by Jen Hellmann | Dec 23, 2016 | Articles
Bob Porsche, president of General Plastics, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin co-chaired the SPE Thermoforming Division’s 25th Anniversary Conference, held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL in September.
As president of General Plastics, Inc, Porsche is committed to investing in innovation and being actively involved in the industry. He has been influential in SPE on many leadership levels including past Chair and Financial Director. He is also active in areas such as education, growth, technical advancements and networking. “I believe in investing in innovation, both from a company perspective and as an individual. Having the opportunity to co-chair the 2016 conference to be part of planning ways for helping participants engage with others in the industry and provide a venue where learning, networking and seeing the technological advancements is possible was very rewarding,” said Porsche.
The conference attracted nearly 700 attendees and proved a valuable opportunity for networking with clients, vendors and industry leaders – all in one convenient location.
“As a company, we are focused on creating optimal flow of the products traveling through our forming, trimming and shipping areas – working as the co-chair gave me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge on these aspects as well as share our latest innovations to the conference participants,” said Porsche.
“The exhibit hall featured 75 exhibitors, giving attendees the opportunity to meet with equipment, material, tooling and service providers,” said Porsche.
The SPE Thermoforming Conference® is the most convenient and cost-effective way to learn about the Industry.
Full-day workshops focusing on fundamentals and troubleshooting provided technical staff practical insight into the thermoforming process. The conference was comprehensive and included technical presentations by recognized industry experts and new and exciting developments in the industry.
“The annual conference is the premier forum where the newest techniques and the latest trends in machinery, materials and equipment are unveiled, I was honored to be part of it,” said Porsche.
by Jen Hellmann | Dec 15, 2016 | Articles
Wisconsin Thermoformer’s Latest Projects Include Expansion, Enhanced Automation
AT INDUSTRIAL thermoformer General Plastics Inc., Milwaukee, owner and President Bob Porsche invests in innovation every year. That is the rule by which he has operated this business for three decades. These investments can come in the form of new machinery or a plantwide restructuring.
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by Jen Hellmann | Dec 13, 2016 | Articles
Congratulations General Plastics!
Milwaukee’s Future 50 Program, established in 1988, recognizes privately-owned companies in the seven county region that have been in business for at least three years and have shown significant revenue, employment growth and have had outstanding achievements. The companies are honored at the annual Future 50 Luncheon, are highlighted in the MMAC’s Membership Directory and are often featured in news articles published by BizTimes Milwaukee.
by Jen Hellmann | Jan 4, 2016 | Articles
By: Bill BregarATLANTA — Milwaukee thermoformer General Plastics Inc. helped a customer transition from injection molding to thermoforming on a 200-piece job.“We had a proposition from a customer that was in pretty dire straights,” said Robert Porsche, president of General Plastics. Porsche and Patrick Cain, his plant manager, described the fast-moving reverse engineering project during a technical session at the Society of Plastics Engineers Thermoforming Conference in Atlanta.The customer had misplaced its injection mold overseas, and needed the small order as soon as possible, Porsche said. “They were against the wall, so they came to where they felt secure,” he said.
Cain said General Plastics scanned the part using a Romer arm on a coordinate measuring machine, to create a 3-D model, which was used to make short-run tooling. The company also uses the device for quality control and first article inspection, he said.
Employees worked quickly to fill the order.
“We came up with a solution that would buy them time,” Porsche said.
Porsche said even small jobs like that are a challenge, but worth it.
“We enjoy doing those kind of things. We do it on a regular basis and it helps grow our business,” he said.
by Jen Hellmann | Dec 10, 2015 | Articles
By: Hilary Dickinson – June 29, 2015, 12:00 AM
General Plastics Inc.
2609 W. Mill Road, Glendale
Industry: Plastics
Employees: 70
www.genplas.com
When General Plastics Inc. president Robert Porsche bought the Glendale-based company in 1987, it had eight full-time employees, two customers and an 11,000-square-foot facility.
Fast forward about three decades, and General Plastics has 70 employees, more than 100 customers, and a third expansion in the works that will bring the production facility from 51,000 square feet to 93,000 square feet.
The $3 million expansion will add 42,000 square feet of space onto the back of the building that will allow the manufacturer of custom plastics products to spread out equipment and run more efficiently, according to Porsche. Construction began in May on the addition, which is expected to be operational by October.
This newest expansion follows two 20,000-square-foot additions, in 1991 and in 2000.
General Plastics invested $1 million in new manufacturing equipment last year.
“Several years ago, we made quality and customer service the focal points of everything we do at General Plastics. As a result, we’ve experienced double-digit growth in sales during the last few years,” Porsche said.
“Recently, a number of our largest customers came to us and asked if we could keep pace with the significant growth they were experiencing. Obviously, we’re committed to our customers so we answered the bell and said, ‘Yes.’”
General Plastics also invested $1 million in new manufacturing equipment last year, and plans to hire 15 employees over the next 18 months. Porsche said the company is also currently hiring for multiple positions, including CNC and robotic equipment programmers.
Porsche said the company’s annual revenue is $12 million, and it has achieved double-digit growth for the last three-and-a-half years. He expects it to continue at that rate in the coming years due to the growth of its customers and the growth of the company’s medical and transportation markets.
In addition to this year’s expansion and hiring news, 2015 has been a big year for General Plastics as in February it won the 2014 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award in the small company category.
“The Manufacturer of the Year award really belongs to all our employees,” Porsche said. “This is a total team effort. General Plastics is continually focused on the growing and evolving needs of our customers. Our employees have really embraced this approach.”
General Plastics was recognized for growing its business by almost 21 percent over the past three years and for improving delivery performance to more than 98 percent on time and complete.
Additionally, General Plastics was commended for reducing its landfill waste by 50 percent since 2010. It also reclaims and re-extrudes 99 percent of its scrap raw material back into utility products.
General Plastics became ISO 9001:2008 certified in 2013, and Porsche expects the company to receive ISO 14001 environmental certification in January.
General Plastics, which also serves the construction, gaming and point-of-purchase industries, operates on three shifts, five days a week.
It specializes in thermoforming, a manufacturing process in which a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific part shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product.
Examples of its thermoformed products are rail seat backs, tray tables, medical housings, vehicle panels and roof liners, point-of-purchase displays and truck bed liners.
General Plastics General Plastics specializes in thermoforming.
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