German plastics machinery group KraussMaffei (KM, Munich; www.kraussmaffei.com) is merging its Italian injection moulding subsidiaries. The "Netstal" and "KraussMaffei" brands will be incorporated into KraussMaffei Group Italia, headed by Andrea Bottelli, who previously oversaw Netstal’s Italian subsidiary.

KraussMaffei Group Italia, situated in Cerro Maggiore, will carry out all sales activities for the previous companies’ injection moulding machinery, effective from 16 September. However, both brands will continue to be independently represented on the market. “I am convinced that, by pooling the know-how of KraussMaffei and Netstal, we will be able in future to offer injection moulding customers in Italy value-added in regard to their specific requirements,” said Bottelli.

The other subsidiary, KraussMaffei Italiana in Abbiategrasso, will in future operate solely as a centre of excellence for reaction process machinery. The company said it is very well positioned to serve customers from the industrial white appliances sector in particular, adding that its aim is to strengthen the centre further.

The Bavarian-based company has completed similar mergings involving Netstal activities in other geographic regions over the last twelve months. In January the company announced it had bundled the UK and Ireland operations – see Plasteurope.com of 09.01.2013 – and even earlier, in October 2012, it had accomplished similar goals for China and the Americas – see Plasteurope.com of 05.10.2012.