High-tech Plastics Manufacturer Accumold Breaks Ground on Second Expansion in Four Years
ANKENY, Iowa – Accumold, a global leader in the design, development and production of micro-engineered parts for various high-tech industries, broke ground today on its second expansion in four years.
Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and other government and economic development officials were present to mark the start of a 40,000-square-foot, $10-million expansion that will result in more than 200 employees in the next three years. The addition will be robust/hardened facility capable of withstanding an F-5 tornado.
Accumold President and CEO Roger Hargens said the expansion reflects the company’s mission as “an innovation leader that taps the creativity, ingenuity and work ethic that represent the best of Iowa.”
“For years, we have competed and won day-in and day-out in a global economy where companies and countries that don’t always play fair. We’ve done this and succeeded by being nimble, determined and, frankly, smart about what we do,” Hargens said. “This expansion is the latest, important step on a path of long-term, sustainable growth.”
He added, “We may work all around the world but we couldn’t have better partners than the City of Ankeny and the State of Iowa. Ankeny, Iowa is a great place to do business and that’s why we’re here.”
Branstad participated in the November 2011 ribbon-cutting for a previous 40,000-square-foot-expansion and praised Accumold then as a “home-grown Iowa success story.”
“Accumold is a global leader because Roger Hargens and his team are not been shy about promoting their expertise, technology and products all around the world. And whether you’re a company selling products or a state promoting itself as a great place to do business … if you want to make sales, you better tell your story,” Branstad said. “Accumold stands as a testament to Iowans and those thinking about moving here that our state is a great place to do business and that with hard work, vision, integrity and determination you can succeed on a very large scale.”
Noting the hardened structure will ensure Accumold could continue to honor its clients’ production needs even in a disaster, Branstad continued, “Honoring our commitments is just one thing that makes Iowa great and it’s a big reason that companies like Accumold are succeeding on the international stage. Because of Accumold, other forward-looking companies and our economic policies, Iowa exports have increased more than 39 percent in the past four years, up from $10.8 billion in 2010 to over $15 billion last year.”
Hargens noted that the company, founded in 1985, continues to be a leading employer of high-skill workers in central Iowa. Accumold, which has 264 employees operates 24/7 with three weekday shifts and two 12-hour shifts on weekends.
Since its inception, Accumold’s mission has been the production of super-micro, ultra-precision, plastic injection-molded parts with components that often measure in mere microns. Parts manufactured by the firm are critical components for the medical, micro-optics, electronics and other high-tech emerging industries. They can be found in personal communication devices, telecommunications, surgical tools, hearing aids, medical devices, antennas, connectors and more. To produce those parts, Accumold builds specialized molding machines engineered to handle volumes from prototypes to millions per year while maintaining consistent, precise tolerances that are unique in the industry. For more information about the company, log on to www.accu-mold.com.
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