Engel re-enters PET/packaging market

Engel is aggressively entering the packaging market with a new line of machines, the company announced at its Pre-K press conference held in Perg, Austria. The machines will be featured at the company’s exhibit at the K show later this year.
The company’s new MacPET series of machines are designed for the injection molding of PET preforms. The MacPET line is a new business sector created by Engel after its acquisition of SIG Coroplast’s injection molding machine business. The series is comprised of complete production systems for PET preforms equipped with multi-cavity molds ranging from 24 up to 96 cavities. A 96-cavity machine will be in operation at the K Show.
Engel sold about 100 PET machines as part of the SIG Coroplast line in 2003, and has already sold about 15 MacPET machines this year as part of the launch of the new line, according to Georg Steinbichler, senior vice president, R&D, Engel Austria. Steinbichler projects the company will sell about 25 MacPET machines over the next year.
Engel is also introducing at K its new line of machines for the injection molding of thin-wall packaging containers, the MacPAC system. The MacPAC machines are equipped with five-point toggle clamps and are designed for fast cycling. Steinbichler said the MacPAC series will ultimately comprise machines with clamping forces ranging from 1250 to 3500 kN. A 1,250 kN MacPAC machine will be in operation at the K Show molding a packaging tub from polypropylene in a two-cavity mold.
Dr. Hans Wobbe, managing director, technology, said the new machines fill out the company’s product line in established markets such as North America and Europe.
“We think packaging manufacturing will remain in higher-cost countries and that there will be a growing need for machines because packaging is a marketing instrument,” said Wobbe.