W&H secures printer, extruder orders; on pace for record year

that the company's sales through the first half of 2010 have been "robust," with the potential to post a record year. Bema Polytech ordered a new 52-inch 8-color MIRAFLEX AM flexographic press, and once installed, the system is capable of printing speeds up to 1200 ft/min. Features of the line include EASY-SET for automatic impression setting, EASY-REG for registration, and TURBOCLEAN automatic ink supply and wash-up for ink changes on all decks in less than five minutes.

McNeely Plastics, which is part of the Sigma Plastics Group, has purchased another VAREX co-extrusion line, it's third investment in W&H technology. The 3-layer line has a working width of 71 inches, grooved feed extruders (70.30/120.30/70.30D), and is equipped with a Filmatic S dual-surface winder. It will also feature W&H's new OPTICOOL air ring, which the company says was designed to drive higher output rates than can be achieved with dual air-ring systems. Scheduled for a Q4 2010 shipment, the new VAREX will be added to existing lines with working widths of 63 and 87 inches.

W&H confirmed that its overall quoting is up, fueled in part by interest in technologies launched at its in-house Expo last November in Germany. The company has seen equal interest in extrusion and printing technologies, and, after hiring a fill-form-and-seal (FFS) business development manager for North America last fall, W&H says it has seen a marked increase in FFS sales. —[email protected]