Premium Plastic IMM Installations and Reliable After-sales Support

WD Hearn recently installed three NPC140 ton premium injection moulding machines at Cullin Africa, a manufacturer of components for the high voltage sector. The project ticked numerous boxes, including small floorspace, energy-conservative performance, good support backup, and availability.

Limited space was available at the premises in Brackenfell, Cape Town, with the new machines replacing the older machines that were being phased out earlier this year. The plant also functions as the toolroom for the Johannesburg-based Cullin Africa group. WD Hearn has been supplying CNC and metal cutting equipment to Cullin for an extended period and could supply the NPC units at short notice. The commissioning earlier this year also went off smoothly.

The NPC machines are little-known locally but pack a powerful punch in the small-to medium-size machine application market. Operating out of Ningbo in China, NPC was established as recently as 2009, manufacturing machines from 110 to 1300 tons, for mainly technical applications, including thin-wall products and preforms, as well as large crates and containers.

The three 140-ton machines at Cullin are being used to produce electrical components using moulds manufactured in the on-site toolroom. Bimetallic screws and barrels are fitted, and the units make extensive use of servo motors. Commissioning was on a virtual plug-and-play basis, Cullin was pleased with the result. The machines’ EST control is simple and user-friendly, so Cullin’s setters have barely missed a beat.

WD Hearn's sales manager Mark Burn shares a strong relationship with Cullin. He provided other developments within the company, including the addition of Brett Shelley, who has many years of experience in the plastics industry. Brett has joined the WD Hearn Technical Team, focusing on machine installations and aftersales service. This, Mark noted, will give customers greater confidence, knowing that their machines will be fully supported and backed up.