Thunderbird LLC has acquired injection molder MPR Plastics Inc. of Elgin, Ill., for an undisclosed price.

MPR employs 80 and serves U.S. markets with contract manufacturing of plastic components and assemblies, officials with Thunderbird — an Oak Brook, Ill.-based investment firm — said in a news release.

They added that the addition of MPR to Thunderbird's portfolio expands injection molding support for medical, defense, aerospace, transportation and high-tech OEMs.

MPR operates 23 molding machines with press sizes ranging from 30-300 tons in a 38,000-square-foot facility.

Officials said the firm's injection molding expertise and short-run capabilities complement Thunderbird's high-volume plastic production capabilities at Impact Molding, an injection molder owned by Thunderbird in Elkhart, Ind.

The acquisition also expands low-tonnage injection molding support for Thunderbird customers, officials added. Thunderbird Chairman Kevin Prunsky said that MPR "is a welcome addition to the Thunderbird family of companies."

"We are retaining the full operations team and benefit from a broader diversification of markets," he added. "Customers will benefit from continued service and knowing that MPR is well-capitalized for future growth."

MPR President Paul Doran added that becoming a Thunderbird company "is an important transition" for his firm. "This move ensures our legacy and continued growth and is a testament to the talent and commitment of our staff — never settling for anything less than industry excellence," he added.

Thunderbird was formed by Prunsky in 1999 after the sale of Pollution Control Industries Inc., a waste management company that he had founded in 1986. In addition to Impact, Thunderbird's portfolio includes mold maker Kruis Mold & Engineering of Elkhart.

Impact Molding is a trade name for Thunderbird Plastics LLC. The company has plants in Elkhart and Shelbyville, Ind., and Clearwater, Fla.

Thunderbird bought Williams Industries Inc. in Shelbyville and sister companies Indiana Plastics Inc. and Kruis Mold & Engineering Inc. in Elkhart in 2018.

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