A Wittmann IMM upgrade, integrating cobots, selling your business: Machinery Minutes, Feb. 3, 2025

Feb. 3, 2025
Learn more about these stories on our weekly podcast.

On this week's Machinery Minutes podcast, we give you a quick rundown on these three stories:

Wittmann's SmartPower Combimould line of injection molding machines, designed for multi-component molding, now offer servo-electric injection units for improved efficiency and performance.

David Stahl, a wealth management partner at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, offers three personal wealth planning steps owners of plastics businesses should take before selling.

Have you been thinking about adding cobots to your plastics plant? It needn’t be a daunting task, says Chris Buse, Universal Robots’ Applications Engineer Manager for North America West. Learn more on how to add cobots to your plastics plant.

Transcript

Welcome to Machinery Minutes, where at the beginning of each week I share with you three things you need to know in about three minutes. You can read the complete stories on plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com.

No. 1 – Wittmann’s new SmartPower Combimould line of injection molding machines are servo-electric injection units with clamping forces ranging from about 42 tons to about 450 tons.

They are designed for multi-component molding involving different colors or materials.

Wittmann exhibited one in October at Fakuma in an automated work cell on a SmartPower Combimould B8X 120/350H/130S producing a bottle opener made of PC and thermoplastic elastomer. The new injection units have a beltless direct drive.

They offer better performance and efficiency than SmartPower Combimould machines equipped with hydraulic units, according to the company.

Learn more by reading Karen Hanna’s article: “Wittmann IMM line adds servo-electric units.”

No. 2 – Thinking of selling your plastics business? David Stahl, a wealth management partner at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, offers three personal wealth planning steps owners should take before selling.

He guest wrote an article for PMM in which he suggests updating your personal balance sheet, assessing financial independence, and assembling a team. Interest in selling plastics manufacturing businesses is high right now because of a recent surge in mergers and acquisitions and heightened interest from private equity firms. Business owners have a unique opportunity to capitalize on favorable market conditions, Stahl writes.

However, these transactions can become complex, and Stahl outlines important steps to take before concluding the sale. Timing is key, and planning for a business sale should begin at least two years before going to market, Stahl writes.

Read the article headlined: “Three personal wealth planning steps to take before selling your plastics business.”

No. 3 – Have you been thinking about adding cobots to your plastics plant?

Well, it needn’t be a daunting task, says Chris Buse, Universal Robots’ Applications Engineer Manager for North America West. He sat down for a podcast interview with Editor Ron Shinn, during which he said that collaborative robots easily can be incorporated into injection molding machines, value-added equipment like pad printers, and end-of-line packaging.

Collaborative robots, as compared to traditional robotics, are portable and can easily and quickly be transferred from one workstation to another, which helps with the return on investment.

Listen to the podcast: “How to add cobots to your plastics plant: PMM Insight.” It is on our website or download it from your favorite podcast platform.

Those are my Top 3 items you need to know for this week. We have a new list every Monday.

About the Author

Bruce Geiselman | Senior Staff Reporter

Senior Staff Reporter Bruce Geiselman covers extrusion, blow molding, additive manufacturing, automation and end markets including automotive and packaging. He also writes features, including In Other Words and Problem Solved, for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding. He has extensive experience in daily and magazine journalism.