The group has seen lower demand for its smaller machines

A significant number of new orders at Demag Plastics Group (DPG) meant that first half results were described as “satisfactory” by chief executive Dr Klaus F. Erkes. Speaking at the company’s 2006 Technology Forum yesterday, Erkes said that the injection moulding machinery market is showing a “tendency towards consolidation or even decline”, but that DPG has still been able to maintain its worldwide market share.

Lower demand for small machines has reduced the number of units made at DPG’s small machine plant in Wiehe, Germany, but this has been largely compensated by “the market success” of the all-electric IntElect machines that are also made in Wiehe. Around 130 IntElects are expected to be delivered in the 2005/6 financial year. Erkes was not prepared to comment on which of the European suppliers is now leading in all-electric machine sales in Europe, but observed that European producers “have left the all-electric market for too long in Japanese hands”.

Expansion plans revealed by Erkes include production of a Dragon Electric all-electric machine range at Demag Plastics Machinery (Ningbo) in China, where there are also plans to increase overall annual production capacity from the present 600 to 900 machines.