The addition will increase the number of machines in the company’s Wuhan location to three by the end of the second quarter of 2009. China Array has a 28-year history in China and is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

The company also molds parts for the aerospace, electronics and food-service and dairy industries.

“China Array’s strategy is to have a state-of-the-art molding facility in China dedicated to molding high-performance thermoplastics, combined with a strong engineering presence in the U.S.,” said Russell Johnson, president and founder.

The new cell will feature a Welltec 50T H2 precision molding injection machine and a Wittmann high-temperature oil mold heater that is capable of reaching 250 degrees Celsius. “China Array is molding more medical and dental devices, which require high-precision, high-pressure machines,” Johnson said. “By adding a new molding cell with a high-pressure molding machine, oil mold temperature controller and desiccant dryer, the company improves its capability in this niche.”

Expanding the company’s capabilities in molding medical and dental components fits well with China Array’s overall strategy, Johnson said. The components have to meet sterilization, dimensional integrity, chemical resistance and other requirements.

“The company can provide its customers strong upfront engineering for material selection, design, manufacturability review,” Johnson said, “and then can mold the components to the highest world standards in China.”