In response to its growing medical device business, GW Plastics has increased its company-wide multi-shot molding capabilities. The company has purchased several new automated multi-shot machines to be installed this summer to support newly-awarded business from Fortune 500 healthcare OEMs. 
 
GW Plastics currently operates a significant number of multi-shot presses and assembly cells across its global operations, but these new machines bring higher levels of automation. These will be the first machines to have an assembly cell integrated directly into the press, allowing parts to be picked and placed by robots right into assembly and secondary operations. 
 
GW Plastics has been a leader in the multi-shot and multi-material molding market for years, and with the advent of their Silicones division in 2008, the company has been working to increase their multi-shot molding capabilities using a variety of materials. 
 
There are many benefits to multi-shot molding. Multi-shot molding has allowed GW Plastics to offer leading healthcare companies improved ergonomics and performance for their medical devices. Multi-shot molding also offers the benefit of cost effective, lean manufacturing practices due to the elimination of an entire molding machine in the molding process and the reduction or oftentimes elimination of post-molding assembly. By consolidating tooling, molding processes, materials, and assemblies into one machine, production costs are lowered, fewer operators are required, more parts per cycle are produced, and energy is saved. This cost-savings for the OEM can be significant and the overall manufacturing process is completed in a more sustainable way. 
 
“GW Plastics has worked closely with our customers to introduce innovative and cost-effective advanced manufacturing solutions, such as multi-shot molding,” said Timothy Reis, GW Plastics VP of healthcare business development. “We have significantly expanded our multi-shot business in the medical device field for improved ergonomics and economics.” 
 
In the last two years, GW Plastics has completed expansions of its Bethel, Vt.; San Antonio, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; and Dongguan, China facilities, as well as its Thermoplastics and Silicones manufacturing facilities in Royalton, Vt. “GW Plastics has enjoyed ongoing year-over-year record revenue, and we are committed to supporting this growth by investing in our facilities,” said Brenan Riehl, president and CEO. “We are proud to be a leader in molding and tooling technology and be able to offer our customers innovative, advanced manufacturing solutions.”