Andy Stroh (Vice President) of Cornerstone Composites Inc. teamed up to have a few rounds of networking, sunshine and, of course, golf.
Cornerstone impressed at it’s inaugural tradeshow event on May 10th and 11th. We proudly displayed at the Design to Part Show in Schaumberg, IL. Boyd Miller (President) and Andy Stroh (Vice President) were present to enthuse attendees on the benefits of thermosetting materials used in structural and mechanical part designs. We held our ground in a sea of “metal guys” and demonstrated the advantages of these materials through a compliment of samples coupled with the stories behind their genesis. In short, our formulations are lighter, stronger and more resilient in harsh environments than comparable metal platforms. Overall, it was an energetic atmosphere filled with displayers, engineers and sourcing professionals eager to exchange ideas on how to cost reduce and improve products. We had a great time debuting our new company brand and provide Stronger Solutions.
Cornerstone Composites Inc.
900 E. Vienna St., Milwaukee
Industry: Composite molding
Employees: 75
Cornerstone Composites Inc. president Boyd Miller puts his faith in his product.
He says that every year a Milwaukee School of Engineering plastics class comes for a tour. Miller picks out a student and offers to buy him a steak dinner if he can break one of the company’s composite pieces. Try as they might, Miller has never had to pay up.
Miller knows his products won’t be a perfect fit for every situation and likely won’t be the cheapest either, but it’s those customers looking for an alternative to plastic or metal that he’s interested in.
“We’re trying to really help people change what they’re offering their market,” Miller said.
Cornerstone does that by combining engineering services with precision molding of composite materials.
The company dates back to the 1940s when German immigrants Erich Dickten and Alfred Masch formed the Dickten & Masch tool company. They eventually sold the business to longtime employee Duane Kreske in the 1980s, when it became known as Wisconsin Thermoset Molding.
“I bought it in 2008 and the sales promptly dropped in half in 2009 because of the economic conditions,” Miller said. “We struggled up the curve and recovered.”
In 2015, Wisconsin Thermoset merged with Rose Polymer Composite to create Cornerstone Composites, which is based in a 35,000-square-foot facility at 900 E. Vienna St. in Milwaukee. Cornerstone also has a 7,500-square-foot facility on Silver Spring Drive and a 10,000-square-foot warehouse.
The company’s finished products are designed to work well in situations where components need to be high-strength or withstand high-heat or high-dielectric applications.
The process does have its downsides. Unlike metal or plastic, which can be melted or ground up for reuse, it is a one-way process for the composites Cornerstone uses. Similar to a two-part epoxy glue found at the hardware store, Cornerstone uses temperature and pressure to activate a chemical process that changes the material into something completely new. Because the material can’t be reused, Cornerstone has to keep an eye on how much scrap is generated, aiming for just 1 percent.
The thermoset process used by Cornerstone comes with higher material and labor costs than thermoplastics. As a result, there aren’t a lot of firms in the industry.
“They’re unique, special applications,” Miller said
Sometimes, people come to Cornerstone looking for something soft or flexible produced at high-volume and low-cost.
“It’s not us and it’s not what the product is,” Miller said.
And Cornerstone doesn’t compete on cost alone.
“We don’t want to come across as the lowest cost supplier in the world because that’s not us; that’s not what we’re doing,” Miller said.
Instead, Cornerstone offers engineering services, which can be tricky because customers don’t always know what is possible with the composite materials. The goal becomes understanding what a customer is after, said Andy Stroh, vice president. Some want to reduce the product’s weight ; others are looking for improved strength; and some want a combination of those two.
The company serves end markets including commercial construction, oil and gas, mass transit and food service. Products include manhole covers that are lighter yet durable; a product that centers oil and gas pipes in a hole but slides better than steel against rock; and a wall tie that improves building efficiency.
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by Molly Dill
Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Thermoset Molding Inc. has acquired AcroReels, a division of Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Atek Companies LLC that manufactures reels for the recording industry.
