Injection Moulding Asia Machinery In terms of infrastructure spending, Engel has almost completed its 2020 EUR400 million investment programme into capacity expansions and upgrades across its sites. At its large machine facility in St Valentin, Austria, Engel is setting up a customer technology centre while it opened a customer centre at its headquarters in Schwertberg in July. Machinery, robot and auxiliary equipment maker Wittmann Group also echoed a successful ten-year run, according to CEO Michael Wittmann. “The current situation reminds us of the 2008/9 period but now we are faced with market fluctuations,” he added. Having generated sales of EUR425 million in 2018, Michael forecast a turnover of EUR377 million for 2019, a decline of 11%. As for 2020, he said it would be difficult to make a forecast, adding, “We are entering 2020 with a lower backlog than we had in 2019 and this makes a huge difference.” Nevertheless, the company has proceeded with its expansions, having added on 2,150 sq m to its facility in Kottingbrunn, Austria, while its subsidiary Wittmann Battenfeld expanded its facilities in Germany, Czech Republic, Mexico and Italy.
But despite the rising propensity to invest, the CEO maintains a cautious economic focus, emphasising that he doesn’t foresee an end to the crisis. Liebig added the company would continue to increase production capacity and invest in R&D and production support, such as MyConnect, to assist customers with application optimisation. Taking a more relaxed approach at its press conference was Munich-based KraussMaffei Group, with its executives in casual sneakers and in the company’s brand colours. “We are taking steps into the future, and we are not afraid to do so,” CEO Frank Stieler said, while placing emphasis on the company’s new brand identity as well as on upgrading works on infrastructure globally. With the support from its parent company China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina), KraussMaffei has kicked off four projects to modernise its operations. It is currently planning or building KraussMaffei’s Frank Stieler production facilities placed emphasis on the company’s new brand identity in Munich/Parsdorf, as well as on upgrading works Hannover/Laatzen, Einbeck on its sites globally (Burgsmüller) and Jiaxing/ China. Stieler added, “We make KraussMaffei fit for the future.” Touching on the market situation, Stieler said, “Our fundamentals are intact, and although we cannot predict how the automotive and packaging sectors will do, markets will require products (and machines).”
Feeling the pinch, but soldiering on Another company feeling the pinch is Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery, with sales down to EUR286 million, about 9% down from EUR295 million in 2018, said CEO Gerd Liebig. He also said the company has had a good run and now needs to be more flexible to meet the economic uncertainties. Nonetheless, in a post-show report, Liebig reported EUR25 million sales confirmed over the eight-day exhibition, hailing the show an “unprecedented success”.
Plunging into the circular economy Arburg launched its arburgGREENworld, its solution to the circular economy, a green programme that rests on the four pillars of Green Machine, Green Production, Green Services and Green Environment.
Though SHI CEO Gerd Liebig noted that visitors to the stand were less than K2016, the company managed to secure orders worth EUR25 million
Arburg showcased its concentrated expertise on the circular economy
2 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
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