HUSKY
Commissions UK tech centre / Opening of French facility in October / Considering manufacturing expansion in Luxembourg
Described as a model of what it thinks an injection moulding plant should be, the new USD 9m UK technical centre of Husky Injection Molding Systems (UK Technical Centre, Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, GB-Coventry CV3 4JF) is now up and running after being officially opend by the company´s head of European operations, David Cook , last month. The 3,300 square metre plant is based around a 32 tonne overhead crane and can accomodate up to seven machines in its five bays. A 2,700t clamp force machine will be a permanent feature and a Motan materials handling system has been designed to serve any machine combination.
The centre incorporates facilities for mould trials and systems integration and has a training centre, conference room and a laboratory for materials testing. Husky now has 27 staff in UK, where Cook describes business as good despite the PET market being essentially static. He says the new centre which is similar to its technical facilities in Luxembourg and Brazil, demonstrates Husky´s commitment to the UK market and its customers.
Since commencing European manufacturing activities in Luxembourg in 1985, Husky has supported French and German customers from its head office technical centre. Now, following the opening of the UK centre, it is building a mini technical centre in France at La Plaine de L´Ain, near Bourg-en-Bresse. This purpose-built unit, which will have four machin bays and accommodate machines of up to 500t clamp force, will open in October for training and demonstration purposes. However, says Cook, it is only the forerunner to a bigger centre, similar to that in Conventry, which is planned for an adjacent site, where Husky already has land under option. This is expected to start up within 2-3 years.
Husky´s Dudelange manufacturing centre in Luxembourg, which generates sales of USD 40m annually, has the company´s product mandate for large moulding machines in the 750-4,000t clamp range on a worldwide basis. Cook says the company is now looking at a number of options to expand production output, which includes hot runner moulds. A decision will be made by the end of the summer.
The centre incorporates facilities for mould trials and systems integration and has a training centre, conference room and a laboratory for materials testing. Husky now has 27 staff in UK, where Cook describes business as good despite the PET market being essentially static. He says the new centre which is similar to its technical facilities in Luxembourg and Brazil, demonstrates Husky´s commitment to the UK market and its customers.
Since commencing European manufacturing activities in Luxembourg in 1985, Husky has supported French and German customers from its head office technical centre. Now, following the opening of the UK centre, it is building a mini technical centre in France at La Plaine de L´Ain, near Bourg-en-Bresse. This purpose-built unit, which will have four machin bays and accommodate machines of up to 500t clamp force, will open in October for training and demonstration purposes. However, says Cook, it is only the forerunner to a bigger centre, similar to that in Conventry, which is planned for an adjacent site, where Husky already has land under option. This is expected to start up within 2-3 years.
Husky´s Dudelange manufacturing centre in Luxembourg, which generates sales of USD 40m annually, has the company´s product mandate for large moulding machines in the 750-4,000t clamp range on a worldwide basis. Cook says the company is now looking at a number of options to expand production output, which includes hot runner moulds. A decision will be made by the end of the summer.
15.07.1999 Plasteurope.com [17932]
Published on 15.07.1999