WTM, which acquired Milwaukee-based Rose Polymer Composites LLC in January, has changed its name to reflect the recent changes. Its companies are now included under the corporate umbrella brand Cornerstone Composites Inc., based at 900 E. Vienna St. in Milwaukee.
Both WTM and Rose Polymer are contract molding companies, with WTM focusing on electrical/power transmission and commercial construction and Rose Polymer specializing in oil/gas and mass transit.
WTM previously molded the hubs for reels made at AcroReels, and now has acquired the name, rights to manufacture the whole reel, and some equipment and tooling for an undisclosed price. The hubs continue to be made in-house, while the flange manufacturing has been locally outsourced, said Andy Stroh, WTM’s vice president.
WTM and Rose Polymer will maintain their separate locations under the new umbrella, which focuses on providing tailored, high-performance composite material engineered to replace metal and thermoplastic parts for original equipment manufacturers.
“Industry 4.0 and the technologies that support it like 3-D printing, automation and the Internet of Things, are changing the way OEMs make parts,” Stroh said. “To remain competitive, they are looking for ways to increase productivity, improve performance and reduce production costs. We can support OEMs from a material standpoint by working with them to develop custom formulations that are stronger than metals or thermoplastics, corrosion resistant and potentially lighter weight.”
Wisconsin Thermoset and Rose Polymer’s combined capabilities have allowed them to offer concept, prototyping, testing, tooling and production services. The companies have upgraded equipment that includes 32 advanced compression, transfer and injection molding presses, as well as extruders, preheaters and preformers. Four shifts run the two manufacturing locations.
Rose Polymer’s square footage is approximately 7,500, with another 10,000 square feet of leased space nearby. WTM is roughly 38,000 to 40,000 square feet.
Stroh said in January that the combined revenues exceed $10 million, and he expects the companies together to grow at 5 percent to 10 percent a year. WTM and Rose Polymer have about 40 employees each.
“Our combined capabilities make us especially suited to help industrial and commercial OEMs that use a large amount of metal parts, structural and mechanical components or produce parts that will be exposed to harsh chemicals or temperature extremes,” Stroh said. “AcroReels designs high precision reels for the medical industry. One of our customers was exiting the business so we purchased the line because we felt the proprietary product was a fit with our custom molding business. It’s a niche technology we’ll be able to continue to provide to that market segment.”
Recently formed thermoset specialist Cornerstone Composites Inc. has entered the legacy business of reel-to-reel tape components.
Cornerstone, created by the merger of Wisconsin Thermoset Molding Inc. and Rose Polymer Composites LLC, bought the goodwill and technology of AcroReels and is molding components for a storage medium that persists in the era of digitization.
The AcroReels acquisition in April launched Cornerstone into molding phenolic resin into hubs used in commercial and institutional tape deck reels. Like proponents of vinyl records, some commercial tape deck users are sticking with the technology when everything around them is converting to compact discs and other electronic storage systems. They might like the different “feel” of analog magnetic tape and the ease of editing through tape splicing.
“We like the reel hub business because it is highly engineered,” explained Andy Stroh, Cornerstone vice president, in a phone interview. The company now molds precise hubs that fit stamped aluminum flanges to make reels to hold PET recording tape about 1 to 2 inches wide. Such tapes are still used in high-end audio recording studios, to record movies and to store data for governments that don’t want to transcribe all their historical data to a new medium such as compact discs.
Stroh said his firm’s market has few players since it is a legacy niche. Cornerstone molds phenolic hubs for commercial reels that compete with all-metal reels in a market of some thousands of reels annually. The plastic/metal reels do not compete with low-end technology reels used in the tiny market for consumer applications such as quarter-inch magnetic tape.
Stroh said the phenolic hubs need to be dimensionally stable to meet magnetic tape recording specifications. Producing hubs by chopping a thermoplastic tube doesn’t give the high quality recording hardware that engineers demand.
Cornerstone is promoting thermoset molding as a valuable tool for OEMs looking for more effective ways to make components. Stroh said it ranks with 3-D printing and automation in the thrust to replace metal parts with plastic ones based on plastics’ lighter weight, corrosion resistance and productivity. High-voltage devices are another kind of tough, engineered product Cornerstone focuses on.
