq. ft. plant in Tiffin, OH, one of five manufacturing facilities it operates in northwest Ohio. As part of the expansion, the company purchased 11 Milacron Tracker industrial blow molding machines, and 11 large Maxima Series injection presses.

This growth has been built on its reputation as a source for full-service design and production of automotive HVAC and air induction ductwork.

“When the automotive OEMs and major Tier Ones decided to outsource more work to suppliers, we were ideally positioned to step in because of our strong engineering orientation and in-house tool and die operation,” says Dave Spotts, general manufacturing manager for the company. “Our primary edge is our ability to design duct systems for the customer, prototype the parts, build tooling and process the parts in the most efficient way possible, whether it be injection or blow molding.

Spotts predicts the increase in the company’s air induction assemblies will require the addition of five more blow molding machines, as well as more injection presses over the next 18 months.

The Tiffin, OH plant, built to hold approximately 50 injection and blow molding machines, is approximately 60% full, according to Spotts. Additionally, Toledo Molding and Die is opening a new 92,000 sq. ft. plant in Elba, AL in the first quarter of 2004. The Alabama plant will serve automotive OEMs in the southeastern U.S., working initially with Visteon to supply Nissan plants in Canton, MS and Smyrna, TN.