Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC has added two automatic pressure forming machines from Kiefel GmbH's KMD Speedformer series, one each at its facilities in Huntley, Ill., and Fremont, Ind.
TEQ began operating a KMD 90 in February in a new environmentally controlled environment at the Fremont facility, which also has five Brown thermoforming machines. TEQ acquired Fremont Plastics Inc. in November. The KMD 90 has a maximum tool size of 35 inches by 37 inches, uses high-output black ceramic heaters, offers a film-edge heater for brittle or thick material and generates 44 tons of clamping pressure.
Production started in March for a KMD 78 at the Huntley product development and manufacturing headquarters site, complementing TEQ's existing 11 Kiefels and one Brown at that location. The KMD 78 has a heating station with black ceramic elements, individual element controls and a pyrometer for measuring and ensuring stable film temperatures.
TEQ says it has the largest installation of Kiefel in-line thermoformers in the United States. Kiefel is based in Freilassing, Germany.
TEQ focuses on packaging for the medical market. Ninety percent of the Fremont production involves medical products, and 80 percent of the Huntley output serves the same market.
Effective Feb. 1, TEQ parent company Esco Technologies Inc. of St. Louis acquired rigid plastic packaging thermoformer Plastique Group LLC of Tunbridge Wells, England. Esco combined Plastique operations with those of TEQ with an expectation that total sales could approach $100 million in 2017.
TEQ had 2015 sales of about $39 million.
