Headquartered in Chesterfield, MI, Davalor provides injection molding services primarily for the automotive industry. It was acquired by Blackford Capital in 2016, and the addition of IMC to the portfolio “marks an initial stride toward establishing a global, full-service plastics injection molding business with a range of capabilities and a diversified, global customer base,” said Blackford Capital.

Founded in 1947 and based in Lubbock, TX, IMC molds precision components for global customers in a variety of end markets. The long-tenured management team will continue in their current roles, said the news release.

Blaige & Co. served as the exclusive financial advisor to NN Inc. on the transaction. Greenberg Traurig LLP served as counsel for Blackford Capital, with legal entity support from Varnum LLP. Parliament Capital Management provided lending for the acquisition, with legal support from DLA Piper. Plante Moran advised on financial and tax diligence, and Signature Associates CRE brokered the Sale Leaseback transaction with STORE Capital.

Private equity firm Blackford Capital has acquired Industrial Molding Corp. (IMC), the first add-on acquisition for its portfolio company, Davalor Mold Co. IMC is an independently run subsidiary of NN Inc., a precision metal manufacturer based in Charlotte, NC, with a global footprint. NN Inc. said total net cash proceeds would reach approximately $16 million. IMC is NN’s sole plastics processing plant and, as such, was targeted for divestment because it was not core to its strategic direction.

Packing a big clamping force of 2,800 kN, the new machine fits in a smaller space at a width of six feet and features a safety door with recessed handles as part of a design optimized for easy installation. Access to the ejector area has been improved by widening the stroke to about 4½ feet. The machine’s mold height adjustment system allows installation heights up to 31½ inches.

Echoing those comments, Blackford Capital founder and managing director Martin Stein noted that IMC’s seasoned leadership team and deep expertise in the plastics injection molding industry will be a “capability multiplier for our customers.” The acquisition, he added, builds a “solid foundation for accelerated and sustained growth within the Davalor platform, paving the way for continued expansion and innovation.”

Founded in 2010, Blackford Capital focuses on the acquisition and management of founder- and family-owned lower middle-market companies in the manufacturing, industrial, and distribution sectors. The company is based in Grand Rapids, MI.

Geoff Giordano is a tech journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in all facets of publishing. He has reported extensively on the gamut of plastics manufacturing technologies and issues, including 3D printing materials and methods; injection, blow, micro and rotomolding; additives, colorants and nanomodifiers; blown and cast films; packaging; thermoforming; tooling; ancillary equipment; and the circular economy. Contact him at [email protected].

The Informa Markets Engineering network of B2B media sites includes Design News, Battery Technology, Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry (MD+DI), Packaging Digest, PlasticsToday, and Powder & Bulk Solids.

Repeatability is driven by the company’s aXw Control ScrewPilot as well as optimized mold venting with two-stage mold locking. Maintenance is made easier with the same control cabinet style featured on Arburg’s hybrid machines, with the lubrication unit and optional pneumatics on the operating side.

"Extending our portfolio of electric machines helps customers to meet current challenges, such as increasing price pressure combined with rising costs for labor, energy, and materials, shorter product life cycles, and ever-faster product changeovers," said Gerhard Böhm, managing director of sales and aftersales.

The 720E comes with the Selogica ND control system and can be customized with core pulls and heating and cooling circuits, as well as automated with all Arburg’s robotic systems — from sprue pickers to six-axis robots.

At NPE, the machine will use a a 24-cavity mold from Hack to produce polypropylene razor covers weighing 1.2 grams in a cycle time of about 8.5 seconds.

“We are excited to welcome the IMC team to Davalor. We are committed to providing our customers with the most advanced, most reliable injection molded plastic products available," said Davalor CEO John Boeschenstein. "As we seek to expand our capabilities beyond our core plastic injection molding offering, we are thrilled to have found a strategic partner with a great management team, a professional and highly capable staff, and a strong, design-for-manufacturing approach to injection molded plastics. I look forward to working together to expand our capabilities on a national scale."

The new machine “combines high precision with a streamlined design at a particularly attractive price,” noted Technical Director Guido Frohnhaus, and is ideal for less-complex products with cycle times of around 15 seconds.

Arburg is breaking its tradition of premiering new machines in Germany to give the world its first look at its new Allrounder 720E Golden Electric at NPE2024 in Orlando, FL, in May.

Likely applications for the machine include dimensionally stable e-mobility housings, thick-wall closures for household goods, and precision medical and construction components.