Trexel and Mar-Lee Companies Form Alliance to Offer Turn-Key MuCell-Capable Injection Molding Systems.

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 1999--

Mar-Lee Technology Center to Showcase Advanced

Microcellular Foaming Technology on Engel Machinery

Trexel, Inc., and Mar-Lee Companies of Leominster, MA, have entered into a licensing agreement to provide end-to-end injection molding solutions utilizing Trexel's proprietary MuCell(R) microcellular foam process. Mar-Lee will soon open a state-of-the-art technology development center that will offer the MuCell foam processing technology running on the latest Engel injection molding equipment.

Under the agreement, Mar-Lee will license MuCell technology directly from Trexel, the worldwide leader in the development and commercialization of microcellular foam processing technologies for thermoplastic polymers. Mar-Lee, a full-service provider of injection molding systems will provide product manufacturers with complete development services and manufacturing capabilities including program management, mold design and construction, molding machines, robotics and automation equipment. Trexel will provide technical support to Mar-Lee to help customers maximize the benefits of the MuCell process.

According to David Bernstein, President and CEO of Trexel, "Companies interested in pursuing the unique processing opportunities that MuCell provides will benefit greatly from Mar-Lee's extensive engineering expertise. They can rely on Mar-Lee to optimize their molding systems for the MuCell process, and quickly realize the many material reduction and product and process improvement benefits that MuCell technology offers."

A Turn-Key Operation

Mar-Lee Companies has been providing engineering and development expertise to manufacturers in diverse industries such as medical instrumentation and consumer goods for over 25 years. The MuCell(R) microcellular foam technology integrated in an Engel molding machine complements Mar-Lee's strategy of offering customers the latest process technology and equipment while coordinating and managing all aspects of molding systems development, from concept to completion. Customers will be able to transfer the completed system to their own facility, or engage Mar-Lee to handle commercial production for them.

"We are very excited about the advanced technology options we will offer our customers through the Mar-Lee Development Center," stated John Gravelle, President of Mar-Lee Companies. "Our customers will be able to eliminate the headaches, risks and delays associated with developing molding systems in-house, and at the same time realize the efficiencies offered by a Trexel-Engel-Mar-Lee solution."

Mar-Lee consults with customers on product design early in the development process to address such issues as product moldability and manufacturability. Once the initial product design is approved, Mar-Lee begins development of mold concepts so product finalization and mold design occur concurrently. Next, the mold/build process gets underway in Mar-Lee's sophisticated mold building shop. If a system is involved, Mar-Lee handles all aspects of specifying and ordering the machine configuration. Finally, Mar-Lee coordinates secondary handling requirements, such as robotics for part insertion or removal. A key advantage of the Mar-Lee approach is that all aspects of the system -- the mold, automation, and secondary equipment are completed within the same timeframe. All the components of the system are assembled at the Mar-Lee Technology Center and then process development begins. Once optimization of the system is achieved, the entire system is shipped to the customer location.

Breakthrough MuCell(R) Technology

The MuCell(R) technology--which is suitable for a wide range of injection molded products-- provides molders with unique opportunities to reduce product costs while enhancing product design and processing. Using inexpensive, environmentally friendly supercritical fluids (SCFs) of atmospheric gases (CO2 and N2) as blowing agents, the MuCell microcellular foam process produces evenly distributed and uniformly sized microscopic cells (generally 5-50 microns in diameter). In addition to retaining desired mechanical properties, the MuCell process can eliminate sink marks while either reducing or eliminating hold time because of the uniform and controlled internal gas pressure inherent in this technology.

Parts molded with the MuCell microcellular foam process can be molded with skin-core cross sections. In addition, the MuCell process is suitable for thin walling. The features of this breakthrough technology permit product designers to specify lightweight, polymer-saving foam materials for products in which conventionally foamed materials would be unacceptable.

The MuCell microcellular foam process offers many attractive processing improvements, including sizable cost savings. The use of SCFs as blowing agents lowers the viscosity of the melt, which results in a substantial decrease in processing temperatures (as much as 78o on the centigrade scale, 140o on the Fahrenheit scale). In turn, because of the low melt viscosity, the fill pressure can be reduced up to 50% and the clamp tonnage can be reduced up to 40%. The low pressures associated with the MuCell process permit molders to increase the number of cavities without increasing clamp tonnage, which can significantly improve production efficiency. The MuCell process can result in faster cycle time due to the reduction of melt temperature, improved mold filling, and the reduction in or elimination of hold time.

Equipment Availability

The 26,000-sq. ft. Mar-Lee Development Center will be operational mid-July, with the MuCell-capable equipment, a 200-ton tiebarless Engel machine, arriving in mid-August. An Open House is planned for October.

For further information about Trexel, contact Dan Szczurko, Trexel Vice President of Business Development, at 781 932-0202 ext. 241 (fax [phone]) or [e-mail], or visit the company Web site at www.trexel.com. For information about the Mar-Lee Companies, contact Stan Bowker, Program Manager, at 978 343-9600 ext. 412 (fax [phone]) or [e-mail], or visit the company Web site at www.mar-leecompanies.com.