Meyer Plastics, Inc. decided it was finally time to replace a 30-year-old thermoforming machine running at its Indianapolis, Ind. location.  With the retirement of a 40-year Meyer thermoforming processing expert fast approaching, the need for a machine technologically advanced in programmability, set-up and controllability became more urgent.

      Two main concerns were increased cycle and set-up/changeover times.  Meyer Plastics would run five to seven jobs across one machine in one week, with each job requiring different set-up specifications.  The ability to recall those specifications at the push of a button was what Meyer wanted and that was what Brown Machine (Beaverton, Mic.) provided. Its solution was met with a 4’ x 6’ Brown (R-223E-46) Rotary Cut Sheet Thermoformer.

      Meyer Plastics, Inc. officially began in 1950 as Meyer Materials, Inc., when Charles F. Meyer, Jr. began to sell crushed limestone throughout Indiana.  Soon Meyer’s two sons joined what was to become the family business and the focus on thermoforming, fabricating and distribution of plastics began in 1970.  The company went through major expansion in the 1990s to Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Evansville, Goshen and Dayton, Ohio.

      Meyer Plastics provides manufacturing solutions such as engineering, tooling, custom fabricating and thermoforming; plastic solutions, adhesives, prototyping and signs and graphics to a variety of customers.  Ralph Meyer, president of Meyer Plastics said characterizing the parts is impossible.  “The only rhyme or reason as to what we make out there is that it starts as a plastic sheet and it can be made on a CNC router or vacuum forming machine.”

      Meyer serves a wide range of industries from automotive to boating to sporting goods. The company is 50 percent plastic materials distribution (sheet, resin, silicone, compounds, etc.) and 50 percent contract fabrication, according to Meyer.  Half of the fabrication work uses...

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