In 2016, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH recorded its most successful business year in its corporate history. With a total of EUR 234 million, the manufacturer of injection moulding machines with headquarters in Schwaig near Nuremberg/Germany has topped its 2015 record sales of EUR 231 million. Among the main reasons for this positive development are the leading position of the company’s high-performance El-Exis machines in the plastics packing segment and the success of its all-electric IntElect machines among manufacturers of plastic industrial and medical precision parts.
The 2016 record figures mark the German-Japanese company’s fourth sales increase in a row. “Our customer base has become even more consolidated,“ CEO Gerd Liebig states. “In 2016, incoming orders were 20% higher than our turnover, which means that 2017 will see a massive capacity expansion.“ Liebig expects a 15% sales increase in 2017 to EUR 270 million. In addition to the success of the company’s products it was the improved quality of the pre-sales services’ strict focus on the relevant industry and application as well as customer care’s fast reaction times and the quick troubleshooting capability that resulted in the positive sales results. Moreover, the number of repeated buyers of all-electric machines over the last four years has doubled – in accordance with identical in the company’s sales to plastic packaging manufacturers.
Liebig is convinced that the improved market position is the result of a wider sales base. Setting up new subsidiaries in Hungary, Austria and Spain boosted the company’s market presence and customer contact as did the establishment and reactivation of sales offices in growth markets. “Together with our partners, we are currently tapping into new synergies with the objective of boosting our position as a system provider in small and subsidiary markets.“
Leading position in the injection moulded packaging market
Powered by increasing market shares, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag records a steady growth with producers of plastics packaging. The packaging segment remains the focus of the company’s industry-based strategy. In the wake of the establishment of a new Business Development unit and intensified market care, the company won new accounts, particularly among manufacturers of screw caps, closures and thin-wall parts. “Over the past two years, our share in the global market for screw caps and thin-wall parts has risen by about 20%.“ Closer cooperation with mould and robotics specialists hasled to a significant increase in 2 deliveries of production systems to producers of thin-wall packaging parts such as cups, lids, pails and buckets.
In this development, the El-Exis machine series guarantees success as it delivers maximum performance at the best price/performance ratio the market has to offer without compromising on speed or energy efficiency. The tried-and-tested drive concept featuring a combination of electric plasticising and clamp movements as well as hydraulic high-performance injection demonstrate its superiority and durability in high-speed injection moulding applications of all kinds every day.
Better quality for all-electric machines
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag also records rising sales figures for its all-electric IntElect machines. “Experience gathered from delivering more than 60,000 all-electric machines pays off,“ Gerd Liebig says. Another reason for this series’ increasing success is the high(er) quality and reliability of all-electric machines.
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag expects its launch of a new generation of all-electric IntElect injection moulding machines with clamping forces between 500 and 1,800 kN to act as another boost to all-electric machine technology. Thanks to their highly dynamic drive motors, these machines deliver maximum performance in combination with outstanding energy efficiency, better access, smaller footprints, better ergonomics and higher precision. “The price gap between all-electric and hydraulic machines is closing – with the same range of options and systematic focus on the application.“ The new IntElect with five sizes was launched in spring 2017.
