Modern Plastics
Modern Plastics is a Shelton, CT-based specialty distributor and fabricator of medical-grade and high-performance engineering plastic stock shapes, serving medical device, aerospace/defense, semiconductor, and food processing manufacturers across the U.S. with ISO-certified quality systems and custom CNC fabrication services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersShelton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Modern Plastics does
Modern Plastics is a U.S. specialty plastics distributor and fabricator headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, founded in 1945 as the Modern Glass Company. The company distributes high-performance engineering-grade and medical-grade plastic stock shapes — sheets, rods, tubes, and films — in materials including Ultem, PEEK, VESTAKEEP® implantable PEEK (under authorized Evonik partnership), acrylic, polycarbonate, Torlon®, and Vespel®, sourced from premier supplier relationships with Ensinger, Westlake, Plaskolite, Kydex/SEKISUI, PolyOne/Polycast, Röchling, and Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials.
Its core technology spans in-house plastic fabrication services: CNC routing, milling, drilling, turning, solvent/adhesive bonding, heat bending, thermoforming, polishing, compression molding, custom monomer casting of cast nylon, and precision close-tolerance cutting (tolerances to +/- .005 inch) using proprietary techniques. A proprietary barcode labeling system affixes individual control numbers to every plastic item, providing complete lot traceability back to manufacturer batch numbers — a material differentiator in regulated industries.
The business operates on a sales-led, quote-based B2B distribution model with a $150 minimum for will-call pickup and nationwide shipping from the single Shelton facility. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of stock shapes plus professional-services-style custom fabrication. Customer segments are organized vertically across medical devices, defense and aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing, food processing, and general industrial/SMB machine shops, with ISO 9001:2015, AS9100D, AS9120B, and ISO 13485:2016 certifications serving as the primary regulatory entry tickets. Modern Plastics has operated under the corporate ownership of North American Plastics since 2006 while retaining decentralized operational autonomy.
Modern Plastics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Modern Plastics
- Legal name
- Modern Plastics Inc.
- Website
- https://modernplastics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Modern Plastics is a Shelton, CT-based specialty distributor and fabricator of medical-grade and high-performance engineering plastic stock shapes, serving medical device, aerospace/defense, semiconductor, and food processing manufacturers across the U.S. with ISO-certified quality systems and custom CNC fabrication services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Modern Plastics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shelton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Modern Plastics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- High-Performance Plastics Distribution: Distribution of premium plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films including Ultem, PEEK, and Acrylic materials. Revenue generated through direct sales of inventory stock shapes to manufacturers.
- Custom Fabrication Services: Custom plastic fabrication including CNC machining, cutting, bonding, heat bending, and assembly services. Provides added value through precision fabrication of plastic components to customer specifications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Will-Call Pickup |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale/Distribution Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Modern Plastics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Modern Plastics distributes medical-grade and high-performance engineering-grade plastic stock forms (sheets, rods, tubes, films) including materials such as Ultem, PEEK, VESTAKEEP® implantable polymer, Acrylic, Torlon, and others. The company also provides in-house custom fabrication services including CNC machining, precision cutting, compression molding, custom nylon casting, bonding, heat bending, and assembly for manufacturers in medical, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and food processing industries.
Product overview
Modern Plastics is a plastics distributor and fabricator offering high-performance plastic materials (sheets, rods, tubes, films) alongside custom fabrication services. The core offerings include VESTAKEEP® Implantable PEEK (medical-grade implantable polymer from Evonik), precision plastic cutting, CNC fabrication, compression molding, and custom nylon casting. The company operates ISO 13485:2016 certified operations serving medical, defense/aerospace, semiconductor, and food processing industries with full material traceability via barcoding services. Products span medical grade plastics, engineering plastics, and food-safe polymers, complemented by technical resources and recycling services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- VESTAKEEP® Implantable PEEK Evonik's VESTAKEEP® implantable PEEK polymer available in sheets, rods, resin, powder, and filament for medical applications including spine, cranial, cardiovascular, and orthopedic implants. USP Class VI and ISO 10993 tested, with FDA Masterfile available.
- Plastic Fabrication Services Custom in-house plastic fabrication including CNC routing (up to 5' x 10'), milling, drilling, turning, solvent/adhesive bonding, heat bending, thermoforming, polishing, and precision cutting for cut-to-size parts and machined components.
