Kiefel clinches machine order in China

Officials at thermoforming machine maker Kiefel Technologies had every reason to smile at the Chinaplas 2019 show: the company had clinched a large order of six machines to a Chinese PET recycling firm.

Of the six machines sold to Guolong Recyclable Resources Group, five were the KMD Smartformer and one, the KTR cup forming machine.

Said Thomas Halletz, Managing Director of Kiefel, “Not only is Guolong a new customer, we are also proud that we participated in a closed loop cycle project.”

Guolong is expected to have a turnkey project line comprising sorting equipment from Tomra, cleaning equipment from Sorema, recycling equipment from Austrian firm Erema and an extrusion line from Austria’s SML, with Kiefel’s thermoforming machinery closing the loop.

“Our business focuses on sustainability, and we are proud to have cooperated with Guolong. The company uses regrind from PET bottles back to sheet and thermoforms into FDA-approved trays for food packaging.” He added that 100% rPET is used in the centre of the packaging trays, reducing the use of virgin material.

Machines in the KMD Speedformer series are effective for mass production and said to be economical for small quantities, with a high degree of automation, steel rule cutting as well as integrated stacking station.

Meanwhile, Kiefel, a member of the Siegsdorf-based Brückner group is moving ahead with investments into its business. “We have extended our production hall recently in Freilassing. A great deal of importance was placed on an optimal balance of sustainability, energy efficiency and maximum flexibility in the building. Almost one-third of the new area is for manufacturing IV and blood bags,” revealed Halletz, adding that medical occupies a part of the firm’s business.

“Of the EUR200 million turnover, 50% is dedicated towards the packaging sector, with medical and the automotive sectors following closely.”

When asked about sales in Asia, Halletz replied, “It is a competitive market but we are seeing increasing take up of machines for the automotive sector in China.”

Halletz also said that the firm’s KMD Speedformer enjoys growing sales for thermoforming trays, while its tilting machines are used in niche markets of cups for the beverage market worldwide.

“We are able to offer a full spectrum of downstream services since the 2016 acquisition of Austria-based Mould & Matic Solutions, which is a specialist in tool and plant engineering for the packaging industry. In fact, Mould & Matic has also expanded its space recently, with generously proportioned assembly halls for the construction and commissioning of processing machines,” he added.

Subscribe to Get the Latest Updates from PRA  Please click here