CHICAGO (July 10, 2:05 p.m. EDT) — Perhaps most noteworthy about Maguire Products Inc.'s equipment on display at NPE 2006 was that despite its status as the largest U.S. maker of blenders, advancements in drying technology may have raised the most eyebrows.
Aston, Pa.-based Maguire's new low-pressure vacuum resin dryer is the world's fastest-selling plastics auxiliary equipment system, according to company officials. Maguire is selling about 30 units per month.
The vacuum system will dry any material in one-sixth the time of a competing desiccant dryer, said Pat Smith, Maguire's vice president of marketing and sales, in a June 19 interview at NPE in Chicago. Moreover, the new dryers use 80 percent less energy than desiccant systems, he said.
Baltimore-based Novatec Inc., the U.S. leader in material dryer sales, now is selling Maguire-made low-pressure dryers under a private Novatec label.
That is not to suggest that Maguire has been neglecting its blender line.
Several blender advancements, particularly in the control systems, have been introduced and were on display.
In addition to the new high-speed touch-screen control system, Maguire has added USB ports to all of its control systems, allowing processors to connect printers and print out equipment reports, as well as download new updates to the systems rather than having to replace entire microprocessors.
All of the control systems also have Ethernet and wireless connectivity capabilities.
Smith said Maguire will continue to explore overseas growth. The company is opening two sales offices in China this year, in Xiamen and Dongguan.
While U.S. manufacturers added about 6,000 new presses or extruders in 2005, Chinese processors added about 50,000. Auxiliary equipment makers can't afford not to do business there.
“Half our business is in export,” Smith said.
Maguire's sales grew about 42 percent in Asia last year. European sales grew about 29 percent.
“It reduces our vulnerability to any economic downturn in the United States,” Smith said.