PETpla.net Insider 09 / 2021

MOULD MAKING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 09/21 www.petpla.net 23 PET hot runner spare parts and refurbishment services Control over the smallest details HRC, which operates out of Gy ő r, Hungary, was founded by brothers Árpád and Tamás Horvath in 2006. The company’s core business consists of servicing of PET hot runners and providing high-quality spare parts to the industry. HRC has established itself as a trustworthy supplier for both small and large customers, with fast return times and the smooth start-ups of serviced hot runners once they are going back into operation. Its revenues have now reached 1.5 million Euros/year (US$1.8 million; £1.3 million) Árpád Horvath, HRC’s CEO, says that its business model is based on working closely with customers to understand how they operate, includ- ing their cost structure. “Producing quality preforms on a battery of multi-cavity systems ‘flat- out’ requires control over the smallest details of the hot runner system,” he says, and highlights the importance of well-executed preventative main- tenance programs. However, these require robust technologies and the use of high-quality components. HRC has learned from experience that the quality of hot runner parts available in the market vary significantly, with