Mission Rubber buys action sports

Rubber injection molder Mission Rubber Industries LLC in Corona, Calif., has acquired thermoplastics molder Edge Plastics Inc., in a deal that's focused on action sports products.

Terms were not disclosed. Mission Rubber is keeping Edge's Riverside, Calif., location and all of the company's 85 production, engineering and maintenance employees. Mission Rubber currently has about 400 employees.

"Our intention is to grow the business here in California, maintain all the personnel and the manufacturing platform, and make sure that we have good secure jobs that are going to help us to ensure a profitable business moving forward," Mission Rubber Vice President Chris Vansell said.

"The chains of distribution are different, but the manufacturing platforms are similar," he added. "If you know how to run an injection molding rubber machine, you know how to run an injection molding plastic machine."

Edge Plastics is an injection molder that owns the ODI Grips brand, which molds grips for mountain, motocross and BMX bicycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, motorcycles and similar products. The company also does custom molding.

BMX bikes originated in Southern California, and ODI was a pioneer in molding BMX bike grips, dating to the late 1970s.

While little will change at Edge Plastics, the acquired business will be renamed ODI Manufacturing LLC. The new owner wants to focus on growth opportunities in action sports, with a goal of boosting market share with motocross and V-twin customers, including motorcycles.

Mission Rubber injection molds rubber products. The family-owned company dates to 1958, although its roots go to 1951 as a clay pipe company. Mission Rubber still serves the construction market with products including pipe couplings, gaskets, saddles, end caps and service connectors.

Vansell has known Dave Grimes, the former owner of Edge Plastics, for the past 15 years through an executive management group and always expressed interest in buying his company.

"I always said to him, if he ever wanted to sell this business, I'm interested in purchasing it," Vansell said.

Grimes approached Mission in November 2022, letting them know Edge Plastics was for sale. The acquisition was completed by the end of July 2023. Grimes had been running the company since 1988 and felt that it was a good time to sell the business and retire. MBS Advisors of Florence, Mass., represented Edge Plastics in the transition.

Vansell expects a smooth and transition for both companies and their customers.

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