Every so often, I visit a place that reminds me just how innovative and interconnected this industry really is. My recent trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, did exactly that. Within one building, three powerhouse organizations — Beaumont Technologies, the AIM Institute and the Mold Maintenance Center of Excellence — are working in sync to advance every side of moldmaking and molding: technology, education and hands-on training.

Photo Tour

Source: MoldMaking Technology

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From Innovation to Implementation

The tour began at Beaumont Technologies, where science meets production. Known for its patented MeltFlipper® technology, Beaumont has evolved far beyond flow balance solutions. The company now offers full-service engineering and molding capabilities, complete with ISO 9001:2014 and 13485:2016 certifications, a Class 8 cleanroom and also in-house tooling expertise and full tool design & build capabilities with the acquisition of Skylon back in 2022.

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Add to that Beaumont’s software lineup (Therma-flo™, Molding Genius and Autodesk Moldflow simulation services) and you have a company that doesn’t just study polymer behavior; it helps manufacturers control it. Beaumont’s work embodies the concept of “from concept to qualification,” supporting OEMs, mold builders and molders.

Training the Industry, One Class at a Time

Down the hall, the AIM Institute (American Injection Molding Institute) serves as the educational heartbeat of the operation. AIM’s goal is to professionalize the plastics industry through structured, accredited learning. Programs like the Plastics Technician Education (PTE) certificate and Plastics Process Technician (PPT) apprenticeship give students and professionals alike a path to advancement.

From Molders’ Series courses and Moldflow training to online molding math, the classrooms are full and buzzing. “We’re running over 30 classes this year,” Beaumont Corporate Development Officer Alex Beaumont said. “That’s more than we’ve ever done.” The momentum was clear. Every instructor, technician and engineer I spoke with shared a sense of purpose: to close the knowledge gap that continues to challenge manufacturers.

Mold Maintenance: Where Skills Get Real

Finally, I stepped into the Mold Maintenance Center of Excellence, where theory meets torque wrench. It’s been six years since I took the mold maintenance training with Steve Johnson and Glenn Keith at their original Ashland, Ohio, facility—before it was acquired by the AIM Institute in 2023—and I thought it was awesome then. Seeing it now, elevated within this new space, was even more impressive.

Here, technicians train on real benches with real molds, taking them apart, diagnosing hot runner issues and logging maintenance data in the MoldTrax software system. Courses cover everything from troubleshooting and polishing to texture repair and welding techniques.

This is where “center of excellence” truly comes to life. The energy is nonstop, and so is the demand for training. As one team member put it, “It’s not just about filling jobs. It’s about building professionals.”

Passion, People and the Path Forward

What struck me most during the visit wasn’t just the technology or the training, it was the passion.

Between classes and shop tours, conversations about succession, recruitment and industry legacy kept surfacing. Despite economic cycles and workforce challenges, there’s an unmistakable optimism here.

Together, these three companies are doing more than serving the moldmaking and plastics industries, they’re helping to secure their future.