Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News Europe
  • Plastics & Rubber World
  • Plastics News China
  • Rubber & Plastics News
logo-pn-color
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • End Markets
    • FYI Charts
    • LSR World
    • NPE 2018
    • Top materials of injection molders
      Recycled PET use by product category
      US PET, flexible packaging desintations
      Global fluropolymers additives market: CAGR
    • Who doesn't like football? And pets?
      Donnelly adds press for complex parts
      'A constant champion for our industry'
      Carteaux's legacy: Saving and transforming the Plastics Industry Association
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Plastics News Now
    • Processor of the Year
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Bumper to Bumper
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
  • Opinion
    • Viewpoint
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • What Keeps You Up At Night
    • 2019: The year the business cycle caught up to plastics machinery
      Turning a recycling nightmare into a success story
      Unlikely story of how a plastic survey marker brought people together
      Auto industry changes look like bad news for toolmakers
    • What makes a company attractive for acquisition?
      How plastics manufacturers are maximizing existing machinery
      Trademarks of the successful packaging supplier
      Molding innovations come from partnerships
    • A workable solution?
      Slower growth won't mean less M&A activity
      Skibbereen correct to stop RTP compounding plant
      Container fee a 'public relations gimmick'
    • Hubertz focused on finding new business for Wisconsin's Vision Plastics
      Photos by Don Loepp
      Busy times for Mike Walter at Met2Plastic
      Plastic Parts Inc. photos by Don Loepp. Jill has the dark sweater
      ‘Scientific mindset' works for Wisconsin's Plastic Parts
      Partnerships help i2tech keep growing
  • Blogs
    • In Motion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Pop Goes Plastics
    • Behind the lens
    • Heavy Metal
    • One Good Resin
    • NO. 7
    • From Pillar to Post
    • BRICS and Plastics
    • All Things Data
    • A 30-year-old plastics millennial
      Need skilled workers? Maybe you're looking in the wrong places
      Pondering the potential of exposure to the skilled trades
      Generations change with time, but we all share one thing in common
    • Plastics News journalists honored for outstanding work
      Forget about the mousetrap. Who can build better sustainability?
      'They didn't mean to be discriminatory'
      Plastics News welcomes reader opinions
    • Kickstart: The Sustainability Bowl
      Kickstart: Picture women in charge
      Kickstart: Living in a material world
      Kickstart: The Island of Misfit Toys
    • I’ve seen our strawless future. And it’s just fine
      South Africa takes on straws, plastics waste
      California's straw law gains interest
      DC straw ban enforcement and January usage totals
    • A 30-year plastics veteran
      An expert on workplace shootings warns: 'Lightning can strike anywhere'
      Public companies see opportunity in plastics machinery
      Celebrating National Adirondack chair day? Why not? It's all American!
    • PolyOne's Patterson recognized by University of Michigan
      Lubrizol, Maroon Group show support for science education
      MAPP awards top firms for innovation and education
      Polymers of a feather stick together at University of Akron
    • A sustainable lid for your lid (read the footnotes if you're confused)
      Berry, Sabic join forces in chemical recycling
      Recycling? For Gerber, it's child's play
      Canada and the work toward a greener legal marijuana industry
    • Raise the roof: Housing starts hit a 12-year high
      Finding a place for polymer siding in New Urbanism
      Uponor's new manufacturing plant honored again
    • Kickstart: Holy LCA Batman!
      Plastics industry's top issues on display at Chinaplas
      Basel talks consider changes to plastic scrap trade
    • The state with the most compounders? Here's a hint
      A peek behind the data in our 2019 ranking of North American blow molders
      Turning anecdotes on women-owned companies into data
      Signs of fall: Pumpkin spice, falling leaves, mold making report
  • Events
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars/Live Streams
    • Plastics News Live
    • Become a Speaker
    • Women Breaking The Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive 2020
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
  • Resin Resources
    • All Resins
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Datasheets
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Rankings
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • K Show
  • More+
    • Data Store
    • Classifieds
    • Newsletters
    • Directory
    • Digital Edition
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
October 23, 2006 02:00 AM

Habasit boosts plastic, rubber operations

Mike McNulty
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    Habasit Belting LLC's wide-ranging reach is spreading.

    The wholly owned subsidiary of Switzerland-based Habasit AG is involved in a flurry of expansion activities to increase and improve its polyurethane, plastic and rubber-coated belting operations.

    The moves include:

    * The acquisition of Summa Industries in a cash deal to expand its plastic belt segment significantly.

