Sweden's KB Components buys Texas

Sweden's KB Components AB has gained production capabilities in the U.S. with its recent purchase of QFC Plastics Inc., an Arlington, Texas, injection molder of disposable medical devices.

QFC makes medical forceps and clamps of glass-filled nylon or ABS, polypropylene bowls and low density polyethylene lids for transporting specimens, LDPE storage containers, polyurethane sponges and PP trays.

It also makes stackable milk crates for various uses and does some automotive contract molding and assembly. QFC offers secondary services including rapid prototyping, insert tooling and display design.

The QFC buy marks KB's entrance into U.S. manufacturing. KB said in a news release it will integrate QFC with its existing North American injection molding operations, which include two plants in Canada and two in Mexico.

"The transaction is strategically important and gives KBC a further strengthened position in the North American market in a region where we have not so far been able to offer customers production and other services," the company said.

Florence, Mass.-based Molding Business Services Inc., dba MBS Advisors, represented QFC in the deal. Financial details were not disclosed.

QFC Plastics, founded in 1995, has annual sales of about $13 million, according to KB. The 172,000-square-foot Arlington plant has 30 injection molding machines with clamping forces of 28 tons to 2,200 tons. QFC also has silo storage capacity for 180,000 pounds of material.

KB estimates its North American operations will now have sales of about $130 million on a rolling 12-month basis.

The Örkelljunga, Sweden-based company also has operations in Europe and China. All told, KB expects its 10 production units worldwide to reach sales of $250 million for fiscal year 2023.

KB makes components for markets including light and heavy vehicles, medical technology, furniture and lighting.

In 2021, KB bought the assets of Lakeside Plastics Ltd., a Windsor, Ontario-based injection molder. That deal added some Tier 1 suppliers to Toyota.

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