Shopping at the Wittmann one-stop service station

Polymer Engineering catches up with Wittmann UK – well known for its automation solutions – and now also a major player in materials handling expertise. How has the new portfolio come about?

‘Looking at our industry today,’ says Wittmann UK managing director Barry Hill, ‘it is clear that only global suppliers – of whatever manufacturing equipment – will have the focus, the design and stamina to survive in the manufacturing markets of the future.

It seems clear to me that the quality manufacturing producers and their suppliers are pairing off in long-term partnerships. These associations are based on quality; high service and also measurable systems of working practice, such as ISO 9001:2000, in which we have heavily invested. For us, these partnerships often transcend national boundaries and country markets. The agreements are sometimes formalised by written contracts, sometimes by a handshake. Either way, the buyer needs to be secure in long-term service and commercial trust.’

With this backdrop as a commercial guide, and knowing the state of the materials handling industry, the Wittmann Group resolved some four years ago to target the plastics material handling market and to design and manufacture its own range of granulators, dryers, pumps, loaders, central materials conveying systems, and other equipment purpose-built for the plastics processing industry.

The Wittmann design team responsible were all extremely experienced in plastics processing; knew the technology currently being sourced and used by processors and knew that they should and could do better.

All the component parts of the Wittmann materials handling range were designed, trialled and tested over a three year period by the small team of engineers in Wittmann Germany. From the outset, the Wittmann plan was to offer superior performance materials handling equipment at affordable prices and to deliver it from the convenience of a one-stop-shop supplier. The first tranche of Wittmann materials handling equipment made its appearance some two years ago and innovation and fine tuning for the market has followed on since.

Wittmann resolved to transfer the badge of quality - previously associated with its automation and robotics - into the materials handling sphere, and to do that at extremely competitive prices. ‘Frankly, we thought that moulders deserved better from their materials handling equipment. We also noted that the more efficient companies were beginning to demand better,’ says Hill, ‘particularly in high quality technical moulding where the materials handling involves expensive engineering plastics and high spec polyesters and where equipment malfunction was costing companies money.’

Wittmann UK’s first extensive UK showing of these new capabilities occurred at last year’s Interplas 2002. According to Hill, the exhibition was immediately successful in changing the perception of Wittmann UK into a one-stop-shop supplier. He says that ‘the comment and feedback received on the stand about our dryers, granulators and vacuum handling was very positive. As expected, our competitive pricing was a big factor in enabling us to convert stand enquiries into firm appointments after the show.’

Above all, however, Wittmann’s materials handling equipment has proved itself – in independent tests - to be a Best Buy in comparison to the competition. The launch team could have asked for no greater boost.

In US bureau tests through 2002, for example, the Wittmann granulator and the Wittmann Drymax 60 dryer have both emerged top of their field at the first time of asking. ‘For the new kid on the block, our recommended US Best Buy has given us one of the best possible starts in life,’ says Hill.

For example, following comparitive testing and analysis from US-based Plastics Product Review (PPR) Wittmann’s Drymax 60 beat off rival dryers from competitors Conair, Motan, AEC, Novatec, Fasti, Matsui, Thoreson and four other suppliers to claim the PPR Best Buy recommendation. In a number of laboratory tests the Wittmann dryer came top in moisture removal; in energy consumption and had the best overall score as well winning points for its competitive price.

PPR said that ‘Wittmann’s dryer is the best dryer in this evaluation based on the test data and its comparatively low pricing. This dryer particularly excelled in the moisture analysis portion of the evaluation, meaning that it dried the resin better than any of the competitors. Other strengths include energy efficiency, low decibel levels, and relatively consistent hopper temperatures…Wittmann’s dryer stood out from the pack with the best composite score.’

Some six months previously, a batch of other tests had also confirmed the Wittmann MS-33 granulator as the Best Buy of its group. The granulator beat off competition from a field that included Rapid, Battenfeld Gloucester, Rotogran, Polymer Systems and Conair. The PPR test report noted that the Wittmann granulator tested exceptionally well in all areas of granulating; emerged with the best composite score of the group and earned a distinction in the ‘quality of cut’ part of the testing.

