PlastiCert begins construction on building addition

Published On: August 18th, 2021|Categories: Company News|

Lewiston, MN August 18,2021 – PlastiCert, a veteran of innovative and quality composite injection molding celebrating 40 years of molding success, announces launching construction on a building addition. After closing on their construction financing, August 16 saw the ground broken for a new addition to PlastiCert Headquarters.

Since their asset acquisition of MBI and starting of operations in Minnesota in 2002, PlastiCert Minnesota has operated from a 9,000 square foot building in Lewiston Minnesota. After the 2009 closing of the company’s flagship facility in Pennsylvania, equipment and operations were consolidated in Lewiston. The machine shop and injection molding equipment were rearranged to facilitate the consolidation. Since that time additional changes included surrendering office area to manufacturing, the reorganization of raw material and injection mold storage, and two additional large injection presses were added. In late 2020, PlastiCert reacquired ownership of its building that was sold to an investor during PlastiCert’s MBO.  Earlier in 2021, arrangements were made to lease nearby warehouse space for raw material. All these events laid the groundwork for planning a much-needed addition.

PlastiCert will be augmenting its footprint by more than 75%, adding 4,700 sq ft additional manufacturing floor space, as well as 1,300 sq ft of new break/kitchen area and larger bathroom facilities. “While we will be adding significant space to our manufacturing footprint, the break room and bathrooms will be well received”, commented Craig Porter President and Owner. “We have doubled our headcount since the lean post-recession period. We tend to stagger our breaks and lunch periods, but we started spreading them out more due to seating constraints.” The reacquisition of the building and starting the addition following the prior year’s major equipment upgrades and acquisitions brings PlastiCert’s investment into upgrading its operations to over $2,000,000.

The addition is being overseen by Brickl Bros contractors. They were selected over several submitted bids by area and national firms. Similarly, financing was sent out for bids and after receiving 3 proposals, the recently opened Oakwood Bank in Rollingstone was selected to provide both the construction financing as well as the final building mortgage in conjunction with an SBA backed loan through Minnesota Business Finance Corporation.

With groundbreaking having taken place on August 16th, a competition date of November 30th is being targeted. The staff, customers, everyone is anxious to get the addition done and spreading out into the new footprint.

About Brickl Bros

Headquartered in West Salem, WI, Brickl Bros., Inc. is a true design/build general contractor specializing in municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and suburban construction projects located across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and northern Illinois.

Founded in 1970 by brothers Karl, Jim, and Stan Brickl, over the course of the past half-century, Brickl Bros., Inc. grew from the three founding owners to over 100 skilled construction professionals. Family-held for the first 49 years in business, the company entered 2020 – its 50th anniversary year – a newly transitioned, employee-owned company. As an employee-owned company, Brickl Bros. is now led by a seasoned and steady management team with over 150 years of combined construction experience. https://www.bricklbros.com/about/

About Oakwood Bank

The past and present culture of the Oakwood Bank expresses its principal shareholders’ focus on maintaining a strong and secure independent bank in west central Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota, where it is exposed to significant outside banking competition. To assure its independence, the Bank will continue to maintain a strong capital ratio.

Bendik M. Sletteland organized the Oakwood Bank in 1920. His son, Oscar B. Sletteland, quickly distinguished himself as an agricultural banker and guided the Bank through the Great Depression. His insistence on maintaining a strong capital base remains a tenet we will not violate. The Sletteland family owned the bank until September 2018. PF Investors, Inc., led by long-term President William DeBruyckere (area native), completed the acquisition of PFSB.  In November of 2018, the Bank’s name was changed to better align with our future goals and build our brand. https://oakwoodbank.net/about-us/

 About Minnesota Business Finance Corporation

Minnesota Business Finance Corporation (MBFC) is a private not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a certified development company (CDC). Our CDC was created in 1983 as Opportunities Minnesota Inc. (OMNI), which was then a division of the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development. Through the enactment of state legislation in 1993, the organization became a quasi-public agency. In 1996, it was privatized and renamed the Minnesota Business Finance Corporation (MBFC).  With offices in St. Cloud, Minneapolis, and Detroit Lakes, we serve the entire state of Minnesota, as well as counties in North Dakota and Wisconsin.

 About PlastiCert

PlastiCert, founded in Pennsylvania in 1981, is a privately held corporation with headquarters and manufacturing in Lewiston Minnesota with its incorporation now moved to Minnesota. Initially a custom molder targeted at the electronics industry, today PlastiCert is a one-stop shop for OEMs desiring small and medium volumes for telecom, sporting goods, industrial, computer, avionics, medical markets and more. PlastiCert provides both mold development/build and custom composite injection molding, including insert molding and overmolding. Also available are a compliment of value-add capabilities including decorating and electro-mechanical assembly. For more information on PlastiCert and the opportunity we present users of custom molded plastic components, visit www.plasticert.com or call 507-523-2300.

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