York Imperial Plastics has partnered with middle schools, high schools, vocational schools, and both two and four-year colleges to manufacture careers.

Partnering with Local Schools

Throughout the school year, York Imperial representatives are invited to speak on various career-related occasions at middle schools, high schools, and colleges not only about careers in manufacturing, but also about their respective educational and career path and journey. Our team also answers questions one-on-one to help guide interested students through their chosen career paths.

Owner & President, Dennis A. Paules guest lectures at York College of Pennsylvania’s Kinsley School of Engineering

Members of York Imperial’s staff currently hold board-level advisory positions at various high school, college, and vocational schools. One of York Imperial’s team members was instrumental in the development and implementation of a Mechatronics program offering an associated degree at one area college.

By partnering with the local academic institutions at all levels, and being a small company, York Imperial Plastics is able to design co-ops and internship programs that work for each student whether it be engineering, tooling, automation, or any other area of interest. Students enrolled in a formal school-to-work program gain vital industry experience and receive class credit for their tenure, and it has been our privilege to work with the programs of York College of Pennsylvania, Spring Grove, York Tech, Thaddeus Stevens, Eastern York, YTI Career Institute, Dallastown, and Red Lion School Districts just to name a few.

Out with the Old

Any in-house equipment, software, manuals, or tools that are deemed obsolete are offered as a donation to local institutions. Recently, an obsolete packaging machine was donated to a local technology school’s Electromechanical Technology Program where both junior and senior students are tasked with programming and improving the equipment as part of their capstone project prior to graduation.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Electro-Mechanical Students work with Obsolete Equipment

Throughout the semester, York Imperial’s team works one-on-one with the students in order to help guide them to success with their project’s plans. At the end of the semester, our staff attends the final project presentation event, and we are always amazed to see what each of the students has accomplished.

Guided Plant Tours for Students & Educators

Almost on a weekly basis, York Imperial Plastics hosts guided plant tours for both students and educators. We tailor the tours based on the specific interests of each group, and we keep the groups small enough that they are able to interact with everyone throughout their visit. Our team enjoys giving tours almost as much as our visitors enjoy taking them.

York College of Pennsylvania Student Tour

In the spring, York Imperial participates in a number of career fairs throughout Pennsylvania where our representatives interview prospective candidates for internships, co-ops, and full-time employment. In addition, our representatives often speak to students about their career paths.

Owner & President, Dennis A. Paules at Northeastern York High School’s Annual Career Fair

During the summer months, representatives from neighboring school districts participate in tours at local area businesses, including York Imperial Plastics, in order to gain a better understanding of what employers are looking for. These tours offer educators the opportunity to speak first hand with hiring managers and former graduates in order to gain a better perspective on the current job market and what it takes to excel in different fields. Educators come away with a plan to better prepare their students for employment in the job market, and reconnect with recent grads and alums.

Workforce Preparedness

In June of each year, York Imperial partners with local high schools on workforce preparedness. Members of our team spend a full day, typically the second to last day of school for students, with sophomores, juniors, and seniors, from area school districts conducting mock interviews and resume writing workshops.

At these events, each representative meets with a minimum of ten students and provides one-on-one feedback based on the students’ respective resume, mock interview, and overall career interests. In addition, a question-and-answer session is also offered allowing the students the ability to openly ask our industry insiders those burning questions. With the conversion to online learning during the COVID-19 global pandemic, York Imperial was excited to continue these programs virtually thanks to the flexibility of Zoom in order to safely ensure students continue to be career ready.

However, you may be asking yourself, why Sophomores? The answer is simple, workforce preparedness and Dallastown Area School District gets it. Dallastown’s Administration, led by its fabulous Workforce, Career, & College Counselor, Mr. William Probert, is committed to a focus on workforce development. The Administration of Dallastown Area School District recognizes that no one student is like another, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success, and not every student has a college degree in mind as an end game. Instead of pressuring their students with expectations of higher education, Dallastown Area School District is preparing their students for a future before graduation – regardless of whether that future leads to a degree.

