Empire Precision Plastics, a precision molder of optic and intricate molded components, is expanding Rochester, NY facility adding 27,000 square feet. Numerous upgrades are planned to increase energy efficiency and streamline part production.
Empire plans to significantly increase space for its assembly and secondary operations, with 1,000 square feet dedicated to optics secondary operations such as opto-mechanical assembly and coating. Having acquired the assets of Light Wave Enterprises Inc. in 2012, Empire is one of the only precision plastic molders to manufacture both optic and non-optic tooling in-house.
The company’s tool room will triple in size and feature a new technology center with three presses designated for mold try-out. These changes will allow for faster in-house tool build and operation.
“Timelines are important to us and to our customers,” Empire President Neal Elli said. “The added tool room space means that we’ll be able to get tools online fast, regardless of where they were built.”
The expansion will also include: 3600 square feet of office space; 4,000 square feet of white room space and additional automation systems to streamline medical and optical molding and assembly; 8,000 square feet of warehouse space to help support vendor-managed inventory and delivery programs such as KanBan and JIT; Servo-driven robots for higher accuracy.
In addition to greater production efficiency, the expansion will incorporate several upgrades for improved energy use. For example, hydraulic presses will be replaced with energy-efficient electric machines, and new material driers will decrease power requirements while improving drying consistency. “These changes are making our processes leaner, cleaner, more accurate and more efficient,” Elli said. “We’re excited about the opportunity this gives us to better support our customers at all stages of a project, from design and prototyping through assembly and packaging.”
