International Converting Industry News

Published: February 01, 2002, By Edited by Deborah Donberg, Associate Managing Editor

Covering the Full Spectrum of International Industry News, Events & Activities

Expansions
Honle Opens Facility in Barcelona
MUNICH, GERMANY—Honle UV Technology continues its strategy of planned international expansion with the addition of Honle Spain S.A. in Barcelona.

The supplier of UV systems for the manufacturing and printing industries already has facilities operating in the U.K. and France. A management team of three that already has an established sales network at its disposal will build up the Spanish operation.

EDI Plans Service Center for New U.K. Sub.
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—Extrusion Dies Inc. (EDI) has established Extrusion Dies U.K. as a new wholly owned sub.

The 279-sq-m (3,000 sq ft) facility, located in Leicester, will initially focus on die rework and remanufacturing. The co. says it plans to make the sub. a comprehensive service center for technical service, spare parts, and rework.

“The United Kingdom is a major market for our new dies and feedblocks,” reports EDI president and CEO Timothy C. Callahan. “Establishing a subsidiary there is the latest venture in our long-term strategic direction of providing fast regional access to service for our international customers.”

IST Metz Expands in U.K.
BOLINGBROOK, IL, USA—IST Metz GmbH, manufacturer of UV drying/curing systems for graphic arts and industrial applications, will expand its operation in the U.K. IST Metz is the parent co. of IST America.

According to Joachim Jung, president and CEO of IST Metz and IST America, “The new 4,000-square-meter facility in Skipton, North Yorkshire, ensures that the more than 360 IST installations in the United Kingdom can be confident of ready support and a larger stock of parts.”

New Divisions
Lohmann Forms New Div. for South, Latin America
NEUWIED, GERMANY —Lohmann Corp. announces the formation of a new division to address business opportunities in South and Latin America.

The new group will be dedicated to providing faster and more efficient service to customers in the region and will showcase the entire range of Lohmann tapes and service specialized for the flexographic printing, converting, electronics, and automotive industries.

The division will be under the direction of Bernie Darling, formerly operations manager of Lohmann Technologies in Hebron, KY. Susanne Rinke, who most recently handled sales and marketing of the Specialty Adhesives product line in Germany, will act as market development manager of the new division.