Schmidt, formerly of KraussMaffei, is setting the bar high for the new machine line. “We want to convince customers with our technology,” he said.
The new machines will incorporate all the latest European technology as a standard. For the base, PlastiVation has partnered with Chinese injection moulding machinery company Tederic, founded in Hangzhou in 2003 and now one of the three leading Chinese injection moulding machine manufacturers. “The collaboration with Tederic is based on a strong foundation and the supply chain from China is stable. We have consistently digitised internal processes from the start,” said Schmidt, speaking with Sustainable Plastics at the Fakuma in October. By building the machine in China, the price of the all-electric highly advanced Hurricane will match that of a hydraulic European machine, he added. “I believe that what our customers want is the economic cost base of China, with the technology of a German machine. And so that is how PlastiVation was born.”
Meanwhile, as a result, PlastiVation has been able to attract new customers for these machines, even from the notoriously demanding automotive industry.
The NEO series currently consists of four injection moulding machines models, two of which were on display at the booth at the Fakuma. The first, a NEO-E230/e620 electric toggle injection moulding machine, was moulding a business card holder in a complete production cell equipped with an industrial robot; the second, a NEO-T90/i380 machine described by the company as a cost-efficient hydraulic toggle injection moulding machine, was producing a plastic cup.
The second-generation high-performance electric toggle injection moulding machines in the NEO-E series are now available with clamping force sizes of up to 1,400 – previously 1,088; the hydromechanical two-platen machines of the NEO-H series have been expanded with new models reaching up to 5,500 t (previously 4,500 t); the multi-component injection moulding machines of the NEO-M series will now be available in sizes up to 3,520 t (previously 1,920 t); and the cost-efficient hydraulic universal injection moulding machine NEO-T up to 1,050 t (previously 500 t).
Asked about plans to expand their activities beyond the DACH region in Europe, Schmidt said that any customers outside that area would of course, would be able buy a machine – ‘of course’. Right now, he explained, the focus is on Mexico, where business is booming. The company is building new facilities there, which are due to be completed soon. “And, importantly, we’ve recruited a new CEO there, who is Mexican. He’s a highly experienced expert with years of experience with another plastics machinery manufacturer.” The new facility, he added will be run under the brand name Tederic.
This article has been republished from the following materials.