Trends in blow moulding technical parts

Blow moulding has always been characterised by technological advances and dynamic market trends. For decades, the food and packaging sectors have been influencing numerous plastics applications, with the expectation that the blow moulder can find the solutions.

However, it is also true that there is a constant demand for blow moulded technical parts and fuel tanks for the automotive industry. Bekum, a pioneer and technological leader in these processes, adapts to these changes, but also views them as opportunities.

Since 1959, Bekum has shaped the world of blow moulding technology like no other company. Numerous developments are closely linked to its founder, Gottfried Mehnert. Andreas Kandt, the new CEO of this traditional company gives his views on what the processors call “The World of Extrusion Blow Moulding.”

“The task of being a technological pioneer is challenging. When it comes to excellence in terms of output quantity and high quality, everyone knows us. However, there are many other competitors out there offering attractive solutions that represent good value for the money. For us, this means we need to focus on the areas in which we are particularly strong: providing the best service and quality available on the worldwide market.”

Bekum’s annual sales volume at the moment is around €80 million, with 370 employees. Within 24 months, the company hopes to raise it to €100 million. To this end, the company has set a variety of goals across all areas of the business. Currently, a two-fold approach to putting Bekum’s already strong relationships with its customers on a new footing is being implemented. “Up until now, we have been recognised as machine suppliers. Cooperative efforts with selected partner companies are no longer an issue when seen in the context of forging ahead with our project business. Today, our high-performance machinery operates in a largely automated environment with constantly changing market demands. For our worldwide customers, not only our own contribution to the system, but also the entire concept has to be correct,” according to Mr. Kandt.

In a global context, the Bekum Group, therefore, needs efficient and reliable partners in project business. The second aspect is directly related to this. “In the future, our consulting team must be able to show its expertise with regard to product development. When developing packaging or technical parts for the automotive industry, we want to be involved in product development at as early as possible; not only to consult on the machine solution, but also for the entire concept of production cell, materials and design. Brand owners in the packaging sector need a consultant who fully understands how to make packaging functional and appealing. The trend continues strongly toward customer-specific solutions and blow moulding, as a process, can point the way,” he explains.

Blow moulding in different sectors

According to Mr. Kandt, Bekum initially had to turn its attention towards the packaging sector, which has been vibrant and of worldwide interest. The company has been able to differentiate between customers in the consumer goods and industrial packaging. “In the USA, co-polyester plays a significant role; globally, it is solutions in PP and LDPE or HDPE that make up about 85% of the applications. As I have already said, when it comes to the brand differentiation of our customers’ products, blow moulding technology is of particular appeal. There is a catchphrase: Individualise the packaging; move away from the perception of mass production. An effective, energy-efficient production for medium-sized production lots is required, shaped by frequent mould changes and production change-overs,” he stressed.

Approximately 25% of applications are co-extruded moulded parts, as multi-layer packaging with up to 6 layers extending the shelf life of the packages’ contents. These applications form part of Bekum’s core competencies, as, on the machine side, Bekum extruders, extrusion heads, spiral distributors or, for high-output production, the Tandem Blow, allow the company to stand out from competition.

A Bekum blow moulding machine stands for longevity, currently in its 7th generation series. “The clamping unit with the so-called C-frame, patented in 2010, is the most advanced system of its kind on the market. The wide spectrum of machine sizes allows for attractive individual solutions from our modular systems for sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals or medical. Sectors in which, by the way, our electrical blow moulding machine, EBLOW, will become increasingly important,” according to Mr. Kandt.

For a long time, the automotive industry was the step-child on the marketing side of things for Bekum. “This is something that I would like to change. For one thing, we have the best technology for the industry. Our solutions are – thanks to our head technology, advanced clamping units and sophisticated measuring and control technology – more cost-effective, more innovative, and technologically more ambitious than those of our competitors. There is nothing to indicate that we shouldn’t actively pursue these markets in Europe and across Asia. And as I know all of the important partners in the automotive industry well, this will become a fundamental focus. We have the right technology to go after the market,” he explained.

Bekum views the Asian markets in terms of marketing and location. In the future, the company would want to be able to offer its customers in the western market a service equal to, if not better than, the one it already provides. With this is mind, new marketing opportunities are arising in Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkey and India, to name just a few regions in the east. China is naturally an extremely dynamic market with great volume. “We need to investigate whether this is something that we could do in cooperation with China or in Asia generally. We do know that we will be expanding into the east soon in order to be able to supply the regional markets there. However, we also know that our future development will not change how we approach the technological demands of the entire company or the brand,” according to Mr. Kandt.