Plastics News correspondent Roger Renstrom gathered these items at the Mexport 2001 trade show, held June 28 in San Diego.
AGAmex anticipates August press delivery
AGAmex SA de CV is acquiring a 25-ton Engel vertical injection molding machine for a new program at its Tijuana, Mexico, plant. An early August delivery is anticipated.
The job involves insert molding material to manufacture plastic spikes for golf shoes.
``We finished the prototype mold, we are almost 50 percent through with the multicavity hot-runner molds, and we should be in production by late August,'' said Anton Gattiker, president of parent firm AGA Manufacturing Inc. of San Diego.
Now, AGAmex operates 19 presses of 40-400 tons and employs 270, including many in turnkey work assembling computer boards and wire harnesses.
AGA Manufacturing was formed in 1987, established the maquiladora in 1991 and began operations in the current, 60,000-square-foot Tijuana site in 1998.
HK Plastics installs 200-ton molding press
HK Plastics Engineering Inc. of Oceanside, Calif., added a 200-ton Toyo injection molding machine in May.
``With the addition, we have 17 machines of 28-330 tons,'' said Vice President Ron Krippner. ``All of our customer bases seem to be moving in a positive direction,'' he said.
Markets include electronics, medical, computer enclosures, sports equipment and aerospace.
HK Plastics employs 65, up five since Jan. 1.
Toshiba sells press to Mexican processor
Toshiba Machine Co. America is completing the sale of a 180-ton, all-electric injection molding press to a processor in northern Mexico City, according to international sales manager Brian Petersen.
``Toshiba is making an extensive push into Mexico,'' said Petersen, who has held that position since Jan. 1 for Toshiba America's plastic machinery division.
Petersen has responsibility for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
``We are seeing there is a market for our machines in certain industries'' such as medical, consumer products and electronics, Petersen said.
Toshiba's initiative in Mexico to promote its electric machines is being well-received, he said.
