FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ARLINGTON, Vt. (February 11, 2014) – Mack has doubled the footprint of its Machining Center at the headquarters plant after just three years of operation, it was announced today by Jeff Somple, president, Mack Molding Northern Operations.
“We’ve experienced a 12-fold increase in machining sales since launching the operation in 2011,” says Somple, “initially by replacing formerly outsourced work, and now by taking on new projects. Our growth in the orthopedic market has been a major influence in this space and technology expansion.”
Mack has added 30 percent more lathe capacity, remaining with the Swiss-type turning centers originally installed. The company has also added a Haas Super Mini Mill with full vertical machining center capabilities, which will augment its plastics machining capacity for mid- to high-volume production of medical devices. Made in the USA, the high-speed Haas mill features a quick chip-to-chip tool change of 3.8 seconds and rapid feed rates of 1200 inches per minute.
“Beyond its technical attributes, I also prefer the Haas mill because it’s the same technology found in many educational institutions that teach manufacturing,” adds David Hoffman, Machining Center manager. “It’s my hope this will allow new hires to hit the ground running.”
Educational Outreach
“As we begin to experience a resurgence of manufacturing in this country, it’s critical that we support it with well-educated and trained workers,” says Somple. “At Mack, we’ve been aggressive in our efforts to develop a robust college internship program, which has been growing over the past three summers. This fall, we hosted ‘Made in Vermont’ days for over 90 high school seniors interested in pursuing a technical track, and are adding manufacturing internships this summer. Both programs have been well-received and are proving successful. In fact, we’ve now hired four previous interns, all in different functional areas.”
One of those interns, Adam Cannistraci, is a CNC programmer in the Machining Center. He is also teaching two courses on CNC setup and programming at the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center. Mack has also contributed to curriculum development at the school.
“Continuing to invest in resource development, both technological and workforce, will position us for steady growth during this year and beyond,” concludes Somple.
About Mack Molding
Mack Molding is a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services. Mack specializes in plastics design, prototyping, molding, sheet metal fabrication, full-service machining and medical device manufacturing. Founded in 1920, Mack is a privately owned business that operates 11 facilities throughout the world. Don Kendall is president and CEO.
