Co-Mack and The Angeles Group Invent Contemporary Children's Chair with Revolutionary Co-Injection Molding Process.

VISTA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 3, 1998--

Companies Design and Manufacture Plastic Chair for Schools and Day Care Centers Drastically Reducing Labor and Shipping Costs

Co-Mack Technology Inc., a premier full-service injection molding solutions provider, and The Angeles Group, manufacturer and distributor of furniture and products for children, partnered to re-design and manufacture a contemporary children's chair for pre-schools, elementary schools and day care centers.

Through careful design engineering and utilizing a revolutionary co-injection molding process, Co-Mack created a chair for Angeles Group's full line of Baseline(R) furniture that drastically reduces production costs associated with assembly and shipping.

Recognizing the potential profit margin for creating a product from 100% injection molding and minimizing production steps, Co-Mack re-designed the chair using a revolutionary co-injection molding process to increase the durability of the seat; conventional injection molding for the legs to withstand the weight of a small child; and eliminated all metal parts by presenting the concept of "male and female" components that slide together for easy assembly by the end-user allowing the parts to nestle together prior to assembly to maximize shipment space.

"We stumbled across Co-Mack through an established business relationship who recommended its innovative services," said Ray Kelly, chairman of The Angeles Group. "To our amazement, Co-Mack was the only local company who could really adapt our current design to a process that could be injection molded. The new design created a durable look-a-like version to our original chair but met our goal of creating a superior quality product while reducing production and assembly costs."

According to Joe McRoskey, chief executive officer of Co-Mack Technology, co-injection molding, also referred to as sandwich molding, involves simultaneous injection of two materials from two separate injection units through a specially designed nozzle into the mold, creating a skin and core in the molded part. "This process often allows for a less expensive or recycled material to be utilized for the inner core, reducing material costs while providing the durabiline platens takes place, as in some other two component processes. There is only one mold, and a single runner system, just like single component processes. Both material components are shot through a common nozzle assembly. In short, injection sequence is: skin, followed by skin and core concurrently, followed by core. Accurate sensors, sensitive electronics, and fast response valves permit excellent process repeatability. Proper shutoff and valving of the materials prevent cross contamination. Laminar polymer flow and cavity cooling promote well-defined and predictable boundary layers of the materials.

Since Co-Mack designed and manufactured the new contemporary chair at a significant cost point, The Angeles Group has been selling over 5,000 units per month and reduced its assembly staff by 50 percent allowing employees to focus efforts on additional product lines. Schools and day care centers around the world are buying these trustworthy chairs for children 2-10 years of age.

Manufacturing Materials Used

The seat of the chair is comprised from a PP skin over a PP structural foam core originating from Polymerland's AVP line. The legs of the chair are a generic ABS.

About The Angeles Group

Located in Pacific, Mo., The Angeles Group manufactures and distributes a full-line of furniture products that are toddler and child friendly for day care, pre-school and elementary environments, including its line of durable, rough-and-tumble tricycles. It is The Angeles Group's quest to develop innovative products that meet the needs of teachers and child care providers that are safe, lightweight, easy to clean and attractive. The Angeles Group's full product line includes Baseline(R) Furniture, Light Tables, Angels Rest(R) cots and accessories, "Bye-Bye" Buggies(R) Infant Seat, Playhouse Prop(TM), Angeles(R) Trike Garage, and Angeles(R) SilverRider(TM) Tricycles. For more information on The Angeles Group's innovative line of toddler and child products, please call 314/257-0533.

About Co-Mack Technology Inc.

Located in Vista, Calif., Co-Mack Technology Inc. is the award-winning service provider for co-injection processing in the United States. As an ISO 9001 registered expert in plastics engineering and manufacturing, Co-Mack affords clients with an individual program-based approach -- from concept and design to engineering and implementation. Co-Mack's education and training programs provide full-service insight and training into the co-injection process, giving their clients a leading edge in today's competitive business market.

Co-Mack has been offering its customers superlative solutions to their injection molding needs for nearly a decade and has built strategic partnerships with companies like IBM, SONY, Invacare, Rockwell International, and numerous entrepreneurs. Co-Mack's management and cohesive team of qualified individuals possess 57 years of experience in the plastics industry and 76 years experience in manufacturing management and quality assurance.

Co-Mack's Technical Support is one of the company's strongest attributes, whether working through process improvement in an existing application or through concurrent engineering in the development of the client's new parts. For more information on Co-Mack's design engineering and manufacturing services, please call 800/211-0510 or 760/599-5100 or visit http://www.comack.com.

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