Automation Strategy Could Boost McPherson's Plastics Operations, Ohio Case Shows

Tracie Roberts, chief executive of Montville Plastics & Rubber in Parkman, Ohio, credits automation and artificial intelligence for helping her company better compete with China's lower labor costs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Montville has won new contracts from companies seeking domestic suppliers for plastic items sold in big-box retailers, driving roughly 20% business growth. The technology investments have positioned the Ohio manufacturer to capture business from companies reshoring production, a dynamic that suggests significant potential applicability for McPherson's plastics plants operating in a similar competitive environment. Industry experts note that plastics manufacturing is particularly well-suited for AI applications, making it an ideal sector for such technological upgrades.

While Roberts told the Journal that plastic products can be manufactured competitively in the United States "without much problem," she acknowledged that reshoring more complex goods—particularly those containing electronics or intricate components—remains challenging. She emphasized that many U.S. manufacturers need financial assistance to invest in robots and automated equipment necessary to compete globally.

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