Sajar Plastics is a well-established American plastics manufacturing company known for producing large, complex, custom-engineered plastic components. Founded in 1949 in Middlefield, Ohio, the company developed expertise in advanced injection molding technologies, particularly gas-assisted injection molding and structural foam molding.
Over several decades, Sajar Plastics became a supplier of specialized plastic components for medical equipment, laboratory devices, industrial machinery, and retail systems. Its manufacturing capabilities helped businesses create durable, lightweight, and visually appealing plastic products.
A major turning point occurred in 2017 when Universal Plastics acquired Sajar Plastics to expand its injection molding capabilities. In 2020, the company announced the integration of Sajar and other manufacturing operations under the Universal Plastics name.
This guide explores Sajar Plastics’ history, manufacturing processes, industrial applications, ownership changes, and its continuing importance in American plastics manufacturing.
What Is Sajar Plastics?
Sajar Plastics is a custom plastics manufacturer specializing in large, complex injection-molded components for industrial and commercial applications.
The company was established in Middlefield, Ohio, and became particularly recognized for its expertise in gas-assisted injection molding.
Unlike businesses that produce ordinary household plastic products for retail customers, Sajar primarily served original equipment manufacturers, commonly known as OEMs.
These manufacturers require specially designed components that meet particular dimensional, functional, structural, and appearance requirements.
For example, a medical equipment manufacturer may need a large plastic housing that protects internal electronic components while providing a smooth, professional exterior.
Similarly, a retail equipment company might require durable plastic panels, doors, or enclosures for a self-service machine.
Sajar’s expertise allowed it to manufacture these components using advanced molding techniques.
Following its acquisition and subsequent brand integration, its manufacturing capabilities became part of the broader Universal Plastics operation.
History of Sajar Plastics
Sajar Plastics has a long history in American manufacturing, dating back to the middle of the twentieth century.
Its development reflects changes in plastics technology and increasing industrial demand for specialized components.
Founding in 1949
Sajar Plastics was founded in 1949 in Middlefield, Ohio.
During the postwar period, American manufacturing expanded rapidly as businesses adopted new materials and production methods.
Plastic materials became increasingly important because they offered opportunities to manufacture components with different shapes, weights, and performance characteristics.
Sajar developed its expertise within this changing industrial environment.
Over time, the company concentrated on custom molding solutions, particularly components requiring complex designs and attractive surface finishes.
Its location in northeastern Ohio also placed it within a region with a long-established manufacturing and industrial supply network.
Pioneering Gas-Assisted Injection Molding
One of Sajar’s most important contributions to plastics manufacturing was its early involvement in gas-assisted injection molding.
According to Universal Plastics, Sajar was among three original companies involved in developing this manufacturing technology during the early 1980s.
Gas-assisted injection molding made it possible to produce certain large plastic components with hollow internal sections while maintaining complex external designs.
This approach offered manufacturers new opportunities to reduce material consumption and improve part design.
Sajar subsequently developed specialized production capabilities around the technology.
By the time of its acquisition, the company had commercialized more than 500 gas-assisted plastic components for major equipment manufacturers.
Expansion and Industrial Growth
As demand for customized plastic components increased, Sajar expanded its equipment and technical capabilities.
The company developed experience manufacturing large parts that required both structural performance and high-quality visible surfaces.
Its customers included businesses in medical technology, laboratory equipment, manufacturing, and retail systems.
Rather than focusing solely on mass-producing small plastic products, Sajar developed expertise in larger and more technically challenging components.
This specialization helped distinguish the company within the custom plastics manufacturing industry.
Acquisition by Universal Plastics in 2017
In July 2017, Massachusetts-based Universal Plastics announced its acquisition of Sajar Plastics.
Universal Plastics was already known for heavy-gauge thermoforming, a manufacturing process used to shape heated plastic sheets into large components.
Sajar brought complementary expertise in gas-assisted injection molding.
The acquisition allowed Universal to offer customers a wider range of manufacturing processes.
For example, a customer might begin production using thermoforming and later move to injection molding as production requirements changed.
By combining their capabilities, the businesses could support different stages of a product’s manufacturing life cycle.
The financial terms of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed.
Integration Under the Universal Plastics Name in 2020
On January 27, 2020, Universal Plastics announced that its manufacturing locations would operate under one unified brand.
