Monroe Mold Expands Its Plant to Continue Growth

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Jim Ghesquire, Monroe MoldMonroe, MI – Monroe Mold LLC, manufacturer of molds and tooling for the blow-mold sector of the plastics industry, is expanding its facility to gain increased manufacturing capacity. A ground-breaking ceremony will take place at 10 AM on Thursday, September 15, 2011 for Monroe Charter Township officials, company leaders and employees.

“We are pleased to announce this building addition to acquire new equipment and expand the company’s manufacturing space. This will support Monroe Mold’s continued growth,” said Al Hodge, president of R&B Holdings Co. LLC, parent firm to Monroe Mold LLC in Monroe, MI and sister company R&B Plastics Machinery LLC located 38-miles north in Saline, MI.

“We have seen a steady increase in orders for our products. The new 7,650 sq. ft. addition considerably increases our present 15,825 sq. ft. building to expand our manufacturing capabilities,” explained Jim Ghesquire, president of Monroe Mold. The expansion will include a manufacturing area with new shop machinery, an engineering area and a conference area.

The new manufacturing space will be constructed by Romanko Sales and Service Co. of Sycamore, OH. This will be the sixth expansion of the business. The addition is scheduled for completion by mid-December 2011.

The company’s molds are used to produce a broad array of blow molded products, especially containers for consumer products in the polyethylene-packaging industry. Monroe Mold also serves industrial markets such as automotive, lawn and garden, agriculture, motor oil/lubricants, household cleaners/chemicals, medical/pharmaceutical products and more.

“Our new addition also will increase Monroe Mold‘s ability to repair damaged or worn molds, a market that has shown strong growth. We have a good reputation for service and support to keep customers’ production schedules on target,” Ghesquire said. The company is proud of its experienced mold makers’ abilities to make timely, difficult repairs on complex molds.

“Monroe Mold has a certified apprenticeship program for developing mold makers which enables us to provide true value to customers. We are proud of their expertise and look forward to adding new employees to further expand Monroe Mold’s capabilities,” Ghesquire said.

The R&B Holding companies — Monroe Mold and R&B Plastics Machinery — are strategically located in the Midwest to best serve North American plastics processors. In addition to the automotive industry, Michigan is home to a wide variety of bottle manufacturers, Hodge explained.

The R&B blow-molding machines and blow molds from Monroe Mold provide a combined product line distinct from any other OEM in the industry,” Hodge said.

Another benefit to customers: R&B has a tech center with a sample mold machine to test pre-production bottle designs. This is a more cost-effective method for customers to evaluate pre-production bottles without tying up manufacturing lines. It is another value-added feature that complements the partnership between Monroe Mold and R&B Plastics Machinery, Hodge said.