An on-site inventory will also enhance customer service and facilitate shorter lead-times as orders will no longer have to be shipped from Japan.

Japanese plastic injection moulding machine manufacturer Nissei Plastic Industrial launched a new subsidiary named Nissei Plastic Machinery America in December 2016 as part of its growth strategy, which aims to boost the company’s global production and distribution network.

The main components for the assembly are supplied from the company’s manufacturing plants in Japan, Thailand and China, while procurement from local suppliers is slated to be increased gradually.

Other major benefits include improved customer satisfaction with quick response times, reduced waiting times and faster delivery.

The air base was considered an ideal location for the plant for three main reasons, including San Antonio’s geographical location in the middle of North and South America, which will allow the company to address increasing demand in both regions.

The demand for competitively priced medium to large scale production equipment is expected to grow in the US, with an increasing amount of manufacturing companies seeking local production capabilities.

San Antonio has also attracted a number of automobile manufacturing companies and is in close proximity to both the Midwestern US and Mexico, where automotive manufacturing clusters are located.

Nissei’s San Antonio plant will begin manufacturing moulding machines of the highest quality and reliability standards in a later phase.

“We will benefit from the broader reach of the diverse capabilities at Bright Plastics, as will our customers,” said Kevin Prunsky, Chairman of the Board of Thunderbird. “We expect customers to realize their goals in new ways thanks to the unique equipment and depth of knowledge at Bright.”

Japanese plastic injection moulding machine manufacturer Nissei Plastic Industrial launched a new subsidiary named Nissei Plastic Machinery America in December 2016 as part of its growth strategy, which aims to boost the company’s global production and distribution network.

The facility manufactures and sells plastic injection moulding machines and related equipment to the US market, which is the company’s second-biggest export market after China.

In May of this year, Thunderbird acquired MPR Plastics, an injection molder based in Elgin, IL. It also acquired Williams Plastics in 2017, Indiana Plastics in 2018, and the plastics division of Tuthill Corp. in 2020, all of which are now operating under the Impact Molding umbrella.

The plant is primarily involved in machining and the assembly of medium to large-scale hybrid injection moulding machines with clamping forces between 500 and 1,440 short tons.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation reported that the plant was designed by Atlanta-based design firm Appleby + Laccetti Architects.

“The specialized abilities at Bright Plastics coupled with their collaborative approach to manufacturing complements our existing high-volume plastic production capabilities,” added Phil Kretekos, President of Thunderbird

The acquisition includes an ISO Class 7 cleanroom typically used to manufacture medical devices such as IV connectors and surgical instruments. Bright Plastics also has a 67,000-square-foot corporate manufacturing center and 103,000-square-foot manufacturing and logistics hub. The more than 160 Bright Plastics employees will continue to partner with customers from design to distribution, said Thunderbird.

The $20m facility is Nissei Plastic’s third manufacturing facility outside Japan, following two other plants in Taicang, China, and Rayong, Thailand, which were launched in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

The company initially purchased a nine-acre land in the evolving economic hub from the Brooks Development Authority in October 2016.

The acquisition of Bright Plastics continues Thunderbird’s commitment to growth and investment in American manufacturing, said the company, which is based in Oak Brook, IL. Although its business model ostensibly mirrors a private equity approach, Thunderbird claims that its active management process and long-term ownership model differentiate it from other private equity firms.

Thunderbird LLC announced today the acquisition of Bright Plastics Inc.. The addition of the Greensboro, NC–based plastics processor to the Thunderbird portfolio of manufacturing companies expands its injection-molding support for a range of industries, including medical, defense, aerospace, transportation, recreation, waste management, and telecom, said Thunderbird.

The plan also included the construction of a new technical centre, which is equipped with demonstration machines for moulds and materials in order to provide technical assistance to customers.

The demand is expected to see a steady growth, especially in major categories such as packaging, daily goods, household products and automobiles.

Construction of the new manufacturing facility started in December 2016 and was completed in February 2018. The plant commenced operations in March 2018.

The products will be branded as Made in USA and Made by Nissei products and will be supplied to Central and South America, US and Canada.

“Becoming a Thunderbird company is a testament to our team at Bright Plastics,” said Kirk Sparks, President of Bright Plastics. “This move ensures the legacy of our founder, Steve Bright, and speaks to the talent and commitment of the professionals at Bright who continually embrace new technology and new equipment to meet the demands of a growing customer base.”

The company’s wholly owned US-based subsidiary constructed a new injection moulding machine manufacturing plant in south San Antonio, Texas, US.