Rico participates in Swiss silicone specialist Silcoplast

The new owners of Silcoplast AG (from left): Emil Hohl, Alfred Griesbaum, Wolfgang Wagner, Johannes Grabner, and Gerhard Kornfelder. (Photo: Rico)

If two companies have been working closely together for quite some time, this also creates additional synergies. This is the case with Rico and Silcoplast AG in Wolfhalden/CH. Here, a restructuring of the Swiss company was accompanied by Rico's search for a partner to manufacture smaller batch sizes, micro parts, and for cleanroom production. The synergies were present, and Rico subsequently acquired a 33% stake in Silcoplast.

The portfolios of the two companies complement each other perfectly. While Silcoplast specializes in tools for the production of small series of silicone injection molded parts, mainly for medical technology (e.g., eye surgery, hearing aids, etc.), Rico can offer the construction of automated and complex tools and produce the associated large series with 30 injection molding machines.

But this was not the only point of connection: Rico is currently considering building its own cleanroom as part of its upcoming plant expansion. The news from Wolfhalden came just at the right time, stating that Silcoplast CEO Wolfgang Wagner wanted to change the ownership structure of his company. In Switzerland, a dedicated cleanroom was already available, so an entry into Silcoplast by Rico also made sense in this regard.

Advantages for Customers of Both Companies

With Silcoplast and Rico, two extensive know-how potentials work together to comprehensively meet customer requirements. Silcoplast is certified according to ISO 13485 for the manufacturing of medical devices, which means that series requiring such certification can be produced in Wolfhalden, including on tools from Rico.

Customers can rely on two experienced elastomer processors across the entire value chain, capable of implementing everything from simple to complex tools, from manual small series to fully automated project systems, all in the high quality they are accustomed to.

Silcoplast: Specializing in Small Parts and Series

The applications Silcoplast AG works on range from medical technology to the electrical industry and specialties such as filter fabrics. The molds are partly produced in-house. In production, liquid silicone (LSR) is processed not only by injection molding but also compression molded, as are rubber press parts. Additionally, micro parts from LSR are injection molded, precision parts from thermoplastics are manufactured, and two-component injection molding is performed in combination with thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and LSR. An important part of Silcoplast's manufacturing is the class 9 or 7 cleanroom according to DIN, which can be fully utilized for the production of medical device parts.

Silcoplast owner Wolfgang Wagner is more than satisfied with Rico's involvement: "It is becoming increasingly difficult in our industry to find reliable partners. Therefore, close collaboration is a stroke of luck for us and our customers, as Rico is a stable technology partner for parts development, toolmaking, and especially automation. We can now jointly cover areas and reach customers that would not have been possible for each of us alone."

Rico: Long-standing Cooperation Pays Off

Rico, as a specialist in injection molding tools, automation, and the production of elastomer parts, views the cooperation similarly positively. Rico shareholder Gerhard Kornfelder states: "By utilizing Silcoplast's cleanroom capabilities, we are now able to acquire customers who previously could not be served comprehensively. We know exactly what we have with Silcoplast because our collaboration has already proven itself over the years, for example through the transfer of large-part production to us. Now, both companies can continue to invest purposefully in their core competencies, further increasing customer benefits."

Joint Sales via Business Development

Even after the share transfer, Silcoplast and Rico remain two separate, independent companies. However, there will be a future overarching Business Development that will coordinate both companies, their advantages, and synergies. The new ownership structure is as follows: Wolfgang Wagner retains a 34% stake, holding a blocking minority in Silcoplast, and Rico holds the previously mentioned 33%. Additionally, Emil Hohl, with his 33% stake, a recognized insider in the medical technology industry with extensive international experience, is a key figure both Silcoplast and Rico can rely on. The managing director of Silcoplast remains Raphael Froidevaux.