UK moulder plans to grow in Eastern Europe

UK moulder plans to grow in Eastern Europe
By Christopher Cundy

Carclo Technical Plastics has revealed plans for new injection mouldings factories in central and Eastern Europe. The company is in talks with Delphi Automotive to build a facility near the company’s plant in Poland. Carclo’s European Business Developments Director, David Kernahan told the World Class Moulding Conference in Warwick today that it would need a commitment for 8 press loads of work before going ahead with the new facility.

Carclo is also planning to build a second plant in the Czech Republic in Kladno. Earlier plans to build a second plant were scuppered following legal difficulties.

However the company is presently negotiating land costs and planning permission for a site near contract manufacturer Celestica. In the meantime, a further 6 machines will be added to the 22 currently at Carclo’s Brno site to cope with the volume of work.

These 6 machines will be housed in an extension to the factory but the plan is eventually to take them to Kladno to give the new site a head start in production. Carclo is also in discussion with an unnamed Romanian company to build a 16-press operation with toolroom facilities. Kernahan also identified Ukraine as a future location for Carclo’s operation in the medium term.

The expansion in central and Eastern Europe is part of Carclo’s strategy to supply any of its customer needs on a worldwide basis. “Our strategy is to support customers in lower cost regions, not moving there just for lower manufacturing costs,” Kernahan said.