“We look for applications beyond the reach of thermoplastics,” Stroh stressed.
Cornerstone was born after the two Milwaukee thermoset molders merged in January. The new business runs 32 presses with clamping forces up to 600 tons for compression molding, injection molding and resin transfer/compression molding.
Since pooling their talents in January, Wisconsin Thermoset Molding Inc. and Rose Polymer Composites LLC have taken aggressive steps that include acquisition of Milwaukee-based AcroReels in April, ISO 9001 certification and the roll out of a new corporate name Cornerstone Composites Inc. The custom composite molders along with AcroReel will operate under the umbrella brand Cornerstone Composites to provide original equipment manufacturers with tailored, high performance composite material engineered to replace metal and thermoplastic parts.
Under Cornerstone Composites the two companies have enhanced their capability to tailor components from concept, prototyping and testing to tooling and production methods. Equipment upgrades include 32 advanced compression, transfer and injection molding presses supported by extruders, preheaters and preformers. Four shifts operate between the two manufacturing locations which can produce parts from ¼-in. to 30 in. wide.
WTM and Rose Polymer will continue to maintain their separate locations with WTM acting as the central contact for customers for both locations as well as AcroReel.
Since pooling their talents in January, Wisconsin Thermoset Molding Inc. (WTM) and Rose Polymer Composites LLC have taken aggressive steps that include acquisition of Milwaukee-based AcroReels in April, ISO 9001 certification and the roll out of a new corporate name, Cornerstone Composites Inc. The custom composite molders along with AcroReel will operate under the umbrella brand Cornerstone Composites to provide original equipment manufacturers (OEM) with tailored, high performance composite material engineered to replace metal and thermoplastic parts.
“Industry 4.0 and the technologies that support it like 3D printing, automation and The Internet of Things, are changing the way OEMs make parts,” says WTM Vice President Andy Stroh. “To remain competitive they are looking for ways to increase productivity, improve performance and reduce production costs. We can support OEMs from a material standpoint by working with them to develop custom formulations that are stronger than metals or thermoplastics, corrosion resistant and potentially lighter weight.”
Under Cornerstone Composites, the two companies have enhanced their capability to tailor components from concept, prototyping and testing to tooling and production methods. Equipment upgrades include 32 advanced compression, transfer and injection molding presses supported by extruders, preheaters and preformers. Four shifts operate between the two manufacturing locations which can produce parts from 1/4 to 30 in. wide.
“Our combined capabilities make us especially suited to help industrial and commercial OEMs that use a large amount of metal parts, structural and mechanical components or produce parts that will be exposed to harsh chemicals or temperature extremes,” Stroh says. “AcroReels designs high precision reels for the medical industry. One of our customers was exiting the business so we purchased the line because we felt the proprietary product was a fit with our custom molding business. It’s a niche technology we’ll be able to continue to provide to that market segment.”
In addition to design and fabrication, WTM and Rose Polymer have the flexibility to make one-offs or high volume part runs. “With large and deep draw parts capability we can offer an unprecedented size range for parts,” says Stroh. “Our goal is help customers find the best possible material for their application, whether or not we make a sale.”
WTM and Rose Polymer will continue to maintain their separate locations with WTM acting as the central contact for customers for both locations, as well as AcroReel.
Wisconsin Thermoset Molding (WTM) Inc. and Rose Polymer Composites LLC announced a merger of the two companies. The transaction positions the firms to act as a one-stop-shop solution for small and large composite molded components that can be tailored for superior thermal and mechanical performance.
“The merger will give customers access to technology that will help them get their products to market quicker and at the lowest overall cost,” said Andy Stroh, VP for WTM. “Additionally, it will give each company capabilities that they do not currently have. For example, at WTM we have a fully capable tool room to build jigs, fixtures, prototype molds and to perform maintenance. Rose Polymer was sending their tool maintenance and repairs out. Now we do all their tool maintenance and this helps us maintain control of the tooling, get it fixed quickly and back into the machine and keep productivity high.”