- Compression Molded Shapes Custom compounding and compression molding of specialty high-performance engineering plastics including Techtron® PPS, Torlon®, Ultem®, Vespel® and PEEK® for near-net-shapes in rings, rods, plates, tubes, and discs.
- Nylon Custom Casting Custom monomer casting process producing cast nylon parts (MC® and Nylatron®) in custom mill shapes, near net shapes, or cast-to-size finished parts for large industrial applications replacing metal components.
- Precision Plastic Cutting Precision close-tolerance plastic cutting with specifications as close as +/- .005 inch, using proprietary cutting techniques to reduce bowing and internal material stress with certified-calibrated computer-controlled equipment and yield optimization software.
- Material Barcoding of All Plastics Proprietary barcode labeling system with individual control numbers for complete material traceability, ensuring customers receive the exact type, grade, color, thickness, pattern, and brand of plastic specified, traceable back to manufacturer batch and lot numbers.
- Recycling Services Plastic waste recycling programs for customers, supporting sustainability by keeping plastics out of landfills and contributing to energy efficiency and resource conservation.
- Medical Grade Plastics Distribution ISO 13485:2016 certified inventory of biocompatible, FDA-approved medical grade plastics including PEEK, POM-C, PMMA, PC, PP, PPSU, UHMW-PE, PTFE, PSU, PPS, PVDF, PEI, and PPO for medical device manufacturers.
- Defense & Aerospace Engineering Plastics Distribution High-performance engineering plastics certified to FAA, UL94, FAR 25.853, ASTM, DFAR's, and MIL-SPEC specifications including PEEK, Ultem®, Torlon®, PTFE, and polycarbonate for aircraft and defense applications.
- Food Processing Plastics Distribution FDA compliant, NSF 51/61 certified food grade plastics including HDPE, PBT, PET, PP, PVC, and UHMW with X-ray and metal detectable variants for food processing equipment.
- High Performance Plastics Distribution Premium plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films in materials including Ultem™, PEEK, Acrylic, Torlon®, Techtron® PPS, polycarbonate, and other engineering plastics distributed nationwide for industrial and manufacturing applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- First Plastics Distribution Company in USA to earn ISO certification (September 2001)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Modern Plastics
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Modern Plastics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Modern Plastics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.
- North American PlasticsflagshipParent company since 2006. Modern Plastics operates under corporate ownership of North American Plastics with decentralized model that empowers local leadership while benefiting from collective resources. The partnership allows Modern Plastics to retain autonomy while accessing shared expertise and recycling division capabilities.
- Evonik Industries AGcoreModern Plastics is the authorized Evonik VESTAKEEP® distributor for North America. They distribute implantable PEEK polymers, medical grade PEEK, and 3D printable filament for permanent implants. The partnership includes distribution of VESTAKEEP i-series medical polymers for long-term body contact applications.
- EnsingercoreModern Plastics is a Premier Distributor for all Ensinger High-Performance Engineering Grade Plastic Products including TECAFORM, TECAPEEK, TECASON, and other medical and engineering grade plastics. Large inventory maintained on shelf ready for fast shipment.
- Westlake PlasticscoreElite distributor for all Westlake Plastics materials including PROPULUX, ZELUX, RADEL, and other high-performance thermoplastics. Westlake is a world leader in extrusion and compression molding technologies.
- Plaskolite (Bayer-Sheffield Plastics)majorKey distributor for Sheffield Plastics/Plaskolite line of polycarbonate sheet materials including Tuffak and Hygard products for architectural, security, and transportation applications.
- Kydex (SEKISUI)majorAuthorized Elite Distributor for KYDEX specialty thermoplastic sheet materials known for physical, mechanical, and thermal properties across diverse industries.
- PolyOne/PolycastmajorLarge stocking distributor of PolyOne's Polycast Cell-Cast Acrylic Sheet, described as producing the world's finest quality cell-cast acrylic sheet for critical aerospace and medical applications.
- RöchlingmajorDistributor for Röchling high-performance thermoplastic materials including SUSTARIN, SUSTAMID, SUSTAPEEK, and other engineering grades.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced MaterialsmajorDistributor for Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials engineering plastics and stock shapes.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Modern Plastics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- E&T Plastics: E&T Plastics is a US plastics distributor and fabricator offering plastic sheet, rod, and tube products plus value-added services (cut-to-size, CNC routing, polishing) for industrial and architectural customers, directly comparable in business model and product range to Modern Plastics.
