T.O.Plastics | Top Packaging and Sterilization Solution Company 2019

MedTech Outlook Magazine

T.O.Plastics
Empowering Organizations with State-of-the-Art Thermoforming Solutions

Mike Vallafskey, President, T.O.PlasticsMike Vallafskey, President
Ted Ingersoll and Oren Beech founded T.O. Plastics (T.O. representing initials of their names) back in 1948 and thermoformed the parts in the garage and basement of Beech’s southwest Minneapolis home. The production since then has never stopped; it is taking place in an improved facility now, serving diverse verticals. In 70 years of operation, the company saw two acquisitions, one in 1993, and the recent one in 2001 where the Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) of Fargo, North Dakota acquired T.O. Plastics. In the years since the last acquisition, the company has charted unprecedented growth in every measure: parts, people, facilities, and sales. Today, the company has expertise in product design and development, offering complete in-house design, engineering, prototyping, 3D printing, and tooling services, enabling customers to meet time-to-market deadlines. Besides, T.O. Plastics caters to a wide variety of markets such as medical, electronics, horticulture and more. They are capable of handling a range of thermoforming solutions be it sophisticated medical device packaging, panels or housings for electronics and industrial products, or horticulture pots and trays. In 2009, to meet the continued customer demand and to foster growth, a portion of T.O. Plastics’ Clearwater operation (ISO 9001:2015 certified) was relocated to Otsego. The facility is spread across an area of 57,500 sq. ft., it is ISO 13485:2016, and ISO 9001:2015 certified, and has certified Class 8 clean rooms. The facility is dedicated to T.O. Plastic’s medical device packaging and component operations.

T.O.Plastics offers their thermoforming solutions for medical devices packaging, laboratory packaging (vivarium & single-use laboratory trays), and medical enclosures. For custom thermoformed medical enclosures, they provide rugged and durable solutions made of thick-gauge textured plastic to hide scuffmarks and resist denting.

We listen and understand the pain-points that the client is facing and then being proactive we address to those needs


Their laboratory packaging solutions include high-speed in-line and cut sheet capabilities, thin- and heavy-gauge thermoforming, and precision finishing. T.O.Plastics also offers critical customer-specified secondary operations for lab tray and vivarium applications like five-axis trimming/routing, steel rule and heated forged die, line bending, and assembly operations. So, whether medical devices and products need blister packaging, clamshell packaging, packaging trays, plastic enclosures, or panels, T.O. Plastics designs medical packaging solutions that meet the unique requirement of the customers. “Moreover, we believe that listening is a critical factor in building the right solution for our customers. We are an extension of the customer’s team and leverage our customer centered design process which focuses on listening and understanding the pain-points to proactively provide best-in-class solutions,” says Mike Vallafskey, President, T.O.Plastics.

In an instance, T.O. Plastics worked along with a customer, a large publicly traded global medical device company, looking for custom thermoforming solutions. The company brought a challenging design concept for its medical equipment packaging — however, T.O. Plastics being expert in the field, not only were able to build as per the client’s needs but provided with an even better product after making some design tweaks. The prototype provided by T.O. Plastics proved to be much better in the surgical setting. As a result, the client was delighted with the improvised design and awarded the job to them.

Moving forward, T.O. Plastics is keen on upgrading their capabilities even further; they are improving their facilities with new state of the art thermoforming machines that are technically advanced. “We are adding 30,000 sq. ft. of additional space by the end of 2020 at one of our facilities,” states Vallafskey. Besides, T.O Plastics is introducing vertical integration to support the medical device packaging and extrusion capabilities.

Top 10 Packaging and Sterilization Solution Companies - 2019

Company
T.O.Plastics

Management
Mike Vallafskey, President

Description
T.O. Plastics offers their thermoforming solutions for medical devices packaging, laboratory packaging (vivarium & single-use laboratory trays), and medical enclosures. For custom thermoformed medical enclosures, they provide rugged and durable solutions made of thick-gauge textured plastic to hide scuffmarks and resist denting. Their laboratory packaging solutions include high-speed in-line and cut sheet capabilities, thin- and heavy-gauge thermoforming, and precision finishing. Additionally, T.O.Plastics also offers critical customer-specified secondary operations for lab tray and vivarium applications like five-axis trimming/routing, steel rule and heated forged die, line bending, and assembly operations

T.O.Plastics News

T.O. Plastics Celebrates 75 Years of Growth, Innovation, and Sustainability

Leading plastic thermoforming manufacturer in North America continues to grow and serve horticulture, life sciences, and industrial markets.
CLEARWATER, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,: T.O. Plastics, Inc., a leading thermoforming manufacturer, is proud to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 1948, T.O. Plastics has been committed to delivering the highest quality thermoformed trays and design services in the horticulture, life sciences, and industrial markets.

Over the past seven and a half decades, T.O. Plastics has grown to become a respected industry leader, known for its innovative products, exceptional customer service, and commitment to excellence. Today, the company is ranked among the top 100 thermoformers in North America and serves customers globally, and has earned a reputation for delivering reliable, high-quality products and services.

T.O. Plastics is focused on environmental responsibility through using recycled materials and manufacturing with minimal waste. By reclaiming millions of pounds of plastic each year, the company reduces the amount of waste in landfills and conserves natural resources. Meanwhile, operating with nearly zero waste means T.O. Plastics is minimizing its environmental impact by finding ways to reuse or repurpose all materials used in the manufacturing process. This commitment to sustainability is a key objective of designing packaging to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, T.O. Plastics is recognizing their employees, customers, and communities it serves. These initiatives include a limited-edition logo, employee and customer appreciation events, and community giveback and involvement.

"We are incredibly proud to be celebrating our 75th anniversary," said Paul Meschke, President of T.O. Plastics. "Over the years, we have worked hard to build a company that is known for its commitment to excellence, and for delivering innovative products that exceed our customers' expectations. Our team is excited to celebrate this milestone with our employees, customers, partners, and communities. We look forward to continuing to grow for many more years to come."

As T.O. Plastics looks to the future, it remains committed to its core values of Safety First, Environmental Responsibility, Quality, and GRIT (Great People, Results, Integrity, and Tenacity). Under the ownership and financial stability of Otter Tail Corporation, the company is well-positioned to continue to lead the thermoforming industry for many years to come.