SMS Kunststofftechnik (D-58527 Meinerzhagen; www.sms-k.com), the plastics machinery division of SMS Demag AG (D-40088 Düsseldorf; www.sms-ag.de) experienced dynamic growth in 2000. At the SMS balance sheet press conference on 23 March for the short 2000 business year (1.7 to 31.12), Dr. Helmut Eschwey, board director with responsibility for SMS Kunststofftechnik, announced the figures for his company division on a calendar year basis already. According to these figures, SMS Kunststofftechnik with its two divisions of Extrusion and Injection Moulding Technology stepped up its sales 50% to EUR 622m in 2000. The increased sales of EUR 200m include more than EUR 70m accounted for by Cincinnati Extrusion GmbH (A-1239 Vienna; www.cet-austria.com) which was acquired a year ago. Incoming orders rose 17% to EUR 553m. Of the overall sales, 66% are accounted for by extrusion and 34% by injection moulding technology. According to Eschwey, all the machinery companies operated at a profit last year.

In the field of pipe and profile extrusion, which takes in the companies of Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik, American Maplan, Cincinnati Extrusion and Battenfeld Chan Extrusion Systems, sales growth of 101% to EUR 196m was achieved in 2000. Some 300 extruders were delivered. A rise of 58% was recorded in incoming orders. Battenfeld GloucesterEngineering (USA) and SMS Folientechnik GmbH (Vienna), both active in the film and sheet sector, recorded a 69% increase in sales to EUR 213m.

Eschwey was also “highly satisfied” with the course of business at Battenfeld Spritzgiesstechnik. Incoming orders rose 10% to EUR 202m over 2000, and sales by 12% to EUR 213 m. Injection moulding technology was thus able to “clearly maintain its market position within a difficult environment”.

Reader Service: Detailed graphs (German) on the course of business at SMS Kunststofftechnik from 1996 to 2000: PIE-No. 45117.