Machinery makers, tooling suppliers, auxiliary equipment firms change hands | Plastics News

Oct 15, 2024

Hartkämper

Well-known plastics machinery brands Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH and Netstal Machinen AG found new owners in the first half of 2024.

Kautex, an extrusion blow mold machinery maker based in Bonn, Germany, had been financially insolvent for months before being acquired by Chinese investor Jwell Machinery Co. Ltd. Terms were not disclosed.

"Jwell is a strategic fit for us," Kautex Group CEO Thomas Hartkämper said. "They have a strong background in plastics machinery manufacturing [and] the financial capabilities to complete [the] Kautex transformation, and they are committed to even increase our local manufacturing and service footprint."

Kautex had been restructuring after declaring insolvency in August 2023. Along with its headquarters, operations in Bonn include a customer training center as well as an area called Technikum where machines are developed. Kautex maintains another site in Berlin for sales and service and also has independent subsidiaries in India, Italy, Indonesia, Mexico and Russia.

German packaging and bottle machine manufacturer Krones AG acquired Swiss injection press supplier Netstal for $183.7 million. The seller was Germany's KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH, which has been majority owned by China National Chemical Corp. since 2016.

KraussMaffei officials previously had denied speculation that Netstal was for sale. The Swiss company sold its first injection molding machine in 1945 and has business roots going back to 1857.

Ventura, Calif.-based 3D printer maker Nexa3D Inc. acquired Pflugerville, Texas-based Essentium Inc., a manufacturer of complementary high-speed extrusion 3D printers. Essentium also has a portfolio of materials for defense, medical and chemical end markets.

Founded in 2013, Essentium established itself as the maker of 3D printers and independent dual extruders (IDEX) for complex applications. Officials said the combination of Nexa3D and Essentium gives industrial customers the tools to scale production and explore manufacturing opportunities.

Packaging giant Berry Global Group Inc. expanded its tooling capabilities through the acquisition of F&S Tool Inc. of Erie, Pa.. The deal gives Berry a 90,000-square-foot facility and 105 employees.

The newly acquired operation provides "high-output, high-efficiency hot runner injection and high-volume compression molding applications," Berry said. F&S Tool also brings what Berry called proprietary technologies for production of both closures and bottles with an emphasis on "high-end growth markets."

F&S Tool now is part of Berry Global Tooling Services, the company's network of tooling manufacturing sites around the world. Evansville, Ind.-based Berry created Berry Global Tooling Services in 2023 to consolidate regional operations into a unified organization.

In a Canadian mold parts deal, Diemould Service Co. (Canada) Ltd. acquired Border Steel Ltd., a Windsor, Ontario-based manufacturing and service company. Officials with DMS in Oldcastle, Ontario, said the deal brings its own expertise along with Border Steel's to offer a range of services to their North American customer base.

Under DMS ownership, both companies will continue to operate as separate entities. DMS makes multiple mold components, including pins, sleeves and plates. The firm also operates a U.S. office in Elk Grove Village, Ill.

The Border Steel purchase is the first for DMS since early 2021, when it bought Component Guys Inc., a similar firm also based in Oldcastle that had been founded by former DMS employees.

Agr International Inc., known for the equipment used in both plastic and glass beverage packaging, was acquired by Indicor LLC. Charlotte, N.C.-based Indicor already owned 15 companies providing equipment and products serving a variety of industries, including plastics.

Agr of Butler, Pa., now joins Dynisco, a maker of pressure and temperature measurement and control products for plastics extrusion, in Indicor's portfolio.

"Agr is a terrific business with clear niche market leadership, mission-critical solutions, deep customer intimacy and a commitment to supporting their customers' quality and sustainability needs," Indicor CEO Doug Wright said.

Agr's business dates back 95 years and includes quality and process control equipment that inspects, tests and measures plastic and glass containers. Indicor was formed in early 2023 after Roper Industries sold a majority stake in a portfolio of businesses to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.

In an all-India deal, private equity firm Plutus Investments & Holdings Pvt. Ltd. bought a controlling stake in plastics processing machinery firm Windsor Machines Ltd. Plutus acquired a stake of almost 54 percent from investment group Castle Equipments Pvt. Ltd. for $41.9 million.

Windsor makes injection molding machines and pipe and blown film extrusion lines. The firm also works with German extrusion machinery maker Kuhne GmbH to make coextrusion blown film lines.

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