Our Focus
Many large companies are focused on shareholders and shareholders only. They come before the employees and even the customers. At API, we commit to an “employee first” philosophy. The logic is simple…… An unhappy employee creates an unhappy customer, and unhappy customer creates an unhappy shareholder. Never underestimate the importance of your employees. They are the key to happy customers AND shareholders.
How do I know which plastics manufacturing process to use to turn my idea into a product?
We are often asked, “how do I know which plastics manufacturing process to use to turn my idea into a product?”
There can be multiple options but usually only one is best.
API offers two plastics manufacturing processes: rotational molding and injection molding.
What’s the difference?
Rotational molding tends to have these characteristics:
- Bigger parts
- Hollow parts
- Lower volume runs
- Longer cycle times
- Cheaper mold costs
- Higher part prices
- Limited material selection
Injection molding characteristics include:
- Smaller parts
- Solid parts
- High volume runs
- Short cycle times
- Higher mold costs
- Cheaper part prices
- Diverse material selection
Tired of being fed a “bill of goods?”. Feel like you are being directed to a process that may or may not be the best solution?
"API prides itself on being a solutions provider. We will visit with you about your idea and offer the right solution whether it means we get the work or not. This provides our customers with the confidence of knowing it’s not about the sale, it’s about what’s best for you."
Jeremy Williams
API - Solutions in Plastics
API Buys School Supplies for Employees
API is an employee first company where our employees are treated like family. In this spirit, employees who submitted their child’s school supply lists got to skip the lines this year as API purchased their supplies! A huge thank you to our office staff for their shopping skills! Ready to join our family?
TSCRA – Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association Trade Show
On July 23-25, API had the privilege to attend the annual Texas Cattle Raisers Convention in Fort Worth, TX. This was the first agricultural trade show attended since the pandemic. We were excited to visit with current customers and vendors. Convention visitors provided an opportunity to discuss new business. Our booth displayed a 300 gallon molasses lickfeeder, a 150 gallon lickfeeder, and a mineral feeder. Inquiries into how the products were made allowed us to share the rotational molding process used to manufacture the feeders. Additionally, many of the components are injection molded leading to a discussion on that process.
API, a proud member of TSCRA , participated in the annual action benefiting the Special Ranger law enforcement through the donation of 300 gallon lickfeeder which sold considerably higher than list price. We look forward to an even better show next year as the country continues to reopen.
Gold River Dealer Meeting — Shelbyville, TN
On July 26, the API Ag sales team traveled to Shelbyville, TN to attend a company dealer meeting for one of our customers. Gold River, a partner of Westway Feeds, distributes liquid supplements for cattle. The meeting provides a wealth of information about feed and distribution. The opportunity to get an inside look at the day-to-day challenges of the agriculture community gives us with a better understanding of the products we make and how they used. This benefits the manufacturer, distributor, and the end user. API has a commitment to quality, value, and service. Getting to share these principles gives the customer confidence in knowing they have the right provider to grow their business. We were glad to be one of the speakers at the event. The presenters shared information on the industry today and where they see it going in the future. API donated a 300 gallon lickfeeder for a drawing with one lucky dealer winning the prize. API thanks those who hosted, presented, and attended the meeting. We look forward to another opportunity to participate with such a good group from the industry.
Welcome to the world of plastics, an industry that makes us who we are today.
This is something you might not notice without experience in the industry, but after a little bit of time it is something that you simply cannot ignore. Upon starting my internship here at API plastics, I had little to no knowledge about the plastic industry, let alone the manufacturing sector. My first day walking around in the office and taking a tour of the plant side, I was feeling a sense of being overwhelmed. The terminology and basic understanding of how these machines operate, was a foreign language to me. There was an abundance of activity going on in both sides of the business. I questioned how I can fit into this environment and be a productive member to the API team. First thing first, I knew I had to ask the right questions to the right personnel. I was tasked with trying to bring in new business to the injection molding side of the plant. So, for that first week, I bombarded the two head injection molders at API. Questions that I asked were, “What does this machine do?” “What resin is this?” “Why does this have to be shot in this machine?” You can imagine how many questions I came up with, being a completely uneducated intern. As this continued for the next few weeks, I tried to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly could before I started trying to bring in business. Then, the week of the Design-2-Part trade show came. Two colleagues and I set our booth up, and the show was on. Having this experience at this tradeshow really broadened my perspective and helped me understand the process of what customers are looking for when it comes to designing, engineering, and producing their product.
Over time, with the help of the members of the office and plant side and going through the trials of talking to potential clients, I have become well versed in the world of plastics manufacturing. Over the past six weeks, I went from an ignorant college intern to a well-versed salesman working on bringing in multiple projects. This would not have been possible without the outstanding team API has.
Design-2-Part Trade Show 2021
For over 40 years, Design-2-Part Trade Shows have provided American job shops and contract manufacturers the opportunity to meet in-person with OEM engineers and buyers who need their services and expertise.
On June 9th & 10th the Design-2-Part trade show took place at the Gaylord Texan. This trade show was an exhibit for manufacturers and engineers to come together to help bring ideas to real life.
At this convention, there were several manufacturers who work in various industries. For example, there were multiple machining manufacturers, injection molding manufacturers, robotics manufacturers, assemblies, castings, laser cutters, prototypes, tooling, and welding manufacturers. The Design-2-Part Trade Show was the ideal marketing opportunity for contract manufacturers and job shops in the metal, plastics, rubber, electronics, and finishing industries.
API represented part of the manufacturers who are involved in Injection Molding, as well as Rotational Molding. Throughout the course of this tradeshow there were multiple stops at the API booth. These stops were due to the fact that we can manufacturer parts for engineers that needed a plastic part injection molded for their company that would be under eleven pounds. There were also multiple stops, because there was not a great deal of recognition on what rotational molding is. Being one of the two manufacturers there that did rotational molding, we at API explained this process to several engineers. We are proud of our work that API has done in the past with Rotational Molding, as well as venturing in our newest endeavor in Injection Molding. This process of rotational molding can be explained by paying us a visit at Advanced Pedestals Ltd. Soon, this process of rotational molding and injection molding will also be displayed on our website.