A molding company that focuses on advanced materials for a variety of industries is moving this fall from Plymouth to Saline, representing a company that moved to Washtenaw County because of the state's tax credit system.

The firm, MMI Engineered Solutions, formerly known as Molded Materials, is consolidating a pair of facilities into about 40,000 square feet of industrial space on Woodland Drive in Saline. The 45-person company, which was awarded a tax credit last month from the Michigan Economic Development Corp., opted against moving to an Ohio facility.

“We’re positioning ourselves for growth,” said Tom Elkington, principal of MMI.

The company’s strategy of providing a one-stop-shop for clients that need customized engineering and manufacturing of molded parts is paying off despite general economic turmoil. The firm is also capitalizing on an industry trend in which clients are increasingly outsourcing their molding needs.

“Many of these larger companies, as they become more lean, they have less individuals that specialize in what we do,” said Michael Rosser, business development director for MMI Engineered Solutions. “They tend to need a company like ours to handle a large portion of the engineering solution, solving the problem and putting it into effect.”

MMI in July received a 7-year, $420,388 tax credit from MEDC’s Michigan Economic Growth Authority. The company promised to add 29 jobs over the next few years at its Saline facility.

The firm’s packaged molding offerings have attracted clients in a wide range of industries, including life sciences, alternative energy and homeland security. The company has gradually diversified its client base, reducing the auto sector to about a third of its customers.

Company officials said they’ve largely avoided a potentially fierce battle with foreign competitors because they offer specialized molding services in low manufacturing volumes.

“The fact that we can not only design it, analyze it and engineer it, but turn around in the same facility and build a mold - that’s something that’s very difficult for an overseas company to compete with,” Rosser said.

The company will occupy about 40,000 square feet at 1715 Woodland Dr. in Saline. The facility has an additional 30,000 square feet the company can lease for prospective future expansions.

Rosser said the Ann Arbor region was particularly desirable for its strong base of engineering skills.

“It’s tough to compete anywhere else in the country with the level of scientific and engineering talent that you can find in that area,” he said.

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