MALTERDINGEN, GERMANY (May 2, 12:10 p.m. ET) — Ferromatik Milacron GmbH announced a major sale of all-electric injection presses to China: 113 Elektron machines to a single customer.
Ferromatik Milacron, the German unit of Milacron LLC, announced the sale May 2. In the first quarter of this year, Milacron Plastics Machinery (Jiangyin) Co. Ltd. received an order for 85 Elektron presses, ranging in clamping force from 50 to 155 metric tons. The same customer ordered 28 additional 260-tonne Elektrons at the Chinaplas trade show, held in Shanghai April 18-21.
A company spokeswoman said Milacron would not identify the customer in China, or its plant locations.
But Milacron did indicate what products they will mold, in a news release announcing the sale. The first 85 Elektrons are going to two locations, where they will produce electronics components for a “well-known American manufacturer of computers and entertainment devices,” the company said in the release. Of those 85, Milacron has already delivered 30 presses. The second set of 28 machines will be shipped in the third quarter.
The 28 larger Elektrons will be used to make household items.
Milacron has produced Elektron presses at its Jiangyin factory since 2009. Gerold Schley, managing director of Ferromatik Milacron and vice president of China operations, said a combination of the price-performance ratio, fast delivery times and outstanding service from the China operation helped close the sale.
The customer is currently discussing an additional order for 10 multicomponent makes from Ferromatik Milacron in Malterdingen.
Ferromatik Milacron said the customer already is running about 40 of its K-Tec hydraulic presses for multicomponent molding.
Schley said the China plant has hired new employees, increasing its total workforce to 120 people. The China operation marked its best quarter since it was founded in 2004, he said.
About 90 percent of the Elektron presses produced in China stay in China, Schley said.
Chinplas visitors saw the largest Elektron yet, a 450-metric-ton model.