Product of the Day
Robots propel auto plastics
company to new levels
Wintec machines combined with HKTM robots bring repeatability and efficiency to the Baires’ production process.
Automotive component manufacturer Baires Plastics of South Africa has invested in a winning combination of WINTEC plastic injection moulding machines and HKTM robots from GreenTech Plastics Machinery.
Baires Plastics MD Nick Keller explains that the business was established by his father in 1988 and acquired its first plastic injection moulding machines in 1996. It has been expanding ever since, to the point where the company acquired its first big machines in 2015 and 2017 as it focused on simple trim polypropylene products to shoot-and-ship for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive sector. Baires is a Tier 2 supplier that, in turn, supplies components to Tier 1 suppliers that deal directly with the OEMs.
GreenTech Head of Sales and Projects JC Jonker contacted Nick after it began distributing the WINTEC brand. Such has been the growth of the family business that Nick eventually took the decision to go the WINTEC route. In addition, Nick highlights the proactive service he receives from GreenTech, with its expertise and technicians a phonecall away.
The ultra-low scrap rate of about 0.02% reduces the company’s cost of doing business significantly and complying with the automotive component sector’s stringent quality assurance standards and procedures. Another major benefit is energy efficiency, especially with the ubiquitous loadshedding. Acquiring the WINTEC machines combined with the HKTM robots offered repeatability and efficiency in terms of Baires’ production process.
GreenTech MD Patrick Bracke and JC have been involved with the planning, installation and commissioning at Baires Plastics. Nick says that the HKTM robots have integrated seamlessly with the WINTEC machines. Being only the second HKTM installation of its kind in the country, it presented a learning curve for GreenTech as well. As for the WINTECs, Nick says it is cutting-edge technology with excellent controls.
From arriving at Baires Plastics to being fully set up took only four days. As for the current performance, Nick says the machines were acquired for a specific project and are running at capacity now. The investment in the latest technology from GreenTech has catapulted the company to the level of being a reliable Tier 2 automotive component supplier, with the future possibility of a direct OEM contract thanks to the consistent quality and throughput the company is now able to maintain.