Following the merger (L to R) Mike Byrne, VP of operations, and CEO Boyd Miller join Technical Director Bob Uhren and VP Andy Stroh in evaluating a medium-sized composite molded part. |
“WTM has traditionally been a low volume, high mix molder for small to medium-sized parts,” Stroh commented of the 73-year-old company. “Rose Polymer Composites is one of just a few companies in the industry dedicated to compression molding of large parts. The alliance fuses the strengths of both companies and allows us to proactively customize components from concept, prototyping and testing to tooling and production methods. If a customer can draw their idea on a napkin, we’ll show them the combined problem-solving power of WTM and Rose Polymer.”
Stroh notes that the alignment will mean an increase in capital equipment investments, permitting the molders to enhance cost reduction methods through the use of advanced materials, improved prototyping and faster processing. Also planned for the companies are expanded finishing capabilities and new services such as parts assembly. “Combining resources gives us the infrastructure we need to support growth and penetrate new markets,” he adds. “Our companies are synergistic in a lot of ways.”
While high voltage electrical applications are still a primary market for WTM, Stroh noted that there is demand for thermoset materials in new applications. “We see our capabilities as a viable alternative to molded metal and high-end engineering thermoplastics such as Ultem.”
WTM and Rose Polymer both specialize in BMC and SMC (sheet molded compound that is the strongest of the thermosets because, as Stroh explained, it’s pre-engineered with glass strands). “We’re making molded components that are very strong and very durable, and while we can’t compete in every application—we are a bit of a niche supplier—we can help eliminate the secondary operations costs that the cast metal process involves.”
Both WTM and Rose Polymer can benefit from the expertise that each company brings to the table such as an extended knowledge of engineering materials, the best way to design tools for particular applications, and general tricks of the trade in processing that Stroh said will expand each company’s know-how.
Stroh added that the primary markets WTM and Rose Polymer serves include industrial, oil and gas, and an emerging market is municipal construction. “The non-slip gripping surface at sidewalk corners to accommodate pedestrians and wheelchairs are ideal for a thermoset type product,” he noted. “One growing application is manhole covers as municipalities look for alternatives to steel and iron as a way to reduce theft of these valuable commodities. Thermosetting materials with high glass content are very heavy and strong, but if someone steals a manhole cover made from thermoset material it’s useless. The construction industry is looking for more robust materials to use in commercial construction to replace steel.”
WTM and Rose Polymer plan to eliminate the guesswork associated with inventory management as well. “Our goal is to create value through a customer centric approach,” Stroh said. “In addition to producing parts, that means taking on the administrative duties involved with supply requirements so that the manufacturers we work with can focus on what’s important—meeting their customers’ demands.”
WTM and Rose Polymer will maintain their separate locations with the goal to consolidate under one roof within the next three to five years. WTM will act as the central contact for customers for both locations.
Two Wisconsin thermoset molders have merged.
Wisconsin Thermoset Molding Inc. and Rose Polymer Composites LLC will continue to run their respective plants in Milwaukee, the firms announced Jan. 14, but they plan to consolidate under one roof in three to five years.
“(Wisconsin Thermoset) has traditionally been a low-volume, high mix molder for small to medium-sized parts,” explained Wisconsin Thermoset vice president Andy Stroh in a news release. “Rose Polymer Composites is one of just a few companies in the industry dedicated to compression molding large parts.”
Stroh said the combined businesses will be better able to customize components from concept and prototyping to production.
Wisconsin Thermoset’s processes include injection molding, compression molding and resin transfer/compression molding. It runs 24 presses with clamps pressures ranging from 70 to 600 tons.
Rose Polymer compression molds a range of thermosets, including bulk and sheet molding compounds, phenolics, epoxies, melamine and diallyl phthalate.
Stroh stated that the merged businesses will increase capital investment aimed at advanced materials, better prototyping, faster processing, more finishing capabilities and new services such as parts assembly.