The Chinese company has set up the Zhafir brand for the new range

High performance, low cost all-electric injection moulding machines are to be built in Germany by Zhafir Plastics Machinery, a subsidiary of China’s and Asia’s largest injection moulding machinery manufacturer, Haitian. The new machines will be introduced at the K2007 fair and production start-up will take place at a new greenfield site in the southern German town of Ebermannsdorf at the beginning of 2008. Basic supplier parts will be sourced from eastern Europe.

Zhafir managing director and Haitian board member Helmar Franz said yesterday that the premium machines will offer luxury as a standard and that sales will be targeted at Asia as the largest existing and fastest growing all-electric machine market. Although the company is prepared to sell the machines in Europe too, Franz said there are no sales targets for this. “Potential marketing activities in established markets in Europe, USA and Japan depend on the achieved product properties and future developments in the competitive position,” the company said.

Even though China and the rest of Asia represent the main market for the machines, Zhafir maintains Germany has been chosen as the production location for the new machines due to the country being a benchmark for engineering services, moulding machine drive, control and measuring technology and development.