Agri-Industrial Plastics buys sixth blow molding machine to expand production

Agri-Industrial Plastics Company, a leading industrial blow molder of large parts, is continuing its commitment to set the standard for EPA-compliant, non-automotive fuel tank production with the addition of a new six-layer continuous co-extrusion blow molding machine from Bonn, Germany-based Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH.

To be installed in the fall, the unit marks Agri-Industrial?s sixth new Kautex machine in eight years, multiplying the company?s fuel tank production capacity for the growing lawn and garden, ATV, snowmobile and marine markets.

Director of sales Mick Stielow confirms that growing customer demand has validated the company?s decision to continue investing in additional capacity.

?Multilayer blow molding technology has a 20-year-plus track record and continues to provide the highest performing, low-cost solution compared to secondary treatment and additive barrier materials,? Stielow said. ?As CARB [California Air Resources Board] and EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] emissions standards continue to evolve, our customers can rest assured that their multilayer blow molded fuel tanks will perform for the service life of the vehicle.?

The new Kautex KBSmart120 machine will manufacture low-perm multilayer gas tanks, adding to the current production capabilities of Agri-Industrial?s existing KB240 and KBSmart61 machines. The KBSmart120 uses a single clamp and robotic parison transfer to optimize production efficiencies.

Agri-Industrial was one of the first non-automotive custom blow molders in the United States to adopt multilayer technology as a barrier solution to meet changing regulations set forth by the EPA. The HDPE fuel tank is composed of two virgin layers, two adhesive layers, an EVOH barrier layer and a regrind layer. Permeation levels for the multilayer tanks exceed the current EPA standard, which limits fuel vapor emissions to 1.5 g/m2/day with CE10 fuel at 28C.

Founded in 1978, Agri-Industrial Plastics is a leading industrial blow molder of large parts including non-automotive fuel tanks for the recreational equipment, lawn and garden, agricultural and watercraft industries. Agri-Industrial serves a diverse customer base and offers unparalleled expertise in part and mold design, engineering, part production and assembly. The company?s 250,000-square-feet manufacturing facility based in Fairfield houses 20 monolayer accumulator-head industrial blow molding machines and five multilayer continuous coex machines specifically for non-automotive fuel tank production.

For more information, call 472-4188 or visit www.agriindustrialplastics.com.