Many products we use each day have plastic parts. Some are small, while others are large and strong. Plastic can be found in hospital machines, store equipment, and office tools. But who makes these parts? One company with a long history in this field is Sajar Plastics Inc. This American company started in 1949 in Middlefield, Ohio.
It began with just three plastic molding machines. Over time, the business grew and learned new ways to make plastic products. It became known for making large plastic parts with special shapes. It also helped develop a new method called gas-assisted injection molding. In 2017, the company joined Universal Plastics Group. Today, its story helps us understand how a small factory can grow through new ideas, skilled workers, and better machines.
What Is Sajar Plastics Inc?
Sajar Plastics Inc is a company name linked to a plastic-making business in Middlefield, Ohio. The company makes plastic parts for other businesses. These parts are made to fit the needs of each customer. For example, a medical machine may need a large plastic cover. A store machine may need a strong plastic frame.
Sajar has the tools to make parts like these. It does not mainly make small plastic toys or simple home items. Its main work is making large parts for machines and other products. The company uses heat, pressure, and metal molds to shape plastic. This type of work is called plastic molding. It is an important part of modern factory work.
The Early History of Sajar Plastics Inc
The story of Sajar Plastics Inc began in 1949. The company opened in Middlefield, Ohio, with three machines. These machines made plastic parts by using heat and pressure. During those years, more businesses were starting to use plastic. It was useful because it could be shaped in many ways.
It could also be lighter than metal. Sajar began making parts for customers who needed special shapes. As more orders came in, the company worked to improve its tools and methods. It slowly built a name in the plastic industry. The early years were important because they helped the workers learn how to make better products. This knowledge later helped the company take on larger jobs.
How the Company Got Its Name
The name Sajar came from the last names of the company’s three founders. This detail is shared in an older Sajar Plastics company brochure. The name helped give the business its own identity. As the company grew, more people in the plastic industry came to know the Sajar name.
A good business name can help customers remember a company, but the quality of its work matters even more. Sajar built its place in the industry by making parts for other businesses. It also kept learning new methods as plastic machines became more advanced. Over the years, the name became linked with large plastic parts and gas-assisted molding.
How Sajar Plastics Inc Grew Over Time
Sajar Plastics Inc did not become a large factory in one year. Its growth took many years. The company started with three machines in 1949. As time passed, it needed more room and better tools. Its factory grew to about 150,000 square feet. The current Universal Plastics website lists 17 molding machines at the Middlefield site.
These machines range from 85 to 1,500 tons of clamping force. This force keeps a mold closed while hot plastic is pushed inside. It does not mean that each machine weighs that many tons. Large machines help the factory make bigger plastic parts. The site can handle some parts as large as 70 by 80 inches. These facts show how much the factory changed from its small beginning.
How Plastic Injection Molding Works
Plastic injection molding may sound hard, but the basic idea is simple. First, small plastic pieces go into a machine. These pieces are called pellets. The machine heats them until they melt. Next, the hot plastic is pushed into a metal mold. A mold is like a strong box with a special shape inside. The hot plastic fills that shape.
After cooling, the plastic becomes hard. The mold opens, and the new part comes out. Workers can use the same mold again to make more matching parts. Sajar Plastics Inc uses this method to make products for different businesses. It helps the company make parts with the size and shape that each customer needs.
A Big Change in the 1980s
The early 1980s brought an important change to Sajar Plastics Inc. The company was one of three early businesses that helped develop gas-assisted injection molding. This new method gave plastic makers another way to form large parts. Before this, some thick plastic parts were harder to make. They could be heavy or have small dents on their outer surfaces.
Gas-assisted molding helped solve some of these problems. It allowed gas to make hollow spaces inside parts. This could save plastic while helping the outside keep its shape. The method was useful for large covers, doors, handles, and frames. Sajar became known for its work with this process. The company says it has helped bring more than 500 gas-assisted part designs into regular business use.
What Is Gas-Assisted Injection Molding?
