In 1996 turnover for Netstal-Maschinen AG (CH-8752 Näfels), a subsidiary of Krauss-Maffei (D-80997 Munich) – see also Plasteurope.com 13 – declined by 7.5% to CHF 223m (CHF 240.8m) despite a 3.3% increase in orders for injection moulding machines. The decrease in group turnover was due to the sale of its US subsidiary Optima Precision Inc (Fitchburg / USA), a manufacturer of plastics parts, and operating results for the group increased to CHF 22.5m (CHF 17.6m).

One area of market development for Netstal is in two-component injection moulding machines. Its "SynErgy 2C" machine, the successor to its earlier 2C version can be used for all types of two-component moulding (over-moulding, co-injection and bi-injection moulding) as well as single component applications. Companies which have installed Netstal's machines include Kunststoff Schwanden AG (Tschachen 7, CH-8762 Schwanden) which uses its "SynErgy 2C 1750-900-230" model for the production of 2 colour or hard-soft combination articles destined for the household appliances, telecommunications, packaging, sanitary and medical industries. At the end of last year, Sarnatech Spritzguss AG (Grossfeld, CH-6234 Triengen) and Wild & Küpfer AG (Allmeindstrasse 19, CH-8716 Schmerikon) both took delivery of new Netstal Synergy 2C machines. Sarnatech's main markets are in the automotive and telecommunications sectors. Wild & Küpfer is using its new model to mould technically very demanding housing parts for fire detectors.

READER SERVICE: Netstal 1996 Annual Report (German): PIE-No. 41137 – "Netstal News" April 1997 (English) with details of the SynErgy 2C moulding machine and overview of two-component moulding technologies: PIE-No. 41304.