About Us
The H&L Advantage Story
As you discover a little about who we are as a company, how it started, and how we got where we are today, it’s not really about us. The real focus is about what that journey has done to make H&L an asset to your company when you need plastic products manufacturing.
An Entirely Different Era
H&L Advantage began in 1970 with only 3 people and a small office. We served as a sales, design, and engineering firm for manufacturers, to bridge a gap that existed at the time between manufacturers and the customers who wanted and needed their products. This service was commonly referred to as “manufacturer’s reps” and was an important function within the business practices of that era.
There is little that remains of that original business model, but the manufacturing expertise is still the core foundation of our focus. In the early 1990’s, the management team at H&L recognized that the original “rep” model would soon become inadequate to address the changing needs in the market. For us to continue to provide our customers with the support they needed, we had to change.
For us, that meant becoming our own manufacturing source. This began with buying our first injection molding machines to manufacture plastic products ourselves. The success of this endeavor is not wholly due to factors we could control like our commitment to honesty, integrity, and quality, but the work ethic of our employees and the support of our customers. Without that, our own best efforts are not enough.
Because adapting to market changes has become part of our DNA, we plan to be here to support your changing needs for many years. One of the benefits that remain from our heritage as a manufacturer’s rep is our commitment to service. We remember what it is like to be the customer, and how important it is to have a supplier that knows how to provide real service. Our ability to adapt to your changing business needs serves as a catalyst toward helping fuel your success.
The Move Toward Lean and Green
We are fortunate to have been involved in lean and green manufacturing initiatives from the start of their popularity. In 2004, H&L was one of a handful of companies that were founding members of the EPA’s Green Suppliers Network. The purpose of the GSN is to promote cleaner production and operations techniques, and lean manufacturing practices that help reduce and eliminate waste, save energy, streamline operations, and save time and money.
Through these operating principles and practices, we are able to bring greater value to our customers. H&L is actively involved in local, state, and national activities that promote these initiatives.
Due partly to these changes, planning, hard work, and good fortune, H&L has grown to a 60,000 square foot production facility with 20 modern injection molding machines, and many capabilities beyond injection molding.
The story of H&L Advantage continues, and the journey continues to be exciting and always challenging. We invite you to be a part of our story when your needs include design, engineering, and production of plastic molded products. There are numerous plastic molders that may support your manufacturing needs, but for a true partner in your business, we would like to demonstrate for you how easy working with us will be.
General Information
Going Beyond Just the Technical Advantages
H&L Advantage has the resources to meet your needs and schedule. We offer you the benefit of being located in West Michigan where the history of manufacturing is a proud and highly skilled heritage, and the work ethic is strong.
A few of our credentials and highlights:
- Our connections to local design houses, as well as our experience with tool design, can serve to take your plastic product manufacturing project from initial concept (even a napkin sketch) right through to production
- We have the capability of interfacing with multiple CAD systems such as Pro-E, IGES, DXF, and DWG.
- By utilizing electronic data transfer, everyone involved in the design process is kept up-to-date at every stage of a project, in real-time and regardless of location or distance.
- H&L Advantage has plastic injection molding machines ranging from 55 to 950 tons, with state-of-the-art controls to help eliminate variation in the lean manufacturing processes, and larger machines are available as needed.
- Robotic extractors in the plastic injection molding process help ensure consistent cycle times, minimize downtime, and create a “lean” plastic production system.
- Plastic recycling measures provide not only environmental friendliness, it also minimizes waste and cuts costs.
- Our custom injection molding capabilities are further enhanced with the ability to meet exact color requirements using calibrated color reading equipment.
- Secondary and assembly operations are logically set up in work cell environments; this further enhances lean manufacturing practices to minimize and eliminate wasted time and material handling
View our Facilities and Machinery List which can be easily printed