Athena – Sipa relationship ends
The agreement entered by Athena Automation Ltd., Ontario, Canada, and Sipa S.p.A., Italy, in December 2012 has expired. Athena will support Sipa in shipping and servicing the remaining "Athena for Sipa" machine inventory.
Athena’s next-generation PET preform moulding machines will be sold and serviced directly by Athena, alongside its non-PET machines. According to Robert Schad, President of Athena, there are no plans to form an alliance with a specific mould maker. Instead Athena customers will be able to choose the mould maker they want to use with the post-mould cooling and quick mould-change technologies from Athena.
Athena currently builds 150, 300, and 450 metric ton injection moulding machines. A new 14,400m2 (155,000sq ft) plant for just-in-time manufacturing of machines only is in the early start-up phase. The existing 3,700m2 (40,000sq ft) building will remain as head office and will include Sales and Customer Services.
