Oerlikon Acquires INGlass and its HRSflow Hot Runner Business
The Swiss maker of flow control components, including gear metering pumps, has acquired the Italian headquartered mold maker and its hot runner unit.
Oerlikon (Pfaeffikon, Switzerland) has acquired INglass S.p.A. (Polo di Piave, Italy), including its HRSflow hot runner manufacturing business, in a deal the Swiss company says will accelerate the diversification of its manmade fibers business into plastics processing.
Oerlikon has a flow control components business, featuring gear metering pumps for textiles and other industries, including automotive, chemical and paint markets. HRSflow will be integrated into this existing business to form the Oerlikon Flow Control Solutions Business Unit, which is part of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. That unit was formerly knows as the Manmade Fibers division. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021.
INglass S.p.A. was established in 1987 by Maurizio Bazzo, initially focusing on multicomponent molds for automotive lighting lenses. HRSflow was created in 2001 by INglass, focusing on the design and production of hot runner systems. In 2004, the INglass brand was created, initially focusing on polycarbonate automotive glazing. The company opened a production site in China in 2009, with a U.S. based manufacturing site in Grand Rapids, Mich. opened in 2015. HRSflow’s FLEXflow technology utilizing servodriven valve gates to control plastic flow in large parts, reducing warpage and improving surface quality, was launched in 2013.
Headquartered near Venice, HRSflow generated 2020 revenues of approximately $147.7 million. The company has more than 1000 employees and 55 sites worldwide, including the aforementioned production facilities.
Between its two divisions—Surface Solutions and Polymer Processing Solutions—Oerlikon has more than 10,600 employees globally spread over 179 locations in 37 countries. In 2020, the company had $2.5 billion in sales.
In the U.S., the company operates Oerlikon Balzers Coating USA; a supplier of surface coating technologies for the metal and plastics processing industries, including molds and mold components.
Related Content
-
Where and How to Vent Injection Molds: Part 3
Questioning several “rules of thumb” about venting injection molds.
-
How to Design Three-Plate Molds, Part 1
There are many things to consider, and paying attention to the details can help avoid machine downtime and higher maintenance costs, and keep the customer happy.
-
Design Your Tools for Moldability ... and Maintenance
In the initial design phase, when considering the structure and elements of the tool, are you designing them to be maintenance friendly? Canon Virginia has used this approach and preventive maintenance to make tool replacement a thing of the past. You can, too. Here’s how.