Gas-assisted injection molding uses hot plastic and gas to make a part. First, the machine puts melted plastic into a mold. Then, it sends gas into selected areas of the plastic. The gas pushes the plastic against the mold walls. It can also leave hollow spaces inside thick parts. This means some products can be made with less plastic.
The finished parts may also have smoother outer surfaces. For example, a large handle can have a hollow space inside while still keeping the shape needed for its job. This method does not work for every plastic product. The right method depends on the size and design of the part. Sajar has spent many years using this process for large and complex products.
What Is Structural Foam Molding?
Sajar Plastics Inc also uses a process called structural foam molding. This method makes plastic parts with a solid outside and a lighter inside. It works by forming tiny bubbles inside the plastic. These bubbles can help lower the weight of a large part. The outside remains firm, which helps the part keep its shape.
Structural foam molding is useful for certain large panels, covers, and machine parts. Some parts made this way may need paint or other work to improve how they look. Each molding process has its own benefits. That is why a factory may use more than one method. Sajar can choose between standard molding, gas-assisted molding, and structural foam molding for different customer jobs.
What Products Does Sajar Plastics Inc Make?
Sajar Plastics Inc makes custom parts that other companies use in their products. These parts can include large covers, doors, handles, frames, and cabinets. Some are made for medical machines. Others are used in lab tools, office equipment, or retail systems. For example, a large testing machine may need a plastic cover around its working parts.
A store may need a shaped plastic panel for a self-service machine. These are examples of the kinds of products Sajar’s molding methods can support. The company does not make every kind of plastic product. It focuses on parts that need careful shapes, smooth surfaces, and the right fit. Making these parts takes skill because they often need to work with other pieces inside a machine.
How the Factory Serves Different Industries
Sajar Plastics Inc works with customers from several kinds of businesses. One main field is medical equipment. These companies may need plastic cases and covers for machines used in health care. Another field is laboratory equipment. Labs use machines to test and study many things. These machines often need strong plastic parts.
Sajar also serves retail businesses. Stores may use plastic parts in payment machines, display systems, and self-service stations. The factory serves other makers of business and industrial equipment as well. Each customer may need something different. A medical cover might need a smooth surface that is easy to clean. A large machine panel may need a special shape to fit around other parts.
How a Customer’s Plastic Part Is Made
Making a custom plastic part starts with a plan. The customer must know what the part should do. They may send a drawing, a sample, or a computer design. The plastic maker then studies the shape and size. It must choose a material and a molding method that fit the job. Next, a mold is made for the part.
A sample may be produced and checked. If the sample does not fit, changes may be needed. Once the design is ready, the factory can make more parts. This is the usual path for a custom molding project. Sajar’s listed services include support for making, painting, and putting parts together. These services can help customers get more work done at one factory.
Why Good Quality Is Important
Quality matters when a plastic part must fit another product. Even a small mistake can cause trouble. A cover that is too wide may not fit a machine. A part that bends too much may not work well. This is why plastic factories need to check their work. They must watch the heat, pressure, and cooling time during molding.
They also need to check the size and look of finished parts. Universal Plastics Group lists Sajar as ISO 9001 registered. ISO 9001 is a set of rules for managing quality at work. It helps businesses follow clear steps and improve their work. Good quality can help reduce waste and keep customers happy. For Sajar, careful molding is important because many of its parts are large and need a neat finish.
How Sajar Plastics Inc Changed Owners
A business can grow on its own or become part of another company. Sajar Plastics Inc went through changes in ownership. In 2008, it came under the ownership of Main Street Capital Holdings. This was a business group based in Pittsburgh. The company kept making plastic parts during this time.
Later, another change took place. In 2017, Universal Plastics bought Sajar. The sale was announced in July of that year. Universal Plastics wanted to add Sajar’s molding skills to its own services. This was an important step in the company’s history. It gave Sajar a place in a larger group that could offer customers several ways to make plastic parts.
