In an investment totaling more than $9 million, blow molding machinery maker Techne SpA of Bologna, Italy, is consolidating its four production facilities into one 100,000-square-foot manufacturing site in Bologna.
The firm has a target move-in date of January 2008, said Kyle Grodzinksi, vice president of sales for Techne North America Inc. in Aurora, Ontario.
``This is to accommodate growth of our business as well as growth in North America, including Mexico, for more space to develop more efficiency in the organization,'' he said in a recent telephone interview. ``We're moving all manufacturing to this facility. The buildings that we're now in, we will vacate.''
All the sites are in the Bologna region.
Grodzinki said the company is benefiting in part from business gained at NPE 2006. The new site will include a machinery assembly area, production trial area, full packaging test lab, lab machines for pilot mold development, and commercial offices.
``The new building will allow us to double our production capabilities,'' Grodzinki wrote in an Oct. 16 e-mail. ``For example, we would have the means to manufacture 80 of our largest long-stroke shuttles per year in the new facility. That means we have the capability of supplying equipment that can produce over 3.9 billion 1-liter containers per year.''
The company touted its long-stroke series during Chicago's NPE 2006 in June. The machines have been a strong seller in other markets around the world, including Europe and South America, but Techne is looking to gain more footing in North America.
The continuous extrusion blow molding machine, model 4000-T660, features a mold stroke of 660 millimeters. The company also featured Veltech, a fast-cooling system that's integrated into the blow molding machine.
``The building was necessary due to the growth of our business worldwide, including dramatic growth in North, Latin and South America,'' Grodzinksi said. ``It will allow us a more efficient way of manufacturing with better test facilities.''