What certifications does Hi-Technology Group hold for plastic injection moulding?

Hi-Technology Group holds ISO 13485:2016 for medical device quality management, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and JOSCAR registration for the UK defence supply chain. The company was named 3M EMEA Supplier of the Year in 2024.

What is the difference between insert moulding and overmoulding?

Insert moulding places a metal or pre-formed component inside the mould before injection so the plastic forms directly around it, creating a permanent bond. Overmoulding applies a second material, typically a flexible TPE or TPU, over a rigid substrate in a second operation. Both processes are performed in-house at Hi-Technology Group.

How much does plastic injection moulding cost?

Injection moulding costs have two main components. Tooling is the one-off mould manufacture cost, typically £3,000 to £8,000 for a simple tool and £25,000 to £60,000 or more for complex multi-cavity tools. Unit production cost depends on cycle time, material, cavity count and volume — higher volumes bring lower unit costs significantly.

Do you offer plastic injection moulding services near me?

Hi-Technology Group operates from Waterlooville in Hampshire (serving the South Coast, Surrey, Berkshire and nationally) and Letchworth in Hertfordshire (serving Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, North London and the East of England). A third facility in Slovakia provides additional volume capacity under the same certified quality management system.

Plastic Injection Moulding Services

Q: What is the minimum order quantity for plastic injection moulding?

Hi-Technology Group works from prototype quantities of 50 to 500 parts up to millions of components per year. There is no blanket minimum order quantity — it depends on part complexity, material and programme type.

Q: How long does injection moulding tooling take?

Injection moulding tool lead times typically run from 6 to 16 weeks depending on complexity, cavity count and steel specification. DFM review and mould flow analysis are completed before any steel is cut to avoid costly modifications later.

ISO 13485 and JOSCAR certified plastic injection moulding services from two UK facilities – Waterlooville, Hampshire and Letchworth, Hertfordshire and a third site in Slovakia. Press range 25 to 650 tonnes. Over 40 years producing components for medical devices, UK defence programmes, safety-critical systems and precision engineering applications.

We are one of a small number of UK plastic injection moulding companies that hold both ISO 13485:2016 and JOSCAR registration. If your programme requires either, it matters. Most plastic moulders in the UK hold ISO 9001 only.

What is plastic injection moulding?

Plastic injection moulding is the process of melting thermoplastic granules and injecting the molten material under pressure into a precision steel mould. The material fills the cavity, cools and solidifies, and is ejected as a finished component. The mould closes and the cycle repeats.

What makes it the dominant process for volume plastic component manufacture is repeatability. A properly designed tool running a characterised material on a well-maintained press produces the same part, to the same tolerance, thousands of times over. For medical devices, defence and safety-critical applications, that repeatability is not just useful — it is a regulatory requirement.

Cycle times run from a few seconds to several minutes depending on part size, wall section and material. Fully automated systems can run around the clock with minimal operator input, which is why the economics of injection moulding favour volume.

Our injection moulding services and capabilities

Our press fleet covers 25 to 650 tonnes, giving us a wide range in terms of part size, shot weight and application type. Small precision components with tight tolerances through to large structural housings.

We offer precision plastic injection moulding, insert moulding, where metal inserts or sub-components are encapsulated within the moulding, and overmoulding, where a second material is moulded over a rigid substrate. We operate vertical presses with integrated vision systems for precision over-moulding of delicate connectors and electronic assemblies – a capability not widely available among UK injection moulders.

For new product introductions and custom plastic injection moulding programmes, our team manages DFM review, mould flow analysis, tool build and first article inspection.

For programmes requiring UK quality oversight with volume cost efficiency, our Slovakia facility operates under the same certified QMS as our UK sites and is managed under full contract manufacturing relationship.

Materials we process

ABS — Rigid, impact-resistant housings and enclosures

Nylon (PA6 / PA66) — High strength, fatigue resistance, engineering components

PEEK — High-performance, exceptional temperature and chemical resistance

PETG / PET — Medical and food-contact applications

Polypropylene (PP) — Lightweight, chemically resistant, medical and safety applications

Polycarbonate (PC) — High impact strength, optically clear grades available

Acetal (POM) — Low friction, dimensionally stable, precision parts

TPE / TPU — Flexible over-moulding and soft-touch grips

Flame-retardant, anti-static, glass-filled and specialist alloy grades are available across most polymer families. Material selection is discussed at quoting stage, the right choice early avoids expensive changes later.

ISO 13485 certified medical injection moulding

ISO 13485:2016 is the quality management standard for medical device manufacturers. It is not an extension of ISO 9001 – it requires validated process qualification, full material traceability, documented change control, PPAP and lot-by-lot inspection records. The majority of UK injection moulding companies do not hold it.

Our medical injection moulding service covers life-critical programmes including diagnostic device housings, drug delivery components, surgical instrument covers and emergency safety products.

Everything produced under ISO 13485 – from incoming material to finished goods release, is traceable, documented and auditable.

Where programmes also require ultrasonic welding for medical devices, we offer it under the same certified quality system.

JOSCAR registered defence injection moulding

JOSCAR is the supplier qualification scheme used by UK defence and aerospace prime contractors. It is an independent assessment, companies cannot self-certify and it is routinely used as a first filter when shortlisting plastic moulding companies for defence supply chains.

We are registered. We manufacture precision plastic components for defence programmes including work for Chemring Countermeasures, where supply reliability and documentation standards are non-negotiable. See our defence and aerospace injection moulding page for programme details.

Hi-Technology Waterlooville

Tyak house, Silverthorne way
Waterlooville, Hampshire
PO7 7XY

Hi-Technology Letchworth

Unit 5, Jubilee Trading Estate,
Jubilee Road, Letchworth.
Herts, SG6 1SP

Hi-Technology Slovakia

BahýIova 1704
040 17 Barca, Košice
Slovakia

Plastic injection moulding company near you

Many businesses come to us when searching for a reliable plastic injection moulding partner in their area. With facilities in both the UK and Slovakia, we support customers across the UK and Europe with certified, high-quality manufacturing solutions.

Plastic injection moulding in Hampshire – Our Waterlooville site supports customers across the South Coast, Surrey, Berkshire, and nationwide.

Plastic injection moulding in Hertfordshire – Our Letchworth facility works with businesses throughout Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Stevenage, Luton, North London, and the wider East of England.

Slovakia – Additional volume manufacturing capacity operating under the same certified quality management system as our UK facilities.

View all locations and contact details

Frequently asked questions

We work from prototype quantities of 50–500 parts up to millions of components per year. There is no blanket minimum, it depends on part complexity, material and programme type.

Typically 6 to 16 weeks depending on complexity, cavity count and steel specification. DFM review and mould flow analysis are completed before any steel is cut.

SO 13485:2016, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, JOSCAR registered. We were named 3M EMEA Supplier of the Year in 2024.

Insert moulding places a metal component in the mould before injection so the plastic forms around it. Overmoulding applies a second material, usually a flexible TPE, over a rigid substrate in a second operation. Both are performed in-house.

We operate from Waterlooville (Hampshire) and Letchworth (Hertfordshire) in the UK, plus Slovakia. We serve manufacturers nationally and across Europe.

Ready to talk through your project?

Whether you need support with injection moulding, tooling, production, or scaling an existing programme, our team is here to help. We aim to respond to all enquiries within one business day.