CHICAGO - Bemis Manufacturing Co. touted its automated injection molding technology and the ability of its chairs to meet ASTM standards. The Sheyboygan Falls, Wis., company said at the International Casual Furniture Market that it expanded the use of robots to remove resin chairs from injection molding machines. The company said it has 38 automa-ted systems.
In an interview during the Chicago show, Phillipe Ubaghs, vice president of sales and marketing for outdoor furniture at Bemis, said the firm uses Asea Brown Bovari robots on its Cincinnati Milacron injection presses.
Bemis also said its chairs meet new ASTM standards for injection molded chairs, which became effective last fall. The three standard tests are: resting a 300-pound weight on the chair, dropping a 150-pound weight from 6 inches, and rocking the chair back on two legs, then placing a 300-pound weight on the seat. Bemis said its chairs enjoyed a 90 percent successful pass rate.
Ubaghs said buyers are requesting chairs that meet the new standards, fearing liability if inferior resin chairs should break and cause injury.
