"The clients we work with whose parts must meet various certifications – UL, FAA, and MIL-spec, among others – need to have a 'real' part to test against their real-world challenges. RPM facilitates that by getting testable parts into the field quickly," said David Brantner, Chief Executive Officer of Alpine Advanced Materials. "Think of companies bidding for military or aerospace contracts – it's powerful to have data that backs up whether your components actually work."

Precision Southeast Inc., which also has a facility in Indiana, specializes in custom injection molding along with several engineering services, including metal-to-plastic conversions, rapid prototyping and tooling. The company’s press sizes range from 20 to 600 tons. Precision offers overmolding and in-mold assembly and a range of value-add services, such as assembly, ultrasonic welding, leak testing and decorating that includes pad printing and hot stamping.

The transaction facilitates the merger of two Gladstone Investment Corp. portfolio companies to establish a custom injection molding company with facilities in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Indiana that offer a comprehensive range of plastic injection molding capabilities. The credit agreement was used to pay off existing debt and to consolidate the debt capital in the resulting consolidated entity.

In August 2009, Wincove Capital acquired GI Plastek. Six years later, Gladstone Investment Corp. acquired Wincove-GIP Acquisition Inc. (d.b.a. GI Plastek) from Wincove Capital.

"The clients we work with whose parts must meet various certifications – UL, FAA, and MIL-spec, among others – need to have a 'real' part to test against their real-world challenges. RPM facilitates that by getting testable parts into the field quickly," said David Brantner, Chief Executive Officer of Alpine Advanced Materials. "Think of companies bidding for military or aerospace contracts – it's powerful to have data that backs up whether your components actually work."

The merger establishes a custom injection molding company with facilities in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Indiana that offer a comprehensive range of plastic injection molding capabilities.

"One of the biggest barriers in transitioning to advanced materials is the weighty cost and time commitment required to test actual parts. Too often, the prospect of paying for a prototype that will cost tens of thousands of dollars stops innovation dead in its tracks," added Brantner. "With RPM, we allow our clients across aerospace, defense, unmanned aerial vehicles, space and outdoor to more easily tap into the power of new material and design technology for dramatically less time and money."

Using RPM, Alpine clients can additively manufacture a tool cavity injection mold, a negative of the designed part, then create the prototype using the dramatically cheaper mold. Once produced, the mold is dissolved away, leaving an injection molded prototype with fiber alignment for strength and without the surface finish issues of 3D printing. Additionally, with separable components, RPM allows for two-part tools that can be used repeatedly for low volumes that also convey both form and function equivalent to that of a standard steel tool. Alpine is known for both HX5 and its advanced design for manufacturing services, helping companies evolve to use new materials and methods in designing superior parts and components.

About Alpine Advanced Materials Alpine Advanced Materials is a leading expert in the design and manufacture of custom-engineered parts for the world's most demanding aerospace, defense, energy, space, and outdoor applications. With experience across multiple industries, a collaborative approach, and deep expertise in designing for manufacturing, Alpine delivers the future of innovation.

Filling the gap between a 3D printed part, which can get a client close in shape but is limited by mechanical performance, and an injection molded part, which provides form and function but requires investment in tooling, RPM delivers production-level components at a relatively low cost ideal for low volume testing. Giving product designers the chance to fully prove a part before committing to a steel mold, RPM also allows for design iterations that make testing more dynamic.

GI Plastek (Wolfeboro, NH) has merged with Precision Southeast Inc. (Myrtle Beach, SC) to create PSI Molded Plastics Inc. Citizens Bank’s Commercial Banking unit is providing $23 million in credit to help fund the merger.

Alpine's flagship nanocomposite material HX5® offers the strength of aluminum at half the weight with environmental and thermal performance to withstand the harshest environments. HX5 can be formed into complex shapes and easily coated without sacrificing strength, performance or aesthetics. From prototypes to full-scale injection molding production, HX5 is an ideal alternative to the cost and production challenges associated with aluminum. For more information, visit www.alpineadvancedmaterials.com.

DALLAS, Aug. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpine Advanced Materials has introduced Rapid Prototype Molding (RPM) using Addifab's proprietary resin system and Nexa3D's printers to give clients a more rapid tool manufacturing solution that provides a functional and testable part at a fraction of the cost. Complementing Alpine's suite of high-performance engineered materials and advanced design services, RPM Freeform Injection Molding delivers complex injection molded parts more quickly and affordably than when using standard steel molds.

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

"The design freedom Alpine can now offer their clients with Addifab Freeform Injection Molding opens the way to faster, cheaper, and greener product development," said Carsten Jarfelt, Chief Commercial Officer of Addifab in the USA. "Our technology supports product development with economical prototype tooling, cutting an average of 85 percent off the price a first functional component, and can make it faster than ever before."

GI Plastek is a manufacturer of custom injection molded products using structural foam, gas assist and straight injection molding. It also offers value-added assembly and secondary finishing operations, including painting, inserting and decorating. The company’s press sizes run from 220 to 1,574 tons. In 2016, GI Plastek added two new large tonnage machines with an 1,100- and 500-ton clamping force and installed a new multi-booth mechanized paint line for a total investment of $2 million, according to the company’s website.