Japan’s Stretch Blow Machine

Japan’s injection molding machine suppliers are not the only ones leveraging low-cost manufacturing to deliver cost-effective solutions for processors (Nov 02 mp/mpi, 32). Stretch blow molding machine maker Nissei ASB Machine Co., in Nagano, is steadily ramping up production of its Challenge Series single- and two-stage machines at subsidiaries in China and India. The supplier also announced significant price reductions for its domestically-made machines at the recent IPF exhibition in Tokyo.

The price cuts come at a time of increased competition among stretch blow machine suppliers, and amid depressed market conditions. The moves also answer a rising need for low-cost solutions, as processors face downward pressure on container prices. Moreover, the machines meet high-quality entry-level needs in emerging areas such as China.

Nissei’s production of single-stage ASB-50MB machines in Thane, India, currently stands at six units per month, while Shanghai ASB Machine Co. is manufacturing four models that comprise its reheat-type NB series, at a total rate of six machines monthly. Shoichi Ichikawa, Europe and America team leader at Nissei ASB’s sales and marketing division, says hydraulic components and controllers come from Japanese suppliers based in India and China, while only some electrical components and pneumatic cylinders are sourced from Japan.

The ASB-50MB is said to be suitable for low-volume production of a wide range of bottles, with a maximum cavitation of four for 250-mL containers. Maximum container size is 2.5 L for a single-cavity configuration. A 6-cavity option is available.

The Chinese-produced NB series, meanwhile, is an entry-level solution for markets like China, where Ichikawa says preforms are readily available. Containers up to 6 L can be molded on NB units.

Nissei ASB’s cost-cutting efforts are not confined offshore. The company earmarked three of its existing machines for extensive cost-reduction through parts standardization, redesign for streamlined assembly, fabrication of tooling by overseas moldmakers, and production of some components at its subsidiary in India.

At IPF, it announced price reductions of 25 to 30% for its ASB-70DPH, PF6-2B, and PF8-4B machines.

These reductions are combined with performance enhancements to cut per-container production costs by 30 to 40%. The single-stage ASB-70DPH, for example, is now 25% faster, and can accommodate processing of narrow-neck bottles through to wide-mouth jars. The “1.5-stage” PF6-2B and PF8-4B units (where preforms are cooled before being blown), meanwhile, are partially assembled in India, with final assembly done in Japan.

Japan’s second-leading supplier of stretch blow machinery, Aoki Technical Laboratory Inc., also in Nagano, meanwhile, reported performance enhancements for its three-station single-stage machines at IPF. Its stand had a SBIII-100LL-20S high-speed machine, which molded 125-mL dairy-drink containers at 4.5-s cycles. Faster cycles were also the highlight of the SBIII-250LL-50S; at an open-house concurrent with IPF, it molded 500-mL mineral water bottles with a 6-cavity tool, at a cycle time of 8 s (or 2700 bottles/h). It can mold 1.5-L bottles with a 4-cavity mold in 9 s (1600 bph).

Commented president Shigeto Aoki: “In the current tough economic environment, we are selling more machines as processors need to cut their per-container production costs to a bare minimum. We have consistently demonstrated that our single-stage machines can mold at a cost close to that of the preform alone in two-stage processes.”

While Aoki has been highly successful in global markets — it recently sold eight more machines to major processor Pet Power, in Etten-Leur, Netherlands, boosting its production base there to a total to 50 machines — the same cannot be said for its home market in Japan, where two-stage systems hold a 20% share.

“While 350-mL beverages continue to sell for $1 in Japan, and 20% of the product’s price can be attributed to packaging, there’s little incentive for bottle makers to switch to a more cost-effective method,” said Aoki. “But if you look at the U.S., where a 2-L bottle of [soft drink] sells for 89¢, there’s extreme pressure to keep costs to a minimum, hence our recent successes there.”