- Industrial Plastic Supply: Industrial Plastic Supply is a US distributor and fabricator of plastic sheet, rod, tube, and film products with cut-to-size and CNC services targeting industrial, architectural, and OEM customers. Direct overlap with Modern Plastics on core product lines (HDPE, UHMW, acrylic, polycarbonate) and B2B distribution model.
- Professional Plastics: Professional Plastics is a direct competitor distributing plastic sheets, rods, tubes, films, and fabricated components across the US and internationally, with similar high-performance engineering plastic offerings (PEEK, Ultem, Torlon, PTFE) and custom fabrication services. Comparable customer base in semiconductor, medical, and industrial OEM markets.
- Curbell Plastics: Curbell Plastics is one of the largest direct peers of Modern Plastics — a US-based distributor and fabricator of performance plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films serving medical, aerospace, defense, and industrial customers with value-added CNC fabrication. Both companies occupy the same specialty plastics distribution + custom fabrication niche with overlapping product lines.
- Boedeker Plastics: Boedeker Plastics specializes in high-performance and ultra-high-molecular-weight plastic stock shapes and custom fabricated parts, with comparable offerings to Modern Plastics in engineering plastics (PEEK, PTFE, PPS) and similar industrial/medical customer base.
- AIN Plastics: AIN Plastics (a Division of ThyssenKrupp) distributes engineering plastic stock shapes and provides custom fabrication services including CNC machining and routing, serving aerospace, medical, food processing, and industrial markets — directly mirroring Modern Plastics' product breadth and vertical focus.
- Ridout Plastics: Ridout Plastics is a Southern California-based distributor and fabricator of engineering plastic sheet, rod, and tube products with custom CNC cutting and routing services, serving aerospace, semiconductor, medical, and industrial OEMs with a comparable high-performance plastics portfolio.
Others
- Westlake Plastics Company: Westlake Plastics is a US manufacturer of extruded and compression-molded high-performance thermoplastic stock shapes (PROPULUX, ZELUX, RADEL) and an Elite distribution partner of Modern Plastics. While primarily a manufacturer, Westlake sells direct in some channels, placing it adjacent in the same value chain rather than a pure peer.
- Ensinger Industries: Ensinger is both a key supplier/partner to Modern Plastics (Premier Distributor relationship) and a manufacturer-competes-with-distributor case: it produces TECAPEEK, TECAFORM, TECASON stock shapes and sells direct to OEMs in medical, aerospace, and food processing. Comparable in product portfolio and customer base, but operates as a manufacturer rather than distributor.
Broad incumbents
- McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is the dominant broad-line industrial MRO supplier in the US, with an extensive catalog of plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films alongside millions of other products. It is a broader incumbent that competes on convenience, speed, and catalog depth rather than specialized medical/aerospace certifications like Modern Plastics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Modern Plastics social profiles
Digital presenceModern Plastics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance16 records
Modern Plastics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Modern Plastics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Modern Plastics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Modern Plastics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Modern Plastics
What does Modern Plastics do?
Modern Plastics distributes medical-grade and high-performance engineering-grade plastic stock forms (sheets, rods, tubes, films) including materials such as Ultem, PEEK, VESTAKEEP® implantable polymer, Acrylic, Torlon, and others. The company also provides in-house custom fabrication services including CNC machining, precision cutting, compression molding, custom nylon casting, bonding, heat bending, and assembly for manufacturers in medical, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and food processing industries.
Is Modern Plastics a public or private company?
Modern Plastics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Modern Plastics founded?
Modern Plastics was founded in 1945. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Modern Plastics based?
Modern Plastics is headquartered in Shelton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Modern Plastics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. High-Performance Plastics Distribution is the primary driver. The others are custom Fabrication Services.
Who are Modern Plastics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are E&T Plastics, Industrial Plastic Supply, Professional Plastics, Curbell Plastics, Boedeker Plastics, AIN Plastics and Ridout Plastics. Others are Westlake Plastics Company and Ensinger Industries. McMaster-Carr is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Modern Plastics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Modern Plastics.