FITCHBURG, MASS. - Netstal-Machinery Inc. of Fitchburg reported 1994 machinery and compact disc packaging sales of $64 million, a 52 percent increase from 1993 sales of $42 million. President Barry Potter said that Netstal sold more than 100 injection molding machines in 1994. About half of those were used for CD production and the rest mainly were bought by processors for medical and packaging.
Potter cited the company's emphasis on selling turnkey injection molding systems and an aggressive vendor leasing program offered in conjunction with Phoenixcor Inc. of Portsmouth, N.H. Potter said the NetLease program has attracted new small and midsized customers.
Also driving sales was continued high demand for CDs in audio and especially CD-ROM. CD demand has moved to the northwest as software applications grow, the company said. The company said it has supplied more than 250 disc molding systems in North America.
The company reported 1994 profit of $3.4 million.
The sales figures include Netstal, based in Fitchburg, and two subsidiaries - First Light Technology Inc. of Saco, Maine, which makes CD replication equipment; and CD packaging maker Optima Precision Inc. of Fitchburg.
Potter gave one example of a major turnkey sale, to Precise Technology Inc.'s plant in Newark, Del., which makes thin-wall packaging.
The deal included eight machines, molds and complete takeout, stacking and conveying equipment.
In other news, Netstal said it will introduce the Discjet 600 CD molding machine at the Replitech International show June 13-15 in Santa Clara, Calif.
Netstal is a unit of Netstal-Maschinen AG of Nafels, Switzerland.
