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Remarkable Growth: Custom Molder MDS Manufacturing Sees Growth of 800% in 6 Years
York/PA – March 2016
MDS Manufacturing LLC has grown substantially over the past six years, in part through the addition of liquid silicone molding capabilities. These capabilities provide them a niche in the Midwest and the ability to compete with China. Their most recent machine – an ENGEL victory 200/100 hy-tech US machine – has allowed them to add several new products for a current customer.
Founded in March 2010, MDS Manufacturing has seen major growth over the past six years. From three thermoplastic injection molding machines and three employees when they opened for business, to today’s eighteen machines and thirty employees. A large part of that growth has been their LSR molding capability, which was initiated in 2013 and has grown to the seven machines running today – over one third of the company’s capacity.
ENGEL North America, member of the ENGEL Group, a world leader in the design and manufacture of injection molding machines and parts-handling automation, recently delivered the seventh LSR equipped injection molding machine to MDS Manufacturing LLC (St. Louis/MO) -- this one a new ENGEL victory 200/100 hy-tech US machine with eco-drive.
Growth with Liquid Silicone Rubber
Though increasing size with their original thermoplastics business, brothers Dave and Mike Skaggs felt they needed to find a niche to allow them to obtain a higher level of growth, and LSR was their choice. Missing from the molding community in the Midwest – causing customers to look either to the East or West coast, or overseas – it definitely turned out to be the right move.
The company, primarily molding for the infant care business with parts for baby bottles and breast pumps, was able to add complimentary products such as baby nipples and pacifiers, as well as silicone over-molded plates, forks and spoons which were typically molded in China.
How does a new-comer to LSR molding manage to see such impressive growth so quickly? In the opinion of Steve Broadbent, ELAST/LSR Project Engineer for Engel Machinery Inc., it is because the owners of MDS chose suppliers based on expertise.
“Dave and his team chose their suppliers based on their level of expertise in LSR processing, not cost, and were willing to pay a higher price, when necessary, to work with these leaders” states Steve. “They have always been willing to listen to what their suppliers say and benefit as much as possible from the in-depth knowledge these companies could provide.”
Taking the expertise from their suppliers, and their first LSR equipped ENGEL machine, MDS began their silicone molding operations. They were able to cut delivery time for their infant care client from the six months being experienced with their Chinese supplier, to a six week turnaround. Once having proven their consistent quality and on-time – fast – delivery, more and more business was brought back from overseas and contracted to MDS. And the statistics –delivery of 1 million parts per month from China to the 3.5 million being delivered by MDS – tell the story better than words.
ENGEL sales representative Mike Mirocke, of Mirocke Sales Corp. adds “Dave and his team have done a great job implementing this new process. They hit the ground running and have never looked back. MDS is definitely a forward-thinking company.”
Benefitting with tie-bar-less technology
MDS Mfg. currently utilizes seven injection molding machines – all ENGEL’s – for their LSR business. Their machines include standard hydraulic, hybrid and all-electric models, with the favored machine being the ENGEL victory hy-tech.
“This ENGEL hybrid model provides the tie-bar-less features that we like – easy access to the mold area and quick mold changes. We are constantly changing mold cores, and the open work area of the tie-bar-less machine makes the job quick and easy” says Dave Skaggs. “The added benefit of the hy-tech model is that it comes standard with eco-drive, which not only gives us the energy savings that makes good business sense, but also a servo actuated hydraulic valve for closed loop control on the injection unit.”
“Besides their expertise in LSR processing” Dave added, “we chose ENGEL for the quality and reliability of their machines. Machine start-ups are simple, the machines are easy to use, and ENGEL provides the quick delivery times we require.”
The company
MDS is a full service customer injection molder – supporting their customers from part design through production through full assembly packout ready for distribution. From their 27,500 square foot facility in St. Louis, Missouri, MDS produces over 30 million parts annually, running shifts 24/7 to keep up with production. As well as their LSR molding capabilities, the company also has 8 thermoplastic injection molding machines and 3 injection stretch blow bottle machines.
Between them, the owners Dave and Mike Skaggs, have over 50 years injection molding manufacturing experience, beginning their careers in a family owned molding shop before branching out on their own in 2010. They have definitely made their mark, growing the company from $1 million in sales in their inaugural year, to $8 million in their last fiscal.
More growth coming
The Skaggs brothers are not resting on their accomplishments, as impressive as they are. The brothers are currently planning a substantial expansion of their facilities for 2017, and are looking for an additional 60,000 – 90,000 square foot facility. The new facility will allow them to bring in a wider range of infant care products, additional products for the medical industry, and will allow the manufacturing of products being designed by MDS.
Forward-thinking owners Dave and Mike Skaggs (Dave pictured above) have grown their business by 800% in just 6 years. Their success due, in part, to the addition and continuous expansion of their LSR molding capabilities.
MDS Manufacturing chose ENGEL as their LSR machinery supplier of choice based on expertise, quality and reliability. They currently have seven presses, including a range of standard hydraulic, hybrid and all-electric models, in operation 24/7.
ENGEL North America
ENGEL is one of the global leaders in the manufacture of plastics processing machines. Today, the ENGEL Group offers a full range of technology modules for plastics processing as a single source supplier: injection molding machines for thermoplastics and elastomers, and automation, with the assurance that individual components are also competitive and successful in world markets. With nine production plants in Europe, North America and Asia (China and Korea), and subsidiaries and representatives in more than 85 countries, ENGEL offers its customers the excellent global support they need to compete and succeed with new technologies and leading-edge production systems.
Press Contacts:
Kleta Childs, Manager of Marketing and Sales Administration, ENGEL North America
3740 Board Rd., York, Pa., 17406,
tel.: 717.764.6818 ext. 3390, fax: 717.764.8093, e-mail:
Birgit Degwerth, Strategic Marketing Manager, ENGEL North America,
3740 Board Rd., York, Pa., 17406,
tel.: 717.764.6818 ext. 3391, fax: 717.764.8093, e-mail:
Susanne Zinckgraf, Public Relations Manager, ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH,
Ludwig-Engel-Straße 1, A-4311 Schwertberg, Austria,
PR-Office: Theodor-Heuss-Str. 85, D-67435 Neustadt, Germany,
tel.: +49 (0) 6327 9769902, fax: +49 (0) 6327 9769903, e-mail:
Contact for readers:
ENGEL Machinery Inc., 3740 Board Road, York, PA, 17406
tel.: 717 764 6818, fax: 717 764 8093, e-mail:
www.engelglobal.com/us
ENGEL Machinery Inc. | York PA 07406 | tel: 717 764 6818 | fax: 717 764 0314
e-mail: | http://www.engelglobal.com
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