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Custom plastic molder and contract manufacturer Mack Molding (Arlington, Vt.) is adding five new injection molding presses to its sites Arlington and Inman, S.C. Including the robots and infrastructure that will accompany the new machines, Mack is investing more than $5.5 million in the expansions.

The investments include two 1,433-ton Wittmann Battenfeld’s with 60-oz shot sizes in Arlington. Mack notes that one machine is already in place with the other expected to arrive in early summer. In Inman, Mack will install 1500-, 2000- and 2500-ton Cincinnati Milacron machines this fall. The 1500-ton press has a shot size of 362 oz, while the other two provide maximum shots 540 oz. Mack’s press fleet ranges in clamp force from 28 to 4000 tons, with shots from .6 to 800 oz. Included in that fleet are 21 presses that are 1400 tons or larger, making Mack one of the biggest non-automotive large-part molders in the U.S.

Jeff Somple, president, Mack Molding said the company made the normal power and water infrastructure investments required for presses of the size being added. In addition at the headquarters facility, Somple said a clean environment has also been built next to the first of the two new presses, since the part to be molded is used in the pharmaceutical space.

Somple also commented on the supply chain and delivery difficulties that have become standard these days. “Like everyone else,” Somple said, “we are seeing delivery delays and supply chain issues, especially in the electronics space.”