Mold makers leverage technology, work to diversify offerings

Robots, automation offer strategies to improve productivity.

July 31, 2025

Tight competition, trade worries and the possibility of capturing work from overseas have mold makers looking for new opportunities and leveraging technologies to cope with tiny margins and a dwindling workforce.

See what some shops are doing and read these related stories for more information:

Velocity Group employees work to assemble a component used for industrial power sources. Despite being in a rural area. the Byesville, Ohio, company has surmounted labor challenges by building a positive impression in the community as a good employer.

Molds & Tooling

Volatility roils tool making industry

July 29, 2025

Mold repair and service make up a big part of Decatur Mold's business. Rhonda Lustenberger, majority owner and president of the North Vernon, Ind., mold making plant, says, 'repair work takes a different skill set that I think a lot of people don't have,' compared with building new molds, which 'can be more scientific.'

Molds & Tooling

Precision, expertise give mold makers an edge

July 15, 2025

Multimedia

Technology helps U.S. mold makers compete: PMM Insight

PMM Insight

July 24, 2025

Open about 18 months, Decatur Mold's new Tech Center allows it to separate projects involving new molds from projects involving mold repair. It's designed for automation and some lights-out manufacturing.

Molds & Tooling

Robots put unattended operations within reach for mold makers

July 22, 2025

About the Author

Karen Hanna

Senior Staff Reporter

Former Senior Staff Reporter Karen Hanna covered injection molding, molds and tooling, processors, workforce and other topics, and features including In Other Words and Problem Solved for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding.

Mold makers leverage technology, work to diversify offerings

Volatility roils tool making industry

Precision, expertise give mold makers an edge

Technology helps U.S. mold makers compete: PMM Insight

Robots put unattended operations within reach for mold makers

About the Author

Karen Hanna

Senior Staff Reporter

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