WALLINGFORD — One morning in the early days of the pandemic, Rowland Technologies workers raced to Tweed New Haven Airport to deliver the plastic needed to make face shields for the late shift in a Baltimore hospital. Many similar orders followed. Rowland Technologies supplied the materials for millions of face shields for health care workers and others as the coronavirus spread across the globe.  Locally, the plastic resin manufacturer at 320 Barnes Road donated 500 pounds of plastic to a Cheshire High School student who was making face shields on a 3-D printer.  But making the plastic for face shields isn’t the only thing keeping Rowland Technologies busy. Entry into new U.S. and global markets has doubled its operation in the last five years.  “We’ve grown significantly,” said Stephen J. DiMugno, president and managing director. “We started off with nine employees now we’re at 120 and adding more.”  After adding a 40,000-square foot expansion, Rowland Technologies was acquired in 2017 by the ORAFOL group, a former customer and plastics finisher with global markets. The deal introduced Rowland Technologies to more international customers.  “Our layers play an increasing role in (ORAFOL’s) ability to build their product,” said Michael Iovene, Rowland’s vice president of product technology. “They are a very big player in reflective signs.” The deal with ORAFOL enabled Rowland to begin a 35,000 square foot addition that will increase office space, add a research and development lab, make room for larger cafeteria, expand manufacturing capacity and add a courtyard. Once completed, the company will have more than 130,000 square feet. Rowland Technologies is an around-the-clock operation that takes raw plastic pellets and transforms them into plastic or polymer films and sheets to suit customer needs. The ORAFOL Group, headquartered in Oranienburg, Germany, develops and products for industry and trade worldwide. ORAFOL specializes in products for the graphic industry, retroreflective films and materials, industrial adhesive tapes, structured optical components made from polymers and high-performance films based on polycarbonate, polyacrylate and thermoplastic polyurethanes. “Their unique extrusion process and proprietary in-house tooling techniques allows Rowland to make progressive solutions for a wide range of applications worldwide,” ORAFOL stated in a 2017 press release announcing the acquisition.  The manufacturing headquarters on Barnes Road helps make plastic film for signs, drivers’ licenses, medical trays, casings for speedometers and other products used in the automotive and aviation industry.     Rowland Technologies moved from Alexander Drive and was leasing its current space from Adam Winstanley when Winstanley agreed to sell the building and an adjacent parcel that allowed the company to expand.  Supply shortages that became acute during the pandemic have been challenging, as have shortages in trained labor, DiMugno said. Most of Rowland’s employees come from the local area.   Construction on the new addition is expected to be complete in the first quarter of next year and company growth is expected to increase another 20 percent, DiMugno said.  “Rowland Technologies is a world-class company that continues to grow,” said Wallingford Economic Development Specialist Tim Ryan. “Anybody who has not been by their facility should do so, it’s gorgeous.” Unlike many companies that expand their operations to suit customers, Rowland invested in exterior design features and landscaping to enhance its property, Ryan said.  “It shows they take great pride in the community they are working in,” Ryan said. “We are very grateful they continue to grow here in Wallingford and hope they continue to do that.”    mgodin@record-journal.com203-317-2255Twitter: @Cconnbiz

WALLINGFORD — One morning in the early days of the pandemic, Rowland Technologies workers raced to Tweed New Haven Airport to deliver the plastic needed to make face shields for the late shift in a Baltimore hospital.

Many similar orders followed. Rowland Technologies supplied the materials for millions of face shields for health care workers and others as the coronavirus spread across the globe. 

Locally, the plastic resin manufacturer at 320 Barnes Road donated 500 pounds of plastic to a Cheshire High School student who was making face shields on a 3-D printer. 

But making the plastic for face shields isn’t the only thing keeping Rowland Technologies busy. Entry into new U.S. and global markets has doubled its operation in the last five years. 

“We’ve grown significantly,” said Stephen J. DiMugno, president and managing director. “We started off with nine employees now we’re at 120 and adding more.” 

After adding a 40,000-square foot expansion, Rowland Technologies was acquired in 2017 by the ORAFOL group, a former customer and plastics finisher with global markets. The deal introduced Rowland Technologies to more international customers. 

“Our layers play an increasing role in (ORAFOL’s) ability to build their product,” said Michael Iovene, Rowland’s vice president of product technology. “They are a very big player in reflective signs.”

The deal with ORAFOL enabled Rowland to begin a 35,000 square foot addition that will increase office space, add a research and development lab, make room for larger cafeteria, expand manufacturing capacity and add a courtyard. Once completed, the company will have more than 130,000 square feet.

Rowland Technologies is an around-the-clock operation that takes raw plastic pellets and transforms them into plastic or polymer films and sheets to suit customer needs. The ORAFOL Group, headquartered in Oranienburg, Germany, develops and products for industry and trade worldwide.

ORAFOL specializes in products for the graphic industry, retroreflective films and materials, industrial adhesive tapes, structured optical components made from polymers and high-performance films based on polycarbonate, polyacrylate and thermoplastic polyurethanes.

“Their unique extrusion process and proprietary in-house tooling techniques allows Rowland to make progressive solutions for a wide range of applications worldwide,” ORAFOL stated in a 2017 press release announcing the acquisition. 

The manufacturing headquarters on Barnes Road helps make plastic film for signs, drivers’ licenses, medical trays, casings for speedometers and other products used in the automotive and aviation industry.    

Rowland Technologies moved from Alexander Drive and was leasing its current space from Adam Winstanley when Winstanley agreed to sell the building and an adjacent parcel that allowed the company to expand. 

Supply shortages that became acute during the pandemic have been challenging, as have shortages in trained labor, DiMugno said. Most of Rowland’s employees come from the local area.  

Construction on the new addition is expected to be complete in the first quarter of next year and company growth is expected to increase another 20 percent, DiMugno said. 

“Rowland Technologies is a world-class company that continues to grow,” said Wallingford Economic Development Specialist Tim Ryan. “Anybody who has not been by their facility should do so, it’s gorgeous.”

Unlike many companies that expand their operations to suit customers, Rowland invested in exterior design features and landscaping to enhance its property, Ryan said. 

“It shows they take great pride in the community they are working in,” Ryan said. “We are very grateful they continue to grow here in Wallingford and hope they continue to do that.”  

 mgodin@record-journal.com203-317-2255Twitter: @Cconnbiz

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