Arburg
An early Arburg IMM from its exhibit at the Technology Days
Helmut Heinson told press at Arburg's Technology days that the resurgence in the automotive market in the UK, as well as the trend of re-shoring is driving sales of injection moulding machines in the country.
Speaking at the company's headquarters in Lossburg, Heinson said that they had seen significant pickup in the number of companies re-shoring in both the UK and the USA from low-cost Asian markets compared to three to four years ago.
During the event, the company showed technology for the automotive sector, including long-fibre injection for the production of lightweight pedal levers produced on a 400 tonne servo-hydraulic Allrounder 820 S with intergrated automation technology.
It also demonstrated its proficiencies in the area of repeatability and efficiency of parts with its latest technology and software systems for traceability and quality control.
After it created a "sensation" when launched at K 2013, Arburg also revealed that the first models of its Freeformer will be piloted exclusively to selected German customers in 2014.
Managing Partner, Michael Hehl, revealed that the interest and demand around the machines is "overwhelming", but made clear the company is in no rush to launch the machines to the mass market before they are ready.
"When you have a highly innovative product, such as the Freeformer, you need to take time to get it right and that is why the Freeformer will not be available until the last two quarters of 2014,” Hehl said.
Hehl stressed that despite the flurry of interest around its newest technology, the development of the Freeformer does not mean it is "neglecting" the injection moulding sector.
“Quite the contrary,” he explained. "We will look to do much higher investments in the coming year, our new developments in terms of both the machines, but also in new production facilities and in technologies for the growing markets."
During the technology days, the company charted the history and development of its technology, with a “museum” of its early models, followed by demonstrations of its very latest production technology.
This included the production of an over-moulded, thin wall optical lens for LEDs on an Allrounder 520A using Bayer's Makrolon polycarbonate in a three injection process, several high-speed packaging applications as well as cleanroom technology for the medical sector.