Extrusion and material handling system and parts supplier Entek is developing its largest twin-screw extruder to date — a 160-mm machine. Although Entek produces replacement parts in sizes up to 250 mm, the largest extruder it has offered to date is a 133-mm model.

The new machine is being designed by a team of engineers at company locations in Oregon, Nevada, and California. The first extruder is scheduled to ship in Q4 of next year.

“We have been making replacement wear parts for this size of machine for almost 20 years for other brands of twin-screw extruders,” said Linda Campbell, VP of Extrusion Sales. “We have seen market demand for this size and recognized the gap in our Entek machine lineup.”

The new 160-mm machine is suited for high-output applications, including masterbatch compounding.

In other news, Entek announced that it is nearing completion of the phase one buildout of its 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Henderson, NV. It has invested $15 million in the expansion, which will include a new wear parts division serving twin-screw extrusion and materials compounding.

Entek manufactures turnkey production systems, twin-screw extruders, and replacement components; material handling systems; and wear parts from 25 to 250 mm. Its equipment is used for pelletizing, masterbatch compounding, and in specialty sheet lines. Food and medical are significant applications. Entek is also a leading designer and producer of separators for lead-acid and lithium batteries. The company is headquartered in Lebanon, OR, and operates facilities in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Japan, and China.