Sumitomo Demag improves two factories in Germany

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery is making moves to boost production efficiency of its injection moulding press factories in Schwaig and Wiehe, Germany — as well as improve customer service.

Sumitomo Demag announced 29 May that the Wiehe assembly plant now will be responsible for making control cabinets and electrical components for its small-tonnage injection moulding machines. Wiehe also is the centre of the company’s all-electric press production.

The factory in Schwaig had been producing control cabinets for both locations. Schwaig builds medium-sized and large hydraulic and hybrid presses.

Sumitomo Demag also announced that the Schwaig plant will have a competence centre for the production of die-cast parts and plasticising units.

The idea is to focus on each plant’s core competencies, company officials said. The moves also will improve workflow.

Both German production sites have improved customer ordering and sales operations, with new order processing centres.

Company officials were not available to give additional details for this story.

Sumitomo Demag focuses on machinery for five markets: packaging, automotive, medical, consumer and electronics. The company sells more than 5,000 presses a year, and has an installed base of more than 115,000 machines around the world.

In other news, Schwaig will add a central application engineering center to work closely with customers. “Our sales team will be concentrating on the industry and its specific requirements. This company’s product development will focus on practical applications — right from the beginning,” Gerd Liebig, who joined Sumitomo Demag 1 April as chief sales officer, said in a prepared statement.