PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2017

PREFORM PRODUCTION PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 09/17 www.petpla.net 16 Interview with Robert Schad, Chairman of Athena Automation Working closely together with mould makers by Alexander Büchler & Mike Urquhart This 150t PET preform system serves as a Lightsout dem- onstration site for unattended moulding PETplanet: Robert, how does your strategy set you apart from your com- petition? Schad: First, we only build injec- tion moulding machines and work with a variety of mould makers and auxiliary equipment suppliers. We focus on technology – a rigid base, a two- platen clamp with market-leading tie bar spacing, servo-driven pumps and ball screws for accuracy and energy efficiency. Then we have pre-engineered options including PET, stack/cube, two material, robotics and integrated mould servo functions to provide significant advantages for different moulding applications. Also, we are customer focused. Athena operates without sales people. Instead, we build relationships through our regional technical support and by working with mould makers to ensure their moulds run optimally. With the machines now in production, we have learned so much that we can offer a 5 year parts and labor war- ranty and allow customers to buy parts directly from our suppliers. PETplanet: What is unique about your new NIIGON line of PET preform machines? Schad: Athena PET machines have the lowest cost of ownership from 2 to 192 cavities. With up to 6 stages of post mould cooling, we achieve industry leading cycle times while maintaining preform exit tempera- tures below 55°C to ensure the high- est quality and get the lowest energy consumption (0.21kWh/kg). We work with various mould makers, dryers and dehumidification suppliers to optimise customers’ systems. PETplanet: What feedback are you getting from your customers? Schad: Both the customers and the mould makers we are working with have been very pleased. Some customers have already placed repeat orders. As part of our Lightsout devel- opment program, we are now supply- ing preforms to a local customer from our facility and have shipped over four million preforms in four different prod- ucts and numerous colours without a single reject. PETplanet: What are you doing to expand your customer support net- work? Schad: There are now machines operating in 11 countries on 5 conti- nents, and we have regional techni- cal support in the USA, Canada, and Europe. Latin America is next. PETplanet: What are you doing to ensure Athena will prosper post Robert Schad? Schad: We have built a company and a facility capable today of build- ing 300 machines per year and have land for expansion. Athena is a family- owned company with employee share- holders. We have a long-term outlook and are debt-free after an investment of $150 million. Our management team is dedicated to carrying this vision forward and growing the company. I welcome your readers to visit us and see for themselves that this is a very different company that offers unique advantages. PETplanet: Robert what has been your greatest success? Your biggest failure? Schad: My greatest success is Athena, and my biggest failure was following my major competitors’ lead in setting up component manufacturing in-house, instead of focusing only on what we did best. PETplanet: What do you see as the major trends affecting the preform (or moulding) industry in the next 10 years? Schad: We see more diversifica- tion – customers tend to have their own preform designs requiring more flexibility – quicker mould and tool- ing changes – and smaller systems. There is also an increasing demand for automated operations that can run unattended. With improvements in communication – commonly referred to as Industry 4.0 – between machine, mould, hot runner controller, robot, and other auxiliary equipment there is no need to have one supplier for the entire system. The moulder will be able to take advantage of improvements from suppliers of each of these components to optimise their moulding system’s performance. www.athenaautomation.com F.l.t.r.: Robert Schad, Chairman, Liz Schad, Member of the Board, Rob Sicilia, Business Manager PET, and Harold Luttmann, CEO