Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • 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
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • CEO Issue
    • Diversity
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2022 winners
    • Processor of the Year
    • Rising Stars
    • Women Breaking the Mold
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • BRICS and Plastics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Resin Prices
    • All Resins
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
October 19, 2017 02:00 AM

Sumitomo sales jump 15 percent

Bill Bregar
Senior Staff Reporter
Audrey LaForest
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Caroline Seidel
    CEO Gerd Liebig, left and Hideki Kuroiwa in front of the IntElect 50-110 from Sumitomo Demag.

    Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH reported ongoing growth for fiscal 2017, with sales of 273 million euros.

    This year's sales figure marks an increase of 15 percent compared with 2016, when the company had sales of 237 million euros.

    The injection molding machinery manufacturer, which has headquarters in Schwaig, Germany, said during an Oct. 18 news conference at Fakuma that forecasts for 2018 are also positive. This marks the fifth year of consecutive growth for the company.

    The German-Japanese company attributed the growth to the continued success of its El-Exis high-speed injection compression molding machine — on display at the Sumitomo booth — high demand for its all-electric machines and a deeper focus on thriving regional markets.

    CEO Gerd Liebig said he's expecting sales for 2018 to increase by about 10 percent.

    "Next year, especially in medical and automotive, we would like to grow significantly," he added.

    Liebig, who settled into his current role at Sumitomo at the start of 2017, also said Sumitomo has continued to grow its market in two strategic product areas: packaging and all-electric machines.

    The company's market share for all-electric machines and high-speed injection molding machines is expected to reach 20 percent in 2018. Sumitomo said its new generation of IntElect, an all-electric precision injection molding machine that it launched earlier this year, is expected to make "major contributions" toward this anticipated growth, the company said.

    Sumitomo has four plants in Japan, Germany and China and more than 3,000 employees. The company is owned by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Inc. in Tokyo.

    Caroline Seidel

    A very thin plastic container cover is molded by Sumitomo Demag at Fakuma.

    Launching myConnect platform

    At Fakuma, Sumitomo is launching its myConnect web-based platform for customers, and it announced plans to create an automation business unit.

    The automation unit is headed by Andreas Schramm, a member of Sumitomo Demag's board and the former chief technical officer. He took the new post Sept. 1.

    The operation will develop complete automation packages for injection molding. Liebig said Sumitomo Demag is looking at some automation manufacturing but did not provide details.

    The main goal, he said, is to position Sumitomo Demag as a consultant to molders on automation. Company officials believe "there is significant potential" for increasing sales in the automation area. Liebig said the machinery maker is boosting its sales, service and engineering systems.

    Production and integration of automated systems will happen at the machinery maker's site in Wiehe, Germany, where company officials plan to expand production. Liebig said Sumitomo Demag also is stepping up its cooperation with molders to develop specific advanced automation processes for their molded parts.

    Liebig said one key goal is to integrate automation, machinery and parts tracking. Fakuma visitors can see an example: a housing for a car gear shift that, after molding, goes into a laser coding device and is marked on the underside.

    Sumitomo Demag is now building an in-house automation testing facility.

    The myConnect software platform will give customers a wide range of online services. Sumitomo Demag plans to deliver all its machines with network-compatible equipment and the option of wireless connectivity in the second quarter of 2018.

    The standard package contains five modules that handle help support, documentation about the machine, spare parts ordering, a complete history of each and a myConnect app so customers can track their production from any location.

    Andreas Holzer, Sumitomo Demag's service manager, said the software shows spare parts shoppers a 3D model that they can turn and disassemble electronically.

    Hideki Kuroiwa, chief technical officer, said the new IntElect model continues Sumitomo Demag's work on all-electric injection molding machines. At Fakuma, a 50-ton IntElect II is molding nylon bobbins.

    Kuroiwa is a veteran of Sumitomo Demag's parent company, Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan. He has worked on injection molding machinery development, including all-electric technology.

    The new IntElect is aimed at molders of precision assemblies, engineering components and optical parts, the company said.

    "Our aim is to be a trendsetting company for both the packaging industry and our all-electric machine," Kuroiwa said at the press conference.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    New owners plan growth across US for medical molder Seaway
    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
    1
    Rhode Island kills chemical recycling bill, ACC cites 'misinformation'
    2
    Invista upgrading nylon 6/6 production in South Carolina
    3
    Canada moves to ban single-use plastics, limit chasing arrows symbol
    4
    Rotomolder Centro invests $6M in new Iowa facility
    5
    Peek behind the data shows how top injection molders grew in 2021
    SIGN UP FOR TO RECEIVE THESE EMAILS AND ENEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    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.

    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
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Tire Business
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. 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
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • CEO Issue
        • Diversity
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2022 winners
        • Processor of the Year
        • Rising Stars
        • Women Breaking the Mold
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • BRICS and Plastics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
        • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Resin Prices
      • 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
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified