Kaysun Blog

In a perfect world, supply chain management is cost effective and seamless. Materials, inventories, services, production, and distribution flow as anticipated with minimal difficulty.

It’s been a far from perfect world since 2020.

Global supply chain disruptions have altered the course of business in all industries. Plastics is certainly no exception. The resin shortage continues to dictate aspects of injection molding supply and demand. Manufacturers are left to deal with the aftermath of force majeure, raw materials unavailability, prolonged lead times, and escalating costs.

For decades, U.S. manufacturers leveraged the benefits of globalization. The lower costs, lower wages, and competitive final product price points of the global supply chain were powerful incentives for using overseas suppliers.¹

But 2020 changed everything.

Pandemic-related import shortages, fuel and freight cost spikes, and extended delivery-time delays made the once-attractive total cost of offshoring much less appealing to OEMs. The low bottom-line price of an overseas supplier no longer outweighed the benefits of partnering with U.S.-based suppliers. Manufacturers migrated production — and a projected 350,000 jobs in 2022 alone — back to the United States.²

Kaysun's commitment to excellence is well documented through its certifications, including ISO 13485:2016, IATF 16949:2016, ITAR, and MedAccred Plastics accreditation.

Environmental protection and the legislation surrounding it have heightened people’s sense of social responsibility when it comes to their impact on the planet. Industries, too, have embraced eco-centric initiatives that not only reduce industrial carbon footprints, but also have manufacturers rethinking the products they introduce into their markets.

Increasingly popular with manufacturers of consumer products, medical devices, and portable devices, overmolding improves functionality, performance, and aesthetics.

But, what is overmolding? And, more importantly, how can it affect how products are designed and profits achieved?

Requesting injection molding quotes is a standard practice for manufacturers looking to manage the costs associated with a program. Comparing injection molding price estimates may generally answer, “How much does injection molding cost?” It may even lead an OEM to select a molder based upon the bottom line.

However, price point doesn’t necessarily denote value.

When it comes to custom plastic injection molding, there is no clear industry consensus as to the definition of “custom.” As a result, some injection molders, who claim to offer custom services, are actually incapable of engineering or producing parts with precise specifications and tight tolerances.

Manufacturers that unknowingly contract with these “custom” molders are often left holding the bag. It’s an unenviable position, and one you can avoid by understanding what factors differentiate a true custom plastic injection molding partner from less qualified choices.

With steady, predictable 3.9% growth projected for the next decade, there is some talk that the global plastics market is stabilizing after a long period of turbulence.¹ The conclusion is logical, based on the numbers — but is it really signaling positive change for those relying on plastics?

The impact of several ongoing plastics industry trends may influence the current and/or future status of the market. As we reach the mid-point of 2022, it’s prudent to perform a reality check for manufacturers and suppliers.

Consumer goods manufacturing is increasingly dependent on automation. Robotics currently complete 52% of production line tasks within the consumer goods and pharma industries.¹ The percentage is second only to the combined 70% used across the automotive (38%), electronics (15%), plastics and chemicals (10%) and metals (7%) industries.²