Injection moulding was the most important processing method for thermoplastics in Austria in 2004, with a share of 22% (154,000 t) of the 706,000 t total demand, British market research group Applied Market Information (AMI, GB-Bristol BS1 3QP; www.amiplastics.com) says in the latest edition of its guide to the industry. Some 80% of the companies process PP. While Austria´s injection moulders are still the largest consumers, AMI notes that their ranks are thinning as many are moving abroad. Accordingly, consumption of plastics for injection moulding declined by nearly 2% annually from 1999 to 2004, as many processors packed up and moved to central Europe

Among the leading injection moulding companies active in Austria, AMI lists Greiner (A-4550 Kremsmünster; www.greiner.at), which specialises in dairy packaging of PP and PS, Alpla (D-88677 Markdorf; www.alpla.com), a manufacturer of closures and PET preforms, along with Hofmann Kunststoffverpackung (A-8773 Kammern; www.hofmann.at), which produces containers and lids. Other well-known technical injection moulders in Austria include High Tech Plastics (HTP, A-7201 Neudörfl; www.htp.at) and FCI Austria (A-5230 Mattighofen; www.fciconnect.com). Companies active in the automotive sector are Robust Plastik (A-5230 Mattighofen; www.robust-plastik.at), Semperit (A-2632 Wimpassing; www.semperit.at) and EKB (A-5280 Braunau; www.draexlmaier.de).

The revised edition of the AMI guide contains detailed information on more than 180 Austrian production sites, characterised as supplier or toll moulder, integrated injection moulder or manufacturer of other brand name products.

Book Service: “AMI´s Guide to the Injection Moulding Industry in Austria”, 4th edition 2005, paperback, 121 pages, DIN A4, EUR 190.00 +VAT: PIE-No. B 46840 • CD-ROM: 375.00 EUR + VAT: PIE-No. B 46874.