CHICAGO (July 10, 5:25 p.m. EDT) — Two equipment makers with a new joint venture manufactured different plastic products at their NPE booths.
During the show, OMV USA Inc., a subsidiary of ISAP OMV Group SpA, used its D140S/E76 in-line shuttle extrusion/thermoforming system and automatic stacker to demonstrate production of 32-ounce, tall-draw, rim-rolled polypropylene car cups. The total system combines melt forming and solid-phase pressure forming, costs about $2.4 million and requires 10 months to manufacture at the OMV machine division's factory in Verona, Italy.
The next-generation OMV equipment boosts production by 30 percent without increasing machinery cost.
Irwin Research & Development Inc. operated an upgraded Model 50 thermoforming system, a Model 50NT stand-alone vertical trim press and a Rennco conveyor and bagging system to produce 8.78-inch-diameter polystyrene foam plates. Irwin's Ballerina personal-computer-based software system provided the controls. The Model 50's redesign increased forming tonnage by 50 percent.
The firms intend to continue their existing businesses while cooperating globally on sales.
The 50-50 joint venture, Irwin OMV Technology Inc., was incorporated May 16 and will design, make and service complete extrusion, thermoforming, mold and product handling systems.
Plans call for a September start on construction of the venture's Yakima, Wash., plant exceeding 30,000 square feet and located near Irwin's facilities. The middle of three bays will have cranes of 20 tons and 5 tons. Eventually, the venture will employ 20-25 for assembly, testing, some machining and customer field service.
While contracting with Irwin for other services, the venture will build complete systems that should reach the market during 2001, said Roger Underwood, Irwin sales and marketing director. His company makes thermoformers, granulators and tooling with strengths in thin-gauge and expanded PS processing and downstream trim-press technology.
Prior to forming the venture, both OMV and Irwin were exploring the development of a 60-inch-wide thermoformer suitable for a variety of applications, said Kent Johansson, president of OMV USA of Genoa City, Wis.
Also at its booth, OMV exhibited a patented tamper-evident thermoformed PP lid that was developed with Nestech Machine Systems Inc. of Hinesburg, Vt., over six months. The push-on tear-off-type lid is reclosable and eliminates the need for downstream labor and equipment to apply a tamper-evident seal.