The integration brought together operations previously associated with Universal Plastics, Mayfield Plastics, Premium Plastic Solutions, and Sajar Plastics.
This change was intended to simplify the company’s identity and help customers access different manufacturing services through one organization.
As a result, the former Sajar Plastics operation became associated with Universal Plastics’ Middlefield manufacturing facility.
The Sajar name remains important in the company’s industrial history, particularly because of its pioneering involvement in gas-assisted injection molding.
What Does Sajar Plastics Manufacture?
Sajar Plastics specialized in custom-manufactured plastic components designed for specific industrial applications.
Its products were generally created according to customer specifications rather than offered as standardized consumer goods.
Medical Equipment Housings
Medical equipment manufacturers often need durable external housings that protect internal components and support safe equipment operation.
Sajar’s large-part molding capabilities were suitable for producing custom plastic covers and enclosures.
These components could be designed around the requirements of diagnostic machines, treatment equipment, and other medical systems.
Laboratory and Diagnostic Equipment Components
Laboratory equipment frequently requires precisely shaped panels, housings, doors, and covers.
Plastic molding allows manufacturers to create components with integrated features and customized dimensions.
Sajar supplied manufacturers operating in laboratory and diagnostic markets.
Industrial Equipment Panels
Industrial machinery may require protective covers, equipment doors, bezels, handles, and exterior panels.
Depending on their design, molded plastic parts can offer advantages involving weight, appearance, corrosion resistance, and integration with other components.
Retail and Dispensing Equipment
Automated retail systems often contain custom plastic housings and user-facing components.
Examples include equipment panels, access doors, display surrounds, and structural enclosures.
Sajar’s manufacturing expertise supported customers producing retail registers and dispensing machines.
Custom Structural and Cosmetic Components
A significant part of Sajar’s specialization involved components combining practical functionality with high-quality surface finishes.
These are sometimes described as cosmetic or customer-facing parts.
Their appearance matters because they may form the visible exterior of commercial equipment.
The company’s focus on large, aesthetically demanding components became one of its distinguishing characteristics.
Sajar Plastics Manufacturing Processes
Sajar developed expertise in several injection molding technologies.
Each process provides different options depending on a component’s size, design, strength requirements, and production volume.
Gas-Assisted Injection Molding
Gas-assisted injection molding uses pressurized gas, often nitrogen, during the plastic molding process.
In a common internal gas-assist process, molten plastic is introduced into a mold. Pressurized gas then displaces material within selected thicker sections, creating hollow internal channels.
These channels can help produce large or complex components while reducing material use in suitable applications.
The technique can also help address certain molding problems, such as sink marks and uneven material distribution.
Potential advantages include reduced weight, improved surface appearance, and the ability to incorporate larger structural features.
However, results depend on the material, geometry, tooling, and processing conditions.
Structural Foam Molding
Structural foam molding creates plastic components with a foamed internal structure and a comparatively solid outer surface.
The process is particularly relevant to larger components that require rigidity without excessive material consumption.
It can offer advantages for thick-walled parts and applications where stiffness and weight are important considerations.
Structural foam molding is frequently used for industrial equipment housings, panels, and other substantial plastic components.
The appropriate process depends on the intended function and appearance of the finished part.
Conventional Injection Molding
Conventional injection molding involves injecting molten plastic into a precisely designed mold cavity.
The material cools and solidifies, producing a component that follows the mold’s shape.
This method is widely used for manufacturing plastic parts requiring consistent dimensions and repeatable production.
Sajar’s conventional injection molding capabilities complemented its gas-assisted and structural foam processes.
Offering several molding methods allowed the company to evaluate different manufacturing approaches according to customer requirements.
Why Is Gas-Assisted Injection Molding Important?
Gas-assisted injection molding became a significant manufacturing technology because it offered alternative ways to produce certain complex plastic components.
One important advantage is the potential to reduce plastic consumption in parts containing suitable thick sections.
By creating hollow internal channels, manufacturers may be able to reduce component weight while maintaining the required structural characteristics.
The technology can also improve design flexibility.
For example, certain handles and equipment housings can incorporate internal hollow sections without requiring separate assembled components.
This may simplify some product designs and reduce secondary manufacturing operations.
Another potential benefit is improved surface quality.
In suitable applications, gas-assisted molding can help reduce sink marks associated with thicker plastic sections.
However, the process is not appropriate for every component.
