KraussMaffei has brought the production of its polyurethane metering system pumps in-house, using the opportunity to change their design as well. KM's EcoStar, RimStar Compact, RimStar Modular, and MiniDos series, as well as its hybrid machines, will all be fitted with KM metering pumps, according to the company, with production to start in April 2010. Initially the pumps will be rated for 16 to 40 liters/minute, with sizes to be added to the portfolio over the course of 2010.

KM says benefits for customers will be twofold: The company believes PUR processers will gain from what it calls "far longer service lives," with additional benefits coming from faster delivery of replacement pumps and parts. The company has also commissioned a new computer-controlled test rig at its Munich-Allach plant to support the new production.

KM has said that its Reaction Process Machinery division has been its fastest growing business unit of late. At the end of 2005, it vertically integrated moldmaking and cutting technologies for post processing to its reaction offerings, joining them with the mixing heads it already supplied. At the beginning of June last year, KM announced that reaction division head, Frank Peters, had become a member of KM's management board, joining Karlheinz Bourdon and Manfred Reichel. Peters was also given a seat on the company's executive committee, which is the central management body for the entire KraussMaffei group. —[email protected]