Manufacturing Month

The career-related activities kick into overdrive during October for National Manufacturing Month. From virtual plant tours to in-person guided tours and events, October is the busiest month for student-related activities at York Imperial Plastics.

Engagement

The work doesn’t end after the interns or recent grads are brought onboard. The most important thing with younger employees is to keep them engaged. At York Imperial Plastics, we pride ourselves on our family-friendly work environment. Our employees are our family, and we enjoy hosting employee engagement events year-round such as appreciation luncheons, unique contests, and themed parties as well as extracurricular and team building events.

Owners Sharon Bucher & Dennis A. Paules fire up the Grill for York Imperial’s Annual Aloha Summer Employee Appreciation Luau

Be sure to check out York Imperial’s social media channels to peek inside life at #YIP

Another way we engage with our younger employees, whether they are on internships or co-ops, is by investing in them. Professional development is an area that has traditionally been lacking in standard internship programs. At York Imperial Plastics, we partner with a number of institutions and vendors in order to provide the respective training for each student’s chosen field. For our automation interns, we partner with local robotics firms who conduct both on-site hands-on training and virtual training with each student. When conducting exit interviews with our students, this is the area that has been most consistently praised.

We Are York Imperial

Perhaps the most important thing is that all our employees, whether they are internships, on co-ops, seasonal, part-time, or full-time, are treated equally. Student employment receives the same benefits and respect that our full and part-time employees receive such as company apparel, gifts, and invitations to events.

At York Imperial Plastics, we are truly passionate about guiding young people in their careers. Many of our current employees would not be where they are today without the leadership of at least one important mentor who provided them with guidance at some point in their career.

Not every student we work with becomes an intern and not every intern becomes a full-time employee, but for York Imperial Plastics, it’s an important part of giving back to the community and helping manufacture careers for young people – even if they aren’t interested in plastics. In participating in these events and volunteering our time with young people, we at York Imperial Plastics aim to manufacture careers, wherever the student’s path takes them.

Interested in exploring an internship, co-op opportunity, or booking a tour with York Imperial Plastics? We accept educators and students approved for co-op through local vocational schools as well as interns ages sixteen and up who are currently enrolled in any area high school or college program year-round.

We recognize that the average person may not have the same level of experience as we do when it comes to injection molding. In fact, you may be considering the idea of contracting injection molding services for the very first time. With over 34 years of injection molding experience, we at York Imperial Plastics would like to take this opportunity to share with you some things to look for when deciding where to injection mold your custom plastic parts.

Our industry runs the gamut of everything from high and medium volume molders to low volume and prototype molders. At York Imperial Plastics, we want to make sure you know the questions to ask in order to make an informed and educated decision, wherever you choose to manufacture your plastic parts. Below are a few of the things that are important to consider when selecting an injection molder.

What is the cost of a mold?

When it comes to frequently asked questions, “how much will this cost me,” (as with most services) perhaps is the most commonly asked question, and understandably so as it is one of the most important purchasing decisions a customer will make.

Since custom injection molds are designed to withstand the duration of a product’s life cycle, the cost of a mold is the most significant upfront expense a customer will experience when choosing the injection mold process. From tolerances and durability to internal and external thread configurations, hot runners, stack and vertical molds, core-pulls and actions, thin wall construction and collapsible core technology, quality injection molds are crafted from the highest quality steel and intended to last for many years.

At York Imperial Plastics, our strong partnership with both domestic and off-shore mold builders allows us to offer a variety of mold build options to meet our customer’s manufacturing needs all while our Engineering Department manages the entire mold build process to ensure the highest quality and most efficient productivity.

York Imperial Plastics’ injection molds are provided with Life of Program Tool Warranties. All molds constructed by York Imperial Plastics and built to our standards for longevity are warranted for the life of your program, as long as your products are manufactured in our facility.

