Two thermoformers with significant experience in the medical device packaging industry and beyond are uniting to expand their offerings. Placon, which is celebrating its 50th year designing and manufacturing plastic packaging, has acquired Brookdale Plastics, which itself has 40 years of experience in thermoforming.
"The acquisition strengthens our position in the medical market,” Theresa Pope, Director of Marketing for Placon, tells PMP News. “Both companies will be able to leverage each other’s strengths. For example, Brookdale will now have access to all Barger products including BargerGard and Tyvek lidding.” (Placon had acquired medical thermoformer Barger in 2011.)
Brookdale will retain its name and location in Pymouth, MN, continuing operations as normal, Pope says.
“With Brookdale, Placon has three cleanroom facilities--Elkhart, IN; Madison, WI; and Plymouth, MN,” she adds.
Customers can expect to see wider tooling capabilities. “By combining Brookdale’s cost-effective tooling solutions with Placon’s world-class matched metal, high precision tooling, we will become the first supplier of choice for custom packaging solutions in the industry,” explains Dan Mohs, Chairman and CEO for Placon, in a statement. “Our companies have many synergies to leverage allowing us faster response with a comprehensive array of tooling options. These capabilities will deliver more value to our customers and position us well into the future.”
Adds Pope: “The synergies create much broader solutions to offer our customers looking for custom packaging. More complex designs now become an option.”
Turnaround times could be shortened for some customers. “By providing high-quality prototypes from our rapid prototyping machinery, customers can evaluate sizes and shapes quickly…getting their product to production sooner,” she adds. “Additionally, the library tooling our thermoforming platforms use allow us to provide cost effective tooling solutions and shortened lead times on the new production parts our customers need to get out into the market.”
The more complex designs and trimming options now available will “provide more flexibility when it comes to designing packaging,” she says.
Adds Mohs, “Like Placon, Brookdale’s employees take great pride in the quality of products they produce and exceptional levels of service they provide. We’re delighted to welcome Brookdale’s 78 employees into the Placon family.”
In addition to serving the medical device and pharmaceutical markets, Placon and Brookdale also serve retail and other industrial markets. Placon also offers EcoStar branded post-consumer recycled rollstock from PET bottles and thermoforms and produces thermoformed and injection molded food packaging.
For more information, visit Barger and Brookdale at Booths #1119 and #1938, respectively, at MD&M Minneapolis September 21-22 or visit www.placon.com.
