RICO
keeps growing
RICO keeps growing
Start of construction work at new production facility – 100 new jobs to be created in Wels region of Austria
Thalheim, June 2022 | Mold production and injection molding specialist RICO makes billions of silicone parts every year, as well as producing injection molds for customers worldwide. A groundbreaking ceremony on June 15, 2022 marked the official start of construction work which will significantly increase production capacity at the plant in Thalheim bei Wels in Upper Austria.
RICO is investing in the Thalheim site and is expanding on a large scale directly next to its headquarters in the Thalbach industrial park. The groundbreaking ceremony for the first construction phase took place on June 15, 2022, and a construction period of approximately 15 months is expected so that the new building can be occupied in 2023.
Expansion reflects solid order book
Located on an adjoining 2.5-hectare plot, the new production facility will open the door for a huge expansion in RICO’s manufacturing capacity. Injection molding equipment requires substantial amounts of space and the company’s strong current order situation has made the extension necessary. RICO produces molds and injection-molded silicone parts for the plumbing supplies, household appliances, healthcare, life sciences and automotive sectors, as well as for industry.
“We always think big. When we finished the most recent addition in 2018, we thought it would give us enough space until 2025, but the site is already bursting at the seams,” explained Managing Director Markus Nuspl. RICO only just opened a new, 5,500m2 production plant in 2018, and the company currently has around 15,000m2 of space at its disposal.
In the first phase of the latest development, three state-of-the-art production facilities, a high-bay warehouse, handling areas and additional office space will be built on an area of more than 10,000 m2.
Creating jobs in the region
The project will also bring new jobs to the local area. “We’re delighted to finally make a start so that we can take the next step in our continuing growth. From day one, it was clear that we wanted to expand in central Upper Austria. And by doing so we will create 100 additional jobs in the region,” Nuspl confirmed.
At present, 10% of RICO’s 300-strong workforce are apprentices. The company is primarily looking to hire plastics engineers and production staff for injection molding operations, as well as apprentices in six different professions, with apprenticeships beginning in 2023.
Decades of success
RICO has reported steady growth in revenue since it was founded in 1994. In 2021, the company posted a double-digit year-on-year increase in revenue, to EUR 50m.