In addition, our in-house Tool Shop services our customer’s molds around-the-clock for both preventative and routine tooling maintenance.

Why does volume matter?

When exploring the injection molding process, forecasting the volume of parts you plan to produce over time is a key factor to consider. From prototyping to low, medium, and high volumes, it’s important to understand what volume you anticipate to manufacture.

Short-Run/Low Volume

Plastic parts which only require a low annual volume of production may best be served by utilizing prototyping services such as 3D printing. There are no tooling costs involved in this process. At York Imperial Plastics, we specialize in low volume 3D printing and prototyping with our SLA and FDM printing technologies. 3D printing is an efficient and cost-effective alternative to injection molding for customers with lower volume manufacturing needs. One of the many benefits of these services is their ability to allow our customers to produce prototypes to verify tolerances, functionality, and durability prior to finalizing a part design and beginning the full-fledged production process.

Full-Production/High Volume

At York Imperial Plastics, we serve not only as a supplier to our customer’s needs, but as a partner throughout the manufacturing process. York Imperial Plastics specializes in multi-cavity high-volume production runs of both large and small molded parts thanks to our fully automated parts handling, counting, and packaging capabilities. Our 25 injection molding machines, ranging from 33 to 720 tons, are managed by our highly skilled and RJG-trained production team who manufacture hundreds of thousands of high-quality plastic parts daily.

Why does material selection matter?

Today, there are a variety of plastic resins available, and selecting the right material is an important decision that is vital to the manufacturing of quality plastic parts. The right material not only ensures quality but also improves efficiency and reduces the overall cost of the production process.

At York Imperial Plastics, parts are manufactured via thermoplastics from virtually all commodity and engineering resins, including those filled with glass, minerals, and flame retardants. Each of our 25 injection molding machines is equipped with desiccant bed dryers and dew point monitors. In addition, material moisture analysis is performed throughout the production process. From the impact of ABS and lubricity of Acetal to the chemical resistance of Polypropylene, our team of experienced engineers ensures that our customers find the right resin for their product’s specific application.

What are certifications and why do they matter?

As a prospective customer, you may not have the opportunity to familiarize yourself with each and every aspect of the prospective injection molders you’re considering. For this reason, valid certifications demonstrate a molder’s ability to adhere to industry recognized standards.

Certain customers may require certifications from their manufacturers as a condition for manufacturing. In this scenario, a customer will only do business with a certified manufacturer. From ISO to ITAR and Federal Firearms Licenses, it is important to know what your customers expect and that you meet their expectations.

At York Imperial Plastics, we have the proper certifications to ensure international quality standards are met. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard of quality which is overseen by the International Organization for Standardization, (hereinafter referred to as, “ISO”). As an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, we are required by the certifying agency to regularly audit our quality management system. These periodic audits ensure that both our production process and products maintain consistent quality and remain focused on continued customer satisfaction.

Why mold in the United States?

Although there are many injection molding facilities located off-shore who offer low-cost labor and production, when choosing an injection molder, there are a few factors that should be considered long term, such as the in-bound/out-bound shipping and delivery fees of materials and parts, lead times on the production process, the level of customer service, and most importantly – quality standards.

Our manufacturing facility is conveniently located within a short flight or drive from New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. Our convenient location to these major cities offers a seamless transition between businesses, providers, and our customers. Our Finished Goods Warehouse offers four levels of first-in/first-out flow racking for inventory control and direct shipping.

At York Imperial Plastics, quality is the most important job of every employee. Our success is driven by the dedication of each individual to the concept of continuous improvement. York Imperial Plastics practices an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System.

Let’s manufacture something together!

We at York Imperial Plastics invite you to learn more about our injection molding capabilities by taking a tour of our family owned and operated state-of-the-art injection molding facility in York, PA to experience our day-to-day operations first hand and learn how we’ve been making ideas a reality since 1985.