    * Expansion of its Middletown, Conn., plant to 175,000 square feet from 125,000 square feet to handle a PU belt line introduced at NIBA, the Belting Association convention, held Sept. 16-20 in Palm Springs, Calif.

    * The purchase of Rossi Motordattori SpA, an Italian maker of gearboxes and motors, for an undisclosed amount in 2005.

    * Moving its plastic segment into a new, 50,000-square-foot plant in Suwanee, Ga., which frees up more space for its other operations, including rubber, at the firm's larger headquarters facility in the city.

    It's been a busy year and a half for the firm, Bert Flieger, executive vice president of sales and marketing, said at the NIBA convention.

    Gaining ground

    The company expanded its Middletown plant to handle its new family of thermoplastic PU timing belts, called HabaSync, aimed at the packaging, food and business machine markets, Flieger said. It also added two new open-ended timing belt machines at the site.

    The HabaSync belts, made of TPU and high-strength steel or aramid cord, are used in conveying and linear movement applications, primarily where motion control, product placement, component positioning and synchronization are essential to optimum performance.

    Manufactured in open-end lengths, the belts can be slit to width and cut to length to fit an exact size, Flieger said.

    Habasit's Middletown facility, which operates under the name Habasit ABT Inc. and primarily produces seamless belts, also makes PU flat belts and rubber belt covers.

    The urethane and rubber ends of the company's business are growing significantly, he noted, and the plastic segment is making big inroads.

    The Summa transaction closed in mid-October, boosting the company's market share in the plastic belt segment, he said.

    Under terms of the agreement, Habasit paid cash - $15 per share of Summa common stock - and assumed about $21 million in Summa's debt.

    Torrance, Calif.-based Summa has become a subsidiary of Habasit, its management team will remain in place and its U.S. facilities will continue operating.

    Summa has sites in California, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Canada.

    Habasit, based in Reinach-Basel, Switzerland, intends to invest in Summa to improve operating efficiencies and customer service, according to Habasit Chairman Giovanni Volpi.

    More moves planned

    Plastic belts, some of which have rubber inserts, account for about 10 percent of Habasit's business, while rubber, PU and PVC belts make up the remaining 90 percent.

    The rubber-fabric end has about $400 million in sales annually, has been growing at a double-digit rate for the past four years and remains the company's core business, according to Flieger.

    But the modular plastic segment is growing at a faster rate in terms of percentage. It was the first of the firm's operations to move from its 160,000-square-foot headquarters and production facility in Suwanee to the new plant.

    For the time being, the plastic division will operate by itself at the new factory, which sits on 25 acres purchased by Habasit in late 2004. Down the road, the facility will be expanded to about 300,000 square feet and the remainder of the company's operations in Suwanee will move there.

    The lightweight belting market has been strong and steady for Habasit.

    ``Even when the economy slowed down, we continued to invest heavily in new product development,'' Flieger said.

    The company plans to work closely with distributors ``and provide them with strong sales, technology and customer support,'' which has paid off, he said.

    Habasit's philosophy is to grow organically and through acquisitions.

    ``That's worked very well for us,'' Flieger said.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    Indorama acquires California PET recycler Green Fiber International
    Trelleborg launches major restructuring plan
    In the workplace, two languages are spoken
    PolyOne's Patterson recognized by University of Michigan
    Miller out to mold parts and company culture
    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    logo-pn-color
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Plastics News Europe
    • PRW
    • LSR World
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Plastics News China
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Tire Business
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 1996-2019. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Plastics News Now
        • Processor of the Year
        • Numbers that Matter
        • Bumper to Bumper
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • FYI Charts
        • Current FYI
      • LSR World
      • NPE 2018
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Galleries
      • Podcasts
    • Opinion
      • Viewpoint
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • What Keeps You Up At Night
    • Blogs
      • In Motion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Pop Goes Plastics
      • Behind the lens
      • Heavy Metal
      • One Good Resin
      • NO. 7
      • From Pillar to Post
      • BRICS and Plastics
      • All Things Data
    • Events
      • Plastics News Events
        • Women Breaking The Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive 2020
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
      • Industry Events
      • Webinars/Live Streams
      • Plastics News Live
      • Become a Speaker
    • Resin Resources
      • All Resins
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
      • Datasheets
    • Rankings
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • K Show
    • More+
      • Data Store
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified
      • Newsletters
      • Directory
      • Digital Edition