KraussMaffei to Expand Local Production of Extrusion Lines in China

In April 2014, KraussMaffei opened a second production hall at its machinery manufacturing site in Haiyan, giving it more space to support a booming local market. The company actually began Chinese production of portions of its Berstorff line of extrusion machinery in 2006. In 2011, it added production of some of its reaction process machinery, with injection molding machine production following in 2012.

At this point, according to Christian Blatt, CEO of KraussMaffei Asia, the company has more than 300 employees in China, spread among 11 offices, including sales and service branches and the manufacturing site in Haiyan.

Blatt also announced that the MX Series of injection molding machines, which has featured Chinese production since 2012, will be extended by two clamp force sizes: 2700 and 3200 m.t. The company said this move was driven by increased demand for higher clamp forces from the automotive industry.

Also on the injection side, Chinaplas 2015 will mark the Chinese premier of KraussMaffei’s CX series of smaller tonnage injection molding machines (350 to 1600 m.t.), which launched at last year’s Fakuma. At the show, a two-platen CXV 160 will run a multimaterial application with a second vertical injection unit.

Blatt called China the “global growth engine” for KraussMaffei, adding that in all three of its business segments—injection, extrusion, reaction—it is in the process of localizing additional products into the factory in Haiyan. Blatt noted that the expansion of Haiyan represented a “huge investment”, which is not expected to be fully utilized until 2017, but with the company’s growth in the country, he was confident it will be.