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Provider of Plastics Technologies to Open Tech Center in Michigan

Aug. 20, 2010

Center is the only facility of its kind in North America, according to FRIMO Inc.

FRIMO Inc., a provider of manufacturing systems for plastic components for the automotive and other industries, is opening a new tech center within its North American headquarters in Wixom, Mich.

The tech center, which will become fully operational in September, is a state-of-the-art customer support facility designed to meet the demands of the companys automotive interior customers and customers in other industries, according to the company, which is a division of the Germany-based FRIMO Group GmbH.

FRIMO customers in North America include Automotive Components Holdings, BMW, Chrysler, CPK Interior Products, Daimler, Ford, GM, General Electric, Honda, Hyundai, International Automotive Components, Johnson Controls, Lear, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen.

We are thrilled to announce this expansion and to offer our customers a one-stop-shop that features an ever-expanding range of interior prototype and production services, said Jeff Daily, president and CEO of FRIMO Inc. No other tooling and equipment supplier offers this breadth of services and technologies for its customers in one place in North America.

The new tech center will provide tooling and production facilities for processes used to develop interior products such as instrument panels, door trim, consoles, headliners, seats and headrests, according to the company.

Technologies on site will include rapid prototyping, polyurethane processing, thermoforming, laminating, edgefolding, flexible trimming, scoring, punching and joining/adhesive bonding of plastics.

FRIMO plans to officially mark the opening of the center with a customer event at its Wixom headquarters on Oct. 7. The program will include an opening ceremony as well as a plant tour, technical presentations and live product demonstrations, according to the company.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.