GDK, a manufacturer of custom-built extrusion blow molding (EBM) machines based in Kolová, Czech Republic, is trying to break into the U.S. market and will exhibit at NPE in May.
GDK has been in business since 1992 and has about 200 machines in operation worldwide, but none in the U.S.
"We think there are customers for our technology in the United States," Lucie ŘezníÄková, GDK's sales manager, said during an interview at Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in October.
The company's EBM machines are aimed at products for the cosmetics, household chemicals, food packaging, pharmaceutical and automotive markets.
All GDK machines are built in the Czech Republic. Delivery times range from about 15 weeks for smaller machines to 25 weeks for larger machines.
Machines come in five standard sizes and each is highly customizable, GDK Director Radan Greguš said.
The smallest is the GM 250, available in single- or double-station pneumatic or hybrid versions. It has a clamping force of 1.4 tons, shuttle stroke of 150mm and is suitable for bottles up to 350 milliliters. The single-station machine has a 25mm screw diameter; the double-station machine has a 32mm screw.
The GM 750 model comes in single- and double-station pneumatic, hybrid and all-electric versions. Clamping force is 3.4 tons and shuttle stroke is 250mm. It is best for bottles up to 1.5 liters. The single-station machine has a 32mm screw and the double-station has a 40mm screw.
The GM 2000 comes in single- and double-station pneumatic and all-electric versions and is best for bottles from 300 milliliters to 3 liters. The GM 5000 is a single- or double-station all-electric suitable for bottles from 200 milliliters to 10 liters.
The GM 13K single- or double-station all-electric is the largest. It has a clamping force of 22 tons and shuttle stroke of 600mm, and is suitable for bottles from 400 milliliters to 20 liters.All models use servo-electric drives and have horizontal shuttle movement.
Omron Industrial Automation, Kyoto, Japan, supplies the control systems.
Service is handled via Internet connection with the factory in the Czech Republic. "Most service problems can be handled over email or Skype using videos," ŘezníÄková said. If a visit is required, GDK has a service team that travels around the globe. Some GDK rep firms also have service capability.
"Every machine is custom-made and dedicated to what the customer needs," Greguš said. "Other companies sell stock machines, but every product and every customer is different. We need to be different."
ŘezníÄková said GDK has been building electric machines for about 10 years and has developed extensive expertise in this type of machine. She added that GDK has developed a reputation in Western Europe for very compact, small machines that are energy-efficient.
"We try to build our machines to be very simple to use and maintain," she said.
ŘezníÄková declined to compare prices for GDK machines with others available in North America. "We don't make our price list based on competitors' prices, we do our best pricewise and qualitywise," she said.
Ron Shinn, editor
Contact:
GDK spol. sr.o. Kolová, Czech Republic, 420-353-331-391, www.gdk.cz
Ron Shinn | Editor
Editor Ron Shinn is a co-founder of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and has been covering the plastics industry for more than 35 years. He leads the editorial team, directs coverage and sets the editorial calendar. He also writes features, including the Talking Points column and On the Factory Floor, and covers recycling and sustainability for PMM and Plastics Recycling.
