Wortex Máquinas (Campinas, Brazil) reentered the market for blown-film extrusion systems at Brasilplast (May 9-13), launching a three-layer design for technical films. Speaking with PlasticsToday from his company's stand, Paolo De Filippis, Wortex's director, admitted the marketplace for film extrusion machinery in Brazil does not lack opposition. This point was reinforced by Wortex's neighbor at the fair, Carnevalli, a long-standing Brazil-based supplier of blown-film equipment, which ran four towers at the show.

"The competition in film extrusion is very tough here," De Filippis said. "However, we feel quality machines will find a space at the right price." Called the Challenger Blow, the three-layer blown film line is intended for technical film extrusion, with the potential to be designed for up to nine layers. De Filippis said Wortex had offered a blown-film system, but in 1982, it moved away from film extrusion. Following Brasilplast, the machine, which was in Wortex's booth, will be reassembled at the company's plant with plans for an open house

Wortex built a new plant for the blown-film machinery, finishing the facility three months ago. It has 2000-m² for assembly, with the complete manufacturing site covering 5500-m².

In addition to expanding its technological portfolio in 2011, Wortex also hopes to extend its geographic reach, with plans to add manufacturing in the U.S. "Contrary to what many people say," De Filippis said, "we believe the U.S. will still be very important." Wortex, which also sells equipment for plastics recycling, sees a lot of potential for plastics reclaim in the U.S. De Filippis said the company is currently scouting for sites in Houston, the Carolinas, and Florida, with a particular interest in duty-free zones to mitigate the impact of import taxes.