Thermoforming tool and die maker liking K show

Dusseldorf, Germany — A potentially lucrative sales lead had the guys at the Ontario Die booth celebrating at Dusseldorf’s imposing Messe Trade Fair Centre. Rumor has it champagne was seen on the premises, though no one at the booth would admit to it.
“Our first K show in 1998 was tremendous, and this one could be even better,” says Francois Durocher, sales and service.
Ontario Die Company, which is exhibiting at K as part of the Canadian pavilion, is based Waterloo/Cambridge, ON. It also has sales offices in Chicago and Montreal, and a total of 198 employees. One of the company’s specialties is forged blade and matched-metal trim tooling for thin-gauge thermoformed food packaging. This knowledge stands it in good stead at the show.
“We make unique tooling. You won’t find tooling like ours anywhere in the world,” says Ronald Levine, president and CEO.
An explosion in demand for thermoformed packaging and the use of more barrier-resistant, and more abrasive, materials, such as APET, has put even more of a premium on the company’s experience in this area.
“We’re known for the quality of our cutting tools,” adds Durocher.
Ontario Die already has customers as far away as Australia and Asia. Attendance at two successive K shows has now led to significant new business in the European market.