D&S Manufacturing acquires PDK Design
AUBURN, MASS. — D&S Manufacturing Co. of Auburn recently purchased PDK Design and Grinding Co. of Warminster, Pa., for an undisclosed price.
PDK manufactures a line of carbide- and cobalt-based alloy pelletizer knives as well as carbide replacement parts for high-wear applications on pelletizer equipment.
According to D&S President Norman Monks, the acquisition will add significant capacity and broaden D&S' product range. He said PDK employs about 20 and the plant will remain at its present site.
D&S manufactures pelletizer and granulator knives for the plastics industry. Monks said D&S employs about 110. It also has manufacturing sites in Auburn and Worcester as well as in England.
``We've been producing knives for the plastics industry since the mid-1980s,'' he said.
Gusmer Machinery buys Komo Machine
AKRON, OHIO — Polyurethane equipment supplier Gusmer Machinery Group Inc. has acquired Komo Machine, which makes PU foam fixtures and tooling for the North American appliance industry.
Coupled with Gusmer's Akron-based Venus-Gusmer unit, the group has supplied complete cabinet and door foaming systems to major appliance makers, such as GE Appliances, Whirlpool Corp., Frigidaire Home Products, Maytag and Amana Appliances.
Komo also makes computer numerically controlled wood routers and CNC milling machines. the company also owns a software subsidiary, Cim-tech in West Chicago, Ill.
Pemex under the gun to attract investors
MEXICO CITY — Mexico's state oil corporation, Petr¢leos Mexicanos, has until May 19 to draw up a new plan to interest the private sector in investing in its petrochemicals plant.
Bids were to be opened Feb. 19 for a 49 percent share of Petroquimica Morelos SA de CV, the first on the block of the secondary petrochemical complexes owned by Pemex. But the sale process ground to a halt because the company had no bidders.
Two Mexican chemical firms had registered as potential bidders, but one dropped out after it was unable to attract co-investors, and both complained about Pemex's plan to retain majority control of the complex.
Pemex claims Morelos is one of its most modern petrochemical complexes. The Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, complex makes high density polyethylene, polypropylene, monomers and other chemicals.
Local speculation is that Pemex will agree to form an alliance with a company interested in buying Morelos.
However, much of the current discussion in Mexico is centered around a presidential proposal to privatize the electricity sector.
``If that comes through, then it may be easier to resolve the petrochemicals issue,'' said Socorro Sedano, director of plastics industry association Asociaci¢n Nacional de Industrias del Plastico (Anipac) in Mexico City.
Production begins at Xaloy's Thai plant
PULASKI, VA. — Xaloy Inc. said barrel production manufacturing has started at its $18 million plant at Chon Buri, Thailand. Screw production will begin by the end of June.
Xaloy of Pulaski is a leading supplier of screws and barrels to Japanese plastics machinery makers.
``The plant makes use of everything we've learned in our U.S. and European operations, with the additional advantage of a facility specially designed for our cellular manufacturing systems,'' said Detlev Spanholtz, general manager of Xaloy Asia (Thailand) Ltd.
Initially, the factory will employ 80 working two shifts.
The plant makes both nitrided and bimetallic barrels. It produces screws with nitrided, chrome-plated, tool steel and hard-faced constructions.
Veera Kwanloetchit is managing director of the Thailand operation.
Briefly...
Thermoforming equipment maker Maac Machinery Corp. has opened an East Coast office, Maac-East, in Swansea, Mass., near Providence, R.I.