And since that test review, Wittmann’s continuous development has seen the company upgrade its granulator range, and at cheaper prices: Customers for Wittmann UK granulators include Southco, McKechnie and MK Electric who ordered 14 units in one order. The new Auger granulators, for example, are now more compact with increased safety features. The new MB range offers sound-proof design, added safety features; lower rotor speeds, an inclined cutting chamber and preadjusted blades that reduce blade changeover times by more than 80%.

‘All of these features have been designed with the moulder in mind. We have listened to their needs in reconfiguring the design,’ says Hill.

The quality of the Wittmann name and the technical abilities of its materials handling equipment might have made moulders wary on grounds of price. But on enquiry the competitive prices now available from the company are clear, and also explain a moulder pattern of bulk buying of granulators, hoppers, loaders and dryers once the cost-saving benefits are made clear.

Part of the reason for Wittmann’s continuous improvement of its prices is that the Wittmann group continues to seek cost reduction in its own manufacture. The group has latterly succeeded in sourcing its own manufacturing in cost-competitive locations such as Hungary, and more recently in China and the Far East.

Another reason for success in the UK is the service and technical support given by the experienced materials handling team led by Ed Holmes. Since Interplas 2002, materials handling quotations have nearly trebled in response to the new interest. While noting that some companies are mainly focused on buying a single technology such as granulators or dryers, Holmes says that the majority of customers ‘are asking us to quote for whole systems; 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 station materials handling systems – including central materials conveying; central or beside-press drying and granulating.’

Most of these quotations and orders are for six figure sums and most of the clients involved prefer not to make news of their changes in production technology. Their end-use sectors are diverse and include healthcare, packaging and also Wittmann UK’s traditional strengths in the automotive sector.

Common purchasing themes are design, quality and of course, price, and ‘more and more, I get asked about the energy savings made possible through our equipment,’ says Holmes. ‘The larger processors especially are very aware of the current climate of energy taxation – and are seeking ways to minimise their exposure. After all, capital equipment – including materials handling technology - can become an asset or a liability, depending on what you buy.’

And with this in mind, Wittmann engineers continue to adapt and innovate: The Drymax 100 Smartflow system, for example, will be made available in March 2003. It has a compact design and a motor-driven process air flap that is set to save yet more energy for processors.

The Wittmann UK materials handling range has also enabled the company to do business with new kinds of plastics processing other than injection moulding. Cast and blown film, thermoforming, blow and injection-blow moulding are all processes where the company’s new supply skills apply.

Holmes, for example, is currently discussing contracts with a number of large blow-moulding companies in the PET carbonated soft drinks sector. This kind of business is a high growth, high value market where high speed lines and low margins are the norm, and where the cost of a faultily dried or conveyed batch of PET can cause significant damage to profits. Moulders need to protect themselves from such occurrences and Wittmann’s central materials conveying lines – dry air and vacuum based - and drying stations are increasingly being seen as a first line of defence. For those needing colourant and blending options, Wittmann supplements its own brand with the best of Maguire and Movacolour equipment.
Wittmann UK’s end-goal is to service all aspects of the plastics sector right across the board – automation and materials handling for all processes within the industry. As the word of the Wittmann equipment and expertise gets around so a growing core of customers are coming to use both services. Wittmann UK’s one-stop shop is growing; not only host to an increasing number of regulars, but also servicing new business from new sectors such as healthcare, technical moulding and all kinds of packaging production.

The Wittmann Group employs 580 employees and has a revenue of some 120 million euros. Wittmann is one of the world’s leading producers of robots, automation, ancillary and mould heating and chilling equipment for plastics and other manufacturing industries. Further details of materials handling equipment from Ed Holmes or Barry Hill at Wittmann UK. Tel. 01933 275 777.