Your Business in Brief - October 2009

Reifenhauser Buys Kiefel

Reifenhauser GmbH has acquired the blown film extrusion equipment business of Kiefel Extrusion GmbH from Bruckner Technology Holding GmbH. All three firms are located in Germany. Bruckner retains the thermoforming and welding machinery businesses of Kiefel GmbH, another part of the Kiefel group.

The acquisition of Kiefel Extrusion strengthens Reifenhauser’s technology position in blown film and adds about 10% to its worldwide revenues. In the U.S., Kiefel Inc. is in Hampton, N.H. (co-located with Kiefel Technologies), and Reifenhauser Inc. is in Ipswich, Mass. Reifenhauser will reposition Kiefel as a brand within its blown film product line. The company is scouting for a new location in Massachusetts.

For more information visit Reifenhauser GmbH's PT Online Showroom.
For more information visit Kiefel GmbH's PT Online Showroom.

 

New Alliance in PET Preform Molds

ABBA Systems Ltd., Brantford, Ont., and Mold-Masters Ltd., Georgetown, Ont., are teaming up to supply complete PET preform injection molds under the name iPET Systems. Mold-Masters is a major supplier of hot runners, while ABBA has over 17 years’ experience in making preform tooling inserts. Located at the ABBA headquarters, the new venture will offer new molds, retrofits, refurbishments, spare parts, and service from five plants and 40 sales/service offices globally. Its molds and hot runners will be directly interchangeable with existing PET molds in all makes of injection machines. Proprietary features include the iFlow hot-runner manifold, which boasts lower pressure drop, more uniform filling, and less shear heating than conventional gun-drilled manifolds. The valve gate has been engineered specifically for PET so that it reportedly generates less PET dust, reduces crystallinity in the gate, and makes in-press service easy. Patented iCool technology provides conformal cooling over the entire preform surface, said to eliminate hot spots and reduce cycle times.

For more information visit Mold-Masters Ltd's PT Online Showroom.

(519) 757-2273 • www.ipetsystems.com

 

Milacron Emerges from Bankruptcy Under New Ownership

In late August, Milacron LLC, Batavia, Ohio, completed its purchase of the former Milacron Inc. The new company is owned by a group of investors led by Avenue Capital Group and DDJ Capital Management LLC. The Milacron businesses emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy upon completion of the purchase. Milacron LLC is now headed by Dennis Smith, president and CEO, who comes from outside the company. He will also serve as president of Uniloy, while Dave Lawrence, previously CEO of Milacron, Inc., is now president of the Injection/Extrusion Plastics Machinery and D-M-E businesses.

For more information visit Milacron LLC's PT Online Showroom.

 

Fiberfil Is Acquired

Citadel Plastics Holdings, a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, Radnor, Pa., has purchased compounder Fiberfil Engineered Plastics Inc., Stoney Creek, Ont. Citadel also owns three other compounding firms—The Matrixx Group, Evansville, Ind.; Aclo Compounders, Guelph, Ont.; and Bulk Molding Compounds, Inc., W. Chicago, Ill. Citadel is moving Fiberfil’s production to plants in Guelph, Evansville, and Houston. www.citadelplastics.com