Bekum acquires pultrusion business of ProTec

Berlin-based extrusion blow molding machine maker Bekum Machinenfabriken GmbH has acquired the LFT-Pultrusion business of Germany’s ProtTec Polymer Processing GmbH, which specializes in long-fiber reinforced thermoplastics.

The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

“With this diversification, [we are] investing in a promising future market for fibre-reinforced plastics and setting the course for further growth,” Bekum officials said in a news release.

Bekum said it was able to retain both the previous technical managing director of ProTec as well as “experienced and leading employees” from the areas of design, sales, and service from ProTec., which was in insolvency.

The assembly of new pultrusion lines is integrated at the Bekum site in Traismauer, Austria. In addition, Bekum Maschinenfabriken also acquires ProTec Polymer Processing Shanghai, which in recent years, has successfully sold LFT systems to the Chinese market. The Shanghai site will continue to further expand sales and local service in China and Asian countries, the release said.

Pultrusion, also known as strand drawing, is a process for the production of long-fibre-reinforced thermoplastics in granulate form, with applications in the manufacture of lightweight components in the automotive and electromobility sectors. In the future, Bekum said, it will also develop the LFT lines for applications in the areas of UD tapes and continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic profiles.