Engineers must evaluate material selection, tooling costs, geometry, appearance requirements, and expected production quantities before selecting it.
Sajar’s historical expertise was particularly valuable because the company had extensive experience evaluating and manufacturing large gas-assisted parts.
Industries Served by Sajar Plastics
Sajar Plastics supplied several industrial sectors requiring custom molded components.
Medical Equipment Manufacturing
Medical equipment manufacturers often require carefully designed plastic enclosures, equipment covers, and structural parts.
The company’s large-part molding capabilities supported these types of applications.
Laboratory and Diagnostic Equipment
Laboratory and diagnostic equipment producers need components that accommodate instruments, controls, and internal assemblies.
Sajar’s experience with complex molds and cosmetic finishes made it relevant to this market.
Business and Industrial Equipment
Commercial and industrial equipment can require durable external panels, cabinet components, handles, and specialized housings.
Custom molding helps manufacturers integrate these features into their products.
Retail and Dispensing Systems
Retail registers, kiosks, and dispensing equipment often use plastic components that combine functional requirements with a professional appearance.
Sajar’s expertise included manufacturing for this market.
These applications illustrate why the company focused on industrial customers rather than consumer retail products.
Sajar Plastics Facility in Middlefield, Ohio
Sajar Plastics operated from a substantial manufacturing facility in Middlefield, Ohio.
The location has historically been reported as approximately 150,000 square feet.
Universal Plastics currently identifies its Middlefield facility as a specialized injection molding operation.
The company’s published facility information lists molding machines ranging from 85 to 1,500 tons of clamping force.
It also describes capabilities involving large plastic parts, gas-assisted molding, structural foam molding, painting, and secondary assembly.
This combination of services can be valuable for customers that want to reduce the number of suppliers involved in producing a finished component.
For example, a manufacturer may need molding, finishing, and assembly before a part is ready for installation.
The ability to coordinate these operations within one manufacturing organization can simplify production planning.
Sajar Plastics and Universal Plastics: Who Owns the Company?
Sajar Plastics was acquired by Universal Plastics in 2017.
The acquisition became part of Universal Plastics Group’s broader expansion into complementary plastics manufacturing technologies.
Before the sale, Sajar had been owned by Pittsburgh-based private equity firm Main Street Capital Holdings, according to reporting from the transaction adviser.
Universal Plastics brought together different manufacturing processes, including thermoforming, injection molding, and blow molding.
Sajar’s large-part injection molding capabilities complemented the group’s existing operations.
Sajar Plastics Ownership Timeline
| Year | Major development |
|---|---|
| 1949 | Sajar Plastics founded in Middlefield, Ohio |
| Early 1980s | Participated in early development of gas-assisted injection molding |
| 2008 | Private-equity ownership period began, according to transaction reporting |
| 2017 | Acquired by Universal Plastics |
| 2020 | Universal Plastics announced unified branding across manufacturing sites |
The 2020 announcement confirmed that the Sajar name would be incorporated into the broader Universal Plastics brand.
Although older company descriptions and directories may still use Sajar Plastics, current manufacturing enquiries should be directed through Universal Plastics.
Quality Standards and Manufacturing Expertise
Quality is particularly important when producing components for medical equipment, laboratory systems, and industrial machinery.
Large molded parts may need to meet demanding dimensional, visual, and structural requirements.
Sajar developed a reputation for manufacturing complex components with consistent cosmetic finishes.
Historical Universal Plastics company information describes Sajar as ISO 9001 registered.
ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized quality management standard focused on consistent processes, customer requirements, and continual improvement.
However, a historical registration statement should not be treated as proof of a currently valid certificate.
Customers requiring documented certification should request the latest applicable certificate directly from Universal Plastics.
The company also emphasizes engineering support, manufacturing process selection, and secondary finishing capabilities.
These activities are particularly important for custom components that must integrate with a customer’s larger product design.
What Makes Sajar Plastics Different?
Several characteristics helped distinguish Sajar from general plastics manufacturers.
Large-part manufacturing expertise: The company concentrated on components that could be more difficult to manufacture using conventional small-part production methods.
Gas-assisted molding experience: Its early involvement in developing the process provided substantial manufacturing knowledge.
High-quality cosmetic finishes: Sajar emphasized components whose visible surfaces needed to meet demanding appearance standards.
Custom engineering support: Industrial customers often required components designed for specific applications rather than standard products.
Multiple molding processes: Gas-assisted injection molding, structural foam molding, and conventional injection molding allowed greater manufacturing flexibility.
Industrial market experience: The company supplied medical, laboratory, manufacturing, and retail equipment businesses.
These capabilities helped make the company an attractive acquisition for Universal Plastics.
Sajar Plastics Careers and Employment
Sajar Plastics contributed to the manufacturing workforce in Middlefield, Ohio.
A custom injection molding facility may require employees with expertise in production operations, engineering, equipment maintenance, quality management, tooling, and logistics.
Typical professional areas associated with this type of manufacturing operation include:
- Injection molding machine operation.
- Manufacturing and process engineering.
- Tooling and mold maintenance.
- Quality inspection and assurance.
- Production scheduling.
- Equipment maintenance.
- Assembly and finishing.
- Warehouse and material handling.
However, these examples describe common manufacturing roles rather than confirmed current vacancies.
People searching for Sajar Plastics jobs should consult Universal Plastics’ official careers information for current opportunities.
Sajar Plastics Location and Contact Information
The former Sajar Plastics manufacturing operation is associated with Universal Plastics’ Middlefield location.
Universal Plastics – Middlefield
15285 South State Avenue
Middlefield, OH 44062
United States
Phone: (440) 632-5203
The company’s official locations directory identifies the Middlefield operation as an injection molding facility specializing in gas-assisted molding and structural foam molding.
For current manufacturing enquiries, technical information, or employment opportunities, visit the Universal Plastics official website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sajar Plastics
Q1: What is Sajar Plastics?
Ans: Sajar Plastics was an American custom plastics manufacturer specializing in large, complex injection-molded components. It was particularly known for gas-assisted injection molding.
Q2: Where is Sajar Plastics located?
Ans: The company was based in Middlefield, Ohio. Its former manufacturing operation is associated with Universal Plastics at 15285 South State Avenue, Middlefield, OH 44062.
Q3: When was Sajar Plastics founded?
Ans: Sajar Plastics was founded in 1949.
Q4: Who owns Sajar Plastics?
Ans: Universal Plastics acquired Sajar Plastics in 2017. The operation was incorporated into the unified Universal Plastics brand in 2020.
Q5: Is Sajar Plastics still operating under its original name?
Ans: Universal Plastics announced in January 2020 that Sajar Plastics and its other manufacturing operations would be integrated under the Universal Plastics name.
Q6: What products did Sajar Plastics manufacture?
Ans: Its specialties included large plastic housings, equipment covers, industrial panels, handles, doors, bezels, and other custom components for OEM customers.
Q7: What is gas-assisted injection molding?
Ans: Gas-assisted injection molding is a process that uses pressurized gas during plastic molding to form hollow internal sections in suitable components.
Q8: Did Sajar Plastics manufacture medical equipment components?
Ans: Yes. Medical equipment manufacturers were among the industrial markets served by Sajar Plastics.
Q9: What is structural foam molding?
Ans: Structural foam molding is a manufacturing process that creates plastic parts with a foamed internal structure and a comparatively solid outer surface.
Q10: When did Universal Plastics acquire Sajar?
Ans: Universal Plastics announced the acquisition in July 2017.
Q11: Does the former Sajar Plastics facility offer custom injection molding?
Ans: Yes. Universal Plastics identifies its Middlefield facility as an operation offering conventional injection molding, gas-assisted molding, and structural foam molding.
Q12: How can I contact the former Sajar Plastics facility?
Ans: The Universal Plastics Middlefield facility is listed at 15285 South State Avenue, Middlefield, Ohio, with phone number (440) 632-5203.
Final Thoughts
Sajar Plastics played an important role in the development of specialized American plastics manufacturing.
Founded in 1949, the company became particularly recognized for its work in gas-assisted injection molding and the production of large, complex plastic components.
Its capabilities supported manufacturers in medical equipment, laboratory technology, industrial machinery, and retail systems.
The 2017 acquisition by Universal Plastics marked an important stage in the company’s development, bringing its injection molding expertise into a larger manufacturing organization.
The subsequent integration under the Universal Plastics brand in 2020 established a unified business identity while retaining the historical significance of Sajar’s technical contributions.
Today, the Middlefield manufacturing operation continues to represent the expertise that made Sajar Plastics notable: custom engineering, large-part molding, advanced manufacturing processes, and attention to product quality.