Argotec Unveils New World Headquarters and Manufacturing Operation

September 24, 2009

Argotec, a leading manufacturer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film and sheet has opened a new 95,000 square foot world headquarters and state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

The addition of this new facility increases the company’s total operation at the Greenfield Industrial Park to over 150,000 square feet. “The added capacity this new plant provides not only increases capacity for existing ArgoFlex and OmniFlex textile lamination film customers, but also gives us additional flexibility to explore new markets and applications,” said Bruce Wilby, president and chief executive officer of Argotec, Inc.

Argotec’s new plant will house 11 extrusion lines, two blown film and nine flat-die. Seven of the flat-die lines will be housed in an 8,000 square foot hard walled clean room, with each individual extrusion line additionally enclosed in its own Class 10,000 soft walled clean room environment.

Argotec sells their products to textile laminators who use ArgoFlex films in liquid and air containment, as well as general textile lamination applications. Omniflex films are used to create waterproof-breathable, odor-control composites in a single film-to-fabric lamination for use in performance apparel and footwear.

The company is also a key provider of TPU film and sheet to glass lamination, automotive paint protection, medical device and wound care, as well as graphics printing and overlaminate markets.

Wilby stated, “We invested in cutting edge, digital, in-line gauge measuring systems that allow the operator to make real-time thickness adjustments to maintain exacting customer specifications.” Another recent quality assurance advance was the company’s purchase of computerized photographic inspection systems for each individual flat-die extrusion line. “These custom-designed cameras scan and analyze 100 percent of the film being extruded,” he said. “They are able to detect and document pin holes, voids, gels, wrinkles, streaks, and dark or light contaminants as small as three-tenths of a millimeter, again ensuring our customers receive the highest quality film & sheet possible. “

To support its new facility, the company will convert its Greenfield Street plant to raw material and finished goods storage. It will also rededicate its Adams Road operation as a stand-alone research and development center with its own, dedicated technical staff. The urethane film industry’s first-of-its-kind facility is aptly named the Argotec Innovation Center. Its purpose will be to develop improved urethane films and processes, both for Argotec and its customers.

Argotec is a privately held company that extrudes custom-engineered, high-performance, polyurethane film and sheet in thicknesses ranging from 0.2 to 125 mils, and in widths up to 86 inches. In addition to flat-die, cast-on-carrier and blown-film-extrusion technologies, the company also has expertise in extrusion coating and multi-layer constructions. Argotec sells its products globally, primarily to textile laminators, adhesive coaters, plastics converters and fabricators, glass laminators, as well as directly to finished goods manufacturers.

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