Calypso Machinery began this year to sell the China-made Calypso AX line of injection molding machines in North America. The presses are built by its manufacturing partner, Arlex Plastics Machinery Co.
Arlex, in business since 2005, is a subsidiary of Ningbo Yalishi Plastic Machinery Co. The company makes about 2,000 machines a year, which are running in 30 countries, according to Calypso President Todd Kuhn.
The hybrid, servo-hydraulic Calypso AX press line is built with specifications for the North American market, meeting standards such as SPI platens, mold mountings and nozzles, Kuhn said. The machines come in clamping forces from 100-1,600 tons.
Calypso stocks machines up to 535 tons at its headquarters and technology center in Scottsdale, Ariz. Custom orders for machines generally take eight to 10 weeks, the company said.
The tech center handles sales and service, including spare parts. The operation in Scottsdale has a showroom and a training facility. Kuhn said Calypso has four sales representatives who cover the United States and Mexico, and the company is looking for more.
"These are high-quality machines with many standard features," Kuhn said. They are backed by a two-year warranty.
Kuhn said the Calypso injection presses are heavy duty, with a very rigid construction. The machines include quality components such as Eckerle pumps, Rexroth and Vickers valves, Omron switches and Keba controllers.
Calypso Machinery debuted the presses at Plastec West in Anaheim, Calif., in February. Kuhn said the company also plans to install one of its presses at an RJG Inc. training center.
Kuhn has more than 30 years of experience in injection molding, tooling and medical device manufacturing, at Tech Group/West Pharmaceutical, where he was director of tooling technology and director of engineering.
Calypso Machinery's parent company is K.D. Capital Equipment LLC, also in Scottsdale, which buys and sells plastics machinery, metalworking equipment and sheet metal fabrication equipment. Kuhn said K.D. has 175 used molding machines in its inventory. Calypso offers trade-ins for customers buying its injection presses, he said.
Calypso Machinery had been handling another Chinese-made injection press, the Bole line, for the United States and Canada. But Kuhn said Bole ended the agreement on Dec. 31, and the company decided to open its own U.S. operation.
Kuhn said the Arlex machines are solid.
"The very attractive price is not a reflection of any loss in quality. To the contrary, after 30 years in injection molding, I have not seen a machine that can outperform this line, at this price with the ability to make custom modifications," he said.