Citing increased customer demand for its products in the Midwest region of the U.S., Sekisui Plastics USA, Inc., (SPUS) has chosen Kenton as the location for its new $5.2 million manufacturing facility.
Scheduled to come online in July, 2015, the plant will initially produce foam products molded mainly from Piocelan® hybrid moldable foam resin, for use in automotive parts, baby seat core parts, and other industrial markets such as protective packaging.
“Since opening our first U.S. manufacturing plant in Tennessee in 2007, we have experienced tremendous growth, in South/Central U.S., and we are anticipating similar growth in the Northern Midwest,” said Thomas Pontiff, Vice President of SPUS.
“Locating our new plant in Kenton gives us both the increased molding capacity we need for our expanding customer base plus closer proximity to both our current and targeted OEM customers who require just in time (JIT) delivery.”
When completed, the 120,000 square foot facility will house manufacturing and office space, including tooling design, manufacturing and repair, product prototyping, technical service, and customer service.
“With a molding capacity for 20-40 metric tons per month, which we expect to increase to 100 metric tons in the near future, we will initially mold products designed for automotive energy absorption and safety, automotive light-weighting, and automotive sound absorption,” explained Pontiff.
“We will also produce packaging products for complex automotive parts for transport as well as consumer and industrial protective packaging.” Looking to the future, Pontiff said the company has plans to expand the facility to produce the actual raw material used to mold its various products, as well as for other manufacturing capabilities to support new markets. The site will also be used to warehouse other products imported for sale within the Americas.
“We are delighted Sekisui Plastics USA has chosen Ohio for their new automotive manufacturing facility that will bring 50 new skilled jobs in Kenton,” said Kristi Tanner, JobsOhio Managing Director. “We look forward to working closely Sekisui Plastics as they work to get their operation under way over the next few years.”
“We are thrilled Sekisui recognized the advantages of doing business here by choosing this region as the site for its new manufacturing facility,” said Paul Zito, Vice President of International Development at the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP). “The automotive industry continues to surge in Northwest Ohio, further establishing this region as the automotive supply capital of the world.
The Kenton facility is projected to eventually provide up to 50 area jobs. “One of the characteristics we looked for in our original search for a geographic location was a small community with a good, stable workforce, and one that has ready access to shipment via
highway and rail,” said Pontiff. “Kenton offered everything we needed plus the locale and state have offered tremendous support enabling an easy decision to locate here.”
“We are excited and ready to welcome Sekisui Plastics USA, Inc. and their advanced manufacturing operation to Hardin County,” said John Hohn, Director of Economic Development for the Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance.
“This project came together because of great collaboration between the RGP, Jobs Ohio, American Electric Power, Hardin County, the City of Kenton, the Alliance, and our local building owner. This announcement continues to justify that Hardin County has the workforce and transportation logistics necessary for manufacturing growth.”
About Sekisui Plastics USA
Sekisui Plastics USA, Inc. is a diversified supplier and manufacturer of a range of products based on various plastics technologies. In the Americas, Sekisui Plastics produces and molds Piocelan hybrid moldable foam resin. Products designed and molded include: automotive parts for safety, energy absorption and light-weighting; parts and cushions used in child safety seats, packaging of consumer electronics and packaging for transport of automotive and other parts. In addition, the company also manufactures and sells Techpolymer® polymer micro-beads used in cosmetics, lighting and coating fields, and ST Gel® hydrogel used in various medical, industrial, and cosmetics applications. Sekisui Plastics USA, Inc. is a subsidiary of Sekisui Plastics Company, Ltd., a 55-year-old plastics manufacturing company headquartered in Osaka, Japan. For more information, visit www.sekisuiplastics.com.