Why Universal Plastics Bought Sajar in 2017
Universal Plastics was already making large plastic products before it bought Sajar. It was known for a method called thermoforming. In this process, a plastic sheet is heated and shaped over a mold. This is different from injection molding. Some customers may use thermoforming when they first start making a product. Later, they may need more parts and choose injection molding instead.
Universal Plastics wanted to help customers at both stages. By buying Sajar, it gained more knowledge of gas-assisted molding and large plastic parts. The two businesses could offer more choices under one group. Reports from the time said Sajar would keep its Middlefield factory, workers, and work methods. This helped the company continue its work while becoming part of a bigger business.
The Role of Workers at Sajar Plastics
Machines are important in a plastic factory, but people are just as important. Workers prepare molds, run machines, and check finished parts. Some workers help fix tools when they stop working. Others paint parts or put different pieces together. Each job helps the factory make useful products. Workers also need to learn new skills when machines and methods change.
Sajar has spoken about the value of worker training in its company history. A trained worker can find a problem before it causes more waste. Good teamwork can also help a factory finish jobs on time. This is one reason people remain important in manufacturing, even when many machines are used. The story of Sajar is also a story of people learning new skills over many years.
Why Sajar Plastics Matters to Middlefield, Ohio
Middlefield, Ohio, has been home to Sajar Plastics Inc since 1949. This makes the company part of the town’s long business history. Factories can help towns by providing jobs and buying goods or services from other businesses. A plastic factory needs many types of workers. It may need machine operators, office staff, tool makers, and people who check finished products.
These jobs can help families and the local area. Sajar’s old company history shows pride in its workers and its community. The business has also served customers far beyond Ohio. This is an example of how a factory in a small town can make products that are used in many places. Its history is closely tied to the town where it began.
Problems That Plastic Factories Must Solve
Making plastic parts comes with many challenges. The price of plastic can change. Machines can break down or need repairs. Some products have shapes that are hard to make. Customers may also want lower costs and faster delivery. A factory must use its materials carefully to avoid waste. This matters because wasted plastic costs money and uses more resources.
Better molds and careful machine settings can help reduce mistakes. Gas-assisted molding can save plastic in some thick parts by making hollow spaces inside them. These methods do not solve every problem, but they give workers useful choices. Sajar Plastics Inc has built experience with several molding methods. This helps it work on different kinds of products as customer needs change.
Sajar Plastics Inc and Modern Manufacturing
Today, Universal Plastics Group continues to list Sajar Plastics as part of its business. The Middlefield site is also listed on the Universal Plastics website. Its published services include standard injection molding, gas-assisted molding, structural foam molding, painting, and assembly. The factory’s work is focused on large parts that need careful design and a good outer finish.
This kind of manufacturing remains useful because many machines still need custom plastic covers, frames, and other pieces. However, recent public information does not clearly show Sajar’s exact number of workers or yearly sales for 2026. Those numbers should not be guessed. What is clear is that the company has a long history of making plastic parts and has kept its place in the Universal Plastics business group.
What Can We Learn From the Growth of Sajar Plastics?
The history of Sajar Plastics Inc teaches us that business growth takes time. The company started with three machines and a small operation. It later grew into a large factory with special molding skills. One key reason for its growth was learning new ways to make products. Its work with gas-assisted molding helped it make parts that were harder to produce with older methods.
The company also kept serving different industries instead of depending on only one type of customer. Its move into Universal Plastics Group gave it a place in a wider business network. This story shows why new ideas, skilled workers, and good products matter. A factory does not have to begin large to build a name that lasts for many years.
Final Thoughts
Sajar Plastics Inc has a long and interesting history. It started in 1949 with only three molding machines. Over the years, it grew into a large factory that makes special plastic parts. The company helped develop gas-assisted injection molding and learned how to make larger, more complex products. It also built strong ties with Middlefield, Ohio.
In 2017, it joined Universal Plastics Group, giving its manufacturing skills a place in a larger business. Today, its history shows how learning new methods and making useful products can help a company grow. From its small beginning to its work with large plastic parts, Sajar Plastics is an example of long-term growth in American manufacturing.
