French Injection Moulding Machinery Producer Billion Achieved Its Best Turnover

Korbinian Kiesl, CEO of French injection moulding machinery producer Billion, says the company has achieved its best turnover - €35m in the 2010/11 financial year – since 2005, when Kiesl acquired the company. Speaking at this year’s Fakuma show, Kiesl said the result is higher than turnover achieved before the 2009 financial crisis and that the company is ahead of plans made in 2005. Billion makes 40% of its turnover in its domestic French market, but exports a higher 60% share. The company makes €1.8m of its turnover in the important German market. Multi-component technology accounts for as much as 35% of the value of Billion machines sold today, with more than 1,500 machines built since 1961. The company has built more than 40 of the newer Select electric drive multi-component machines since 2008. Kiesl says that the multi-component systems are used mainly in Europe but also in overseas countries such as India and China. Automotive industry applications account for 25% of Billion machinery use, followed by medical (15%), cosmetics (10%), and leisure (10%). Kiesl says that 60% of all Billion machines presently sold are electric drive Select machines, first introduced in 2007 and a new 600-tonne Selecta machine will be in use the end of 2011. Kiesl told European Plastics News the 600-tonne Selecta is in “85% electric drive, as injection and core-pulling functions on the machine are still hydraulic – but in the long run these function will also be less and less hydraulic”. Billion demonstrated its multi-component competence at Fakuma by moulding an automotive part with snap fits in Grilon TS polyamide 66/6 blend from EMS Grivory and a Thermolast K TC6PAN CO/PA soft component from Kraiburg TPE. The company used a 200-tonne Select, equipped with a Sepro S5-25 linear part removal robot integrated within a Billion Dixit 3 control unit. Looking forward, Kiesl said the company will not have similar turnover growth next year because of the uncertainty of the euro crisis. Source: europeanplasticsnews.com