Placon expands manufacturing capacity to meet demand

Wisconsin based custom thermoformer, Placon, is doubling the size of its manufacturing in Elkhart, Indiana, to meet the demand for its medical packaging.

The Elkhart facility is ISO 13485 certified and focused on producing custom plastic packaging for the medical and healthcare industries. This site manufactures custom thermoformed trays, clamshells, and Placon’s BargerGard protective packaging which is made from thermoplastic polyurethane material. 

The expansion will allow Placon to increase its manufacturing capacity and add to previous company growth. In 2016 Placon acquired both Barger and Brookdale Plastics, and then two years later in 2018, the company added an extra cleanroom as well as thermoforming machines to the site to help meet the customer demand.

The Elkhart, Indiana site is set to become the flagship medical packaging facility, with plans including a creative space for a design innovation centre. This centre will aim to reduce product development time by increasing the collaboration between the customer and design engineers and decreasing turn-around time for feedback and product iterations. Plans also include four more thermoforming presses and additional cleanroom manufacturing, warehouse, and office space. The first two presses are already on order and expected to be operational for production by June 2021. 

Dan Mohs, chairman and CEO, commented: “I am confident the investment in our medical capabilities will allow us to provide improved customer service to our partner accounts and bring their products to market faster.

“The expansion supports our strategic business plan to grow in the medical market.”

John MacDougall, medical sales manager, added: “The design centre will allow my team to showcase our medical market expertise and reinforce confidence with our customers that Placon is the preferred custom thermoforming medical packaging company to work with.”