PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2011

PET TOP TALK 14 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 01+02/11 www.petpla.net ultra-high output of production, HyPET is still the best solution. PETplanet: So European custom- ers would not be first in the queue for an H-PET? John Galt: We see H-PETs in mature markets; we see them also in developing economies that haven’t reached the scale or the infrastruc- ture yet to support the higher volume system. PETplanet: Japanese machine builders used to be competitors to the Europeans – including Husky. Today they are significant partners with European companies. Krauss- Maffei are cooperating with Toshiba, and they also take the electrical drives from them. Demag Ergot- ech was bought by Sumitomo and imposes Japanese design on Euro- pean machines. Even Engel enjoy a partnership with Mitsubishi. Now – we have heard - the Husky compo- nents on the H-PET are designed by Toyo and manufactured by Toyo and to cap it all, the entire system comes from China, assembled at your Shanghai factory. Being a bit provocative: Isn’t there a risk that Husky products may lose their dis- tinct identity? John Galt: I need to correct you. The entire product isn’t coming from China. Not that we wouldn’t choose a component from China if we felt that the Chinese supplier had the best component in the world. That system has been engineered by Husky. When you look at the machine out there, you need to appreciate just what we have done! We have re- engineered it, we’ve put the Polaris Control on it, we’ve put in the H-PET all of Husky’s PET knowledge in terms of preform manufacturing, injection performance, the interface between the robot and the mould, all of that has been designed and devel- oped by Husky. I think there is a difference between re-branding and actually developing. Those systems – H-PET AE as seen at K - will con- tinue to be controlled by the develop- ment resources at Husky. PETplanet: That answers our question but to change the subject slightly: what is Husky’s current think- ing on global manufacturing. John Galt: Our injection moulding machines are assembled in Canada and China. Hot runners are manufac- tured in Singapore, Shenzhen, Shang- hai serving the Asia-Pacific region. We have Luxemburg, we have small-scale manufacturing in Sao Paolo and we have Milton, Vermont. Hot runners are locally produced for the local markets – with exactly the same engineering, exactly the same quality standards. In 2011 we will begin manufacturing in Chennai, India. We build hot runners close to and in interaction with our customers. We require interaction with the customer to offer a good service. It is also impractical to ship a hot runner half way around the world. PETplanet: Husky injection moulding machines are assembled in Canada and in China. Globally sourced components, identical machines, same quality standards, same features. The only difference being where they are assembled. How about a global price for the global machine? John Galt: Assembly cost – which is low in China - is a relatively small factor in building a machine. On the other hand: Supply of machines out of Bolton to China for example involves tremendous costs in logistics. Ulti- mately, what we try to do is to not disadvantage our customers in any part of the world. We have a one-world pricing structure. So the answer to your question is one world, one product and a harmonized price. PETplanet: In this PETplanet series we are talking to leading per- sonalities in the PET sector to dis- cover what makes them tick, and how they have achieved success. John Galt, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, technical, financial, managerial background? John Galt: I’m a mechanical engi- neer by education. My first job with Husky was in the print room. I worked as a mould designer, then worked in the service division for a year and a half in Luxemburg, went back, was involved in injection machine engi- neering, ran the machine business. PETplanet: Every door was open to you at Husky....? John Galt: I have had wonder- ful opportunities. I was a young man who found a perfect fit in Husky. I was fortunate enough to get to know Robert Schad early and I was inspired by what the company was doing. Its values are the same as my own. I think the two have merged into one. It’s an opportunity to test yourself. I think every engineer in the world, whether you’re making injection moulding machines, dish washers or anything else, would love to be given a chance to build the best product in the world. That’s what you live for. That’s what I’ve found here. PETplanet: So the leading person at Husky is an engineer as Bob Schad was? John Galt: Absolutely. PETplanet: Could you explain your personal contribution? What is your priority in the Husky business? John Galt: I want to be part of building a great company. I think Husky John Galt: “The direction of the company is ultimately my responsibility:”