Melbourne, Australia — A wide range of used plastics processing equipment is for sale in Australia as a result of the demise of the country's automotive manufacturing sector.
Equipment from nine factories are part of an online auction that includes 33 injection molding machines, six extrusion lines, polyurethane processing equipment, robots and auxiliary equipment.
Logan Fenemor, business development manager with auction house GraysOnline.com, said “a lot of numbers have been thrown around” but he hopes the sale will net A$20 million (US$15.9 million).
The factories, in the states of Victoria and South Australia, supplied Toyota Motor Corp. Australia Ltd. The company is in the process of shutting down all its manufacturing in Australia by the end of 2017, including its major assembly plant in Altona.
The sale includes equipment from the assembly plant.
The sale is being run by Amsterdam-based Hilco Industrial Acquisitions BV, in partnership with auction house GraysOnline.com, which is headquartered in Lidcombe, Australia. Hilco will accept offers until Oct. 3.
Fenemor said Toyota moved one large injection press to one of its overseas plants, but the rest of its equipment is for sale.
This is the second time Grays has partnered with Hilco to sell auto manufacturing equipment. In 2007 the company auctioned equipment when Mitsubishi Motors Corp. stopped making autos in Australia.
Fenemor added that the demise of the automotive manufacturing sector in Australia means more equipment will likely be on the market soon, including more injection presses.
“We're talking to other factories that are closing their doors,” Fenemor said.
Hilco CEO Robert Bouland said demand for the equipment is high, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.
“While it is unfortunate to see the industry in Australia shut down, this sale presents a very significant opportunity for those seeking to acquire critical production equipment to augment their facilities,” he said.
Ford and General Motors also have shut down manufacturing in Australia.
Suppliers with plastics equipment in the auction include Continental Pty. Ltd., Toyoda Gosei Australia Pty. Ltd., Britax Childcare Pty. Ltd. and Denso Automotive Systems Australia Pty. Ltd.