By Frank Antosiewicz, Plastics News Correspondent
Danvers, Massachusetts -- Sporting a new name and a new home in Danvers, G&F Medical Inc. is boosting its capabilities for medical device manufacturing.
The company, formerly known as UPCOA or Urethane Processing Corp of America, moved its operations five miles from its former home in Peabody, Massachusetts, to a new leased 14 500 sq.ft (1350 sq.m) facility in Danvers.
"We wanted to create a better focus to direct our efforts toward the medical device market," said John Argitis, president of G&F Industries, Inc., of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, the sister company to G&F Medical.
UPCOA was founded in 1986 and has evolved into a company that does silicone and thermoplastic injection moulding, as well as assembly, part design and prototyping.
The new facility includes a 6000 sq.ft ISO Class 8 clean room, according to Nirav Patel, G&F Medical general manager.
Patel said that having a dedicated clean room for the first time opens new opportunities for the company. He said that it does 90 percent medical, but also does some defence work.
"A lot of customers wouldn't consider putting their products anywhere but a clean room and in the past we've had to turn down the projects," he said.
However with the new setup, he added, "Now if they want to be in even cleaner space, say ISO Class 7 or 6, we have the flexibility to add modular space."
Patel added that the facility is set up to improve product flow and efficiency. It puts quality control closer to manufacturing and also allows for cell structures that place assembly close to the moulding.
He said that the move allowed G&F to retain all 19 full-ltime employees.
Patel added that the company is also upgrading its machinery and tooling technology. He did not elaborate, but noted that it does have 12 injection moulding presses up to 110 tons of clamping force, and is planning to add to the mix.
Upcoa was founded in 1986 and joined the G&F family in 2007. Sister company G&F Industries has been in business since 1962, and has been a contract injection moulder. It serves the medical, automotive, safety, consumer and industrial markets.
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