Woojin touts foaming technology as it eyes roads for global growth

Düsseldorf, Germany — Woojin Plaimm Inc., one of the largest injection molding machine builders in South Korea, is looking west to boost sales, touting its controllers and microcellular foam technology at K 2022.

Founded in 1985 by Ick Whan Kim, the Boeun-based company manufactures about 2,700 horizontal and vertical presses annually for a diverse customer base that has been investing in their processing plants.

Some of South Korea's largest companies use Woojin machines to produce parts for the automotive, electronics and household appliances markets. The company has an export rate of about 40 percent and there are gains to be made, according to Gregor Göbel, CEO of Woojin Plaimm GmbH in Leobersdorf, Austria.

The Austrian facility, which is focused on research and development, is the only operation outside of Korea that isn't a sales and service facility.

Woojin exports machines mostly to Southeast Asia and is still making inroads in North America, where sales to Mexico have picked up, Göbel said.

"We'll probably have the best results this year in Korea. We're growing and trying to develop new markets. We have longtime customers in the United States, but it's a market we're still trying to develop," he said.

At K 2022, Woojin put a spotlight on low-pressure microcellular foam injection molding, which can reduce processing costs and energy usage while lightweighting products. The foam injection molding process dissolves and disperses nitrogen, an inert gas, into the molten resin before it is injected into the mold.

"By putting in 20 percent gas, I take out 20 percent material," Göbel said.

Decompression during the injection process forms a porous part or product that is lightweight but still has a thick wall that resists warpage.

Woojin set up a hydraulic DL500A5 press at K 2022 to produce battery modules from nylon 6.

"We're producing a typical upcoming part, a battery tray holder for electric mobility," Göbel said, adding that many K 2022 exhibitors showed what's possible more than what's new.

The company also had an electric TE220A5 press producing polypropylene containers, an electric multi-injection TE150NC press producing polycarbonate ice scrapers with thermoplastic polyurethane handles, and it exhibited a low-floor vertical hydraulic press.

In 2013, Woojin was in the midst of moving the company headquarters factory from Incheon, the site of the main airport serving Seoul, to Boeun, where it could expand capacity for building molding machines to 6,000 presses a year.

The company has R&D staff at the 690,500-square-meter headquarters and in Austria. Göbel said his facility has been fortunate to put together a dedicated team from seven countries, including some young members, that keeps achieving greater control and efficiency over processing parameters.

"Young people want to work in this field and on connectivity. It's a part of the new economy, and they want to be a part of it," Göbel said.

In addition to building out Woojin's range of machines, they work on the company's IMC 500 controller, which is based on HTML5 and OPC-UA, and has Windows 10 embedded.

"We can support all this connectivity," Göbel said. "Industry 4.0 is a question of communication and handling data and interface questions. On this, I think we're really offering a top solution."

Woojin also is vertically integrated — even to the point of having a steel foundry — so supply shortages haven't been a big challenge.

Woojin Plaimm Inc.

Hall 15, Booth D58