Sumitomo Demag is one of the frontrunners in Europe in terms of electric machines. Can you explain that success? Have the prices of the electric machines come down?
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has achieved an excellent market position in recent years, which we attribute almost entirely to the development of our all-electric machine portfolio, but most importantly our high level of expertise in engineering electric direct drives in-house.
These aren’t off the shelf drives. Designed by our Japanese parent company and built purely for the injection moulding process by experts truly dedicated to motion control, our high torque drives are more reactive and reduce the risk of inertia. In certain conditions, moulders can achieve energy savings exceeding 70% and even faster cycle times in comparison to conventional moulding.
We manufacture and install about 7,000 machines a year, over 90% of which are all-electric. By 2025, the company, which is now under new leadership, is confident it will reach over 25% share in the all-electric European market.
There have of course been a number of hurdles to overcome to create a full all-electric portfolio for every market sector. Until recently, matching the motion force of hydraulics in larger tonnage machines was regarded as inconceivable. However, indicative of the innovations in electric drive technology and powerful injection units, we continue to successfully deliver the high-speed processing benefits and expand the application spectrum in the medium to higher clamp force ranges. The PAC-E packaging machine launch is testament. Other fields of applications include medium clamp force packages for multi-component moulding, LSR and MuCell. We are also unveiling at Fakuma 2024 a 910 injection unit for a 180 ton medical machine which has been designed to further increase processing flexibility and production capacity.
How big is the company’s market share in electric machines in Europe?
Our market share in all-electric machines worldwide has more than doubled in the last 10 years. We currently account for around 20% of the European market, but with the Introduction of the IntElect S and PAC-E series, accompanied by a clear product strategy, efficiency messages and customer testimonials, we expect to see this market share increase significantly in the next 18-24 months
Like EU manufacturers, we carry a small selection of standard-spec machine models for rapid shipments and emergency call-offs. However, approximately 90% of injection moulding machines made by Sumitomo (SHI) are built to defined customer specifications. Some of the subsidiaries, including SDUK, are now offering agile local configurations, working with trusted industry partners to provide cost-effective solutions to improve efficiency, reduce build time, cost and maximise OEE for customers.
This new approach of customising stock machines allows us to react to potential projects by drawing upon the expertise of our in-house engineering and design teams and leverage well-established OEM partnerships. It enables us to develop connected, automated systems that can strengthen UK manufacturing and increase productivity for plastic processors.
What are the focus markets for your machines next to packaging? Does the company plan to continue to expand into new market sectors?
We remain present in all of the main market sectors. These include the medical, electronic, automotive and consumer market. Our target is growth within these sectors through technology. For example, LSR technology is used in any of those sectors, and one where Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has secured a leading position.
Processors must not only produce efficiently, today they must also produce as sustainably as possible. How is the company helping to do that?
Sustainability and efficiency are integrated into every aspect of our processes.
To effectively implement our sustainability strategy and cover the Basic Sustainability Policy, we have certified management systems aligned to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, and VDA ISA. These systems provide a solid foundation for integrating sustainability into our operations and driving continuous improvement. We also engage with external rating platforms, such as the EcoVadis Platform, to measure our sustainability performance and benchmark our business against industry standards.
In our reporting, we adhere to the guidelines of the DNK (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitskodex), a framework that enhances the credibility and transparency of our sustainability efforts and demonstrates our commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices. Fostering accountability, while simultaneously ensuring continuous alignment with industry developments and stakeholders’ expectations.
Furthermore, the use of digital product passports can leverage benefits to many areas of our daily business. Digitalisation is key and provides the necessary transparency to support the different process steps in the value chain. Sumitomo (SHI) Demag plans to use this digital product passport technology to provide detailed transparency about the footprint of our machines in the future.
How important is automation in today’s manufacturing environment?
Automation and digital tools are critical for productivity and the future Net Zero environment. Like most EU machine manufacturers, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag has an in-house automation division that offer scalable units, which are typically standardised pick and place automation systems for normal handling operations.
However, of the automation concepts quoted for by the SD Group in FY 2023, almost 50% requested more customised and complex solutions. This is where customers benefit from having access to automation partners. We work with a number, each of which are specialists in their respective sector and have a detailed understanding of how to apply specific configurations within the available footprint, such as IML insertion, pipette tip removal, or multi-tasking assembly, etc.
For many moulders today, automation is assisting processors to address the skills and recruitment challenges. Acute staffing shortages continues to be a real pain point. Even smaller UK firms are now recognising how automation, even in its simplest form, can help to maintain production continuity, with minimal human intervention
The newest buzz word is AI. Does AI factor into the R&D at Sumitomo Demag?
Absolutely, digitalisation is one of the biggest drivers that will enhance efficiency and support sustainability. The latest development from the company is activeMeltControl (aMC). Automatically adapting to the injection moulding process, aMC adjusts the holding pressure and corrects the switch over position to compensate for a number of processing variables. These could range from viscosity fluctuations to drying differences, dosing variations or the use of additional additives.
The background for this development was driven by changing quality of plastics due to fewer virgin materials and more recyclable content. Using aMC, processors are able to use a broader range of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled material types. Even customers with defined processing references benefit, as aMC instantly addresses any variability to maintain absolute processing precision and stability.
Another digital example is the development of myAssist. To provide greater processing transparency and to help run machines at their most efficient, this tool, summarised by the company as the ultimate ‘digital process companion’, presents easy-to-read dashboards, consumption data and KPIs, all defined by the end user. The ability to connect and oversee digital data across multiple machines in a single production facility is also available.
This level of high data transparency makes it possible to spot deviations, aggregate data captured from all OPC-UA filtered sources and react to changes in production processes at the earliest stage. The ability to merge data from multiple sources facilitates complete digital mapping of all production and environmental factors, including historical data. Adding Human Virtual Interface (HVI) and an Expertise module also enables users to put data findings into context by adding labels and more detailed annotations.
On top we are currently investigating how we are able to use AI in our internal processes where one of our goals is to make the application experience we gathered over years more easily accessible, not only for our own employees but also for the customers. This is a significant step in order to preserve know how during the currently ongoing generation change.
What can we look forward to in terms of innovation in injection moulding technology in general, and at Sumitomo Demag in particular?
Users can expect to see more digital features and with it the potential to optimise processes in more state-of-the-art and sophisticated ways. In the near future we anticipate it will be used to model production processes, adjust parameters autonomously, trace the disposal of plastic waste more efficiently. AI as a tool offers so many opportunities to optimise processes. Providing control (and security) is maintained, it will become the processing enabler of the future.
There is some talk that Europe is ‘deindustrialising’. Is this something that you recognise as a trend? Is it a concern for you as a manufacturer of machinery for the plastics industry?
Indeed, the market is undergoing significant changes and challenges. Mirroring consumer patterns and rapid urbanisation, many of the key manufacturers are instead looking to fortify their regional market positions. Their investments in machinery is indicative of their confidence. Smart buildings, electric vehicles, packaging for personal care products, and home testing devices are among the many forecast growth categories.
Based on our global footprint we do have good and early access to global trends, especially in Asia. Actually, the current situation helped us to move closer together with our international colleagues as we are capable of handling those challenges jointly.
As a company that has a lot of industry-orientated specialists, as with all-electric, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will inevitably be at the forefront, developing solutions that cater to these evolving trends.
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery UK Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, Germany, established in 1956. Sumitomo (SHI)) Demag specialises in the production of electric, hybrid and servo hydraulic injection moulding machines with clamping forces between 500 kN and 15,000 kN. The company’s UK and Ireland business delivers service and support to more than 400 customers, supporting in excess of 1,800 injection moulding machines. Its UK-based Training Academy is IOM3-accredited and won Best Training & Development Programme at the Plastic Industry Awards 2023. All course content has been designed to enhance skills knowledge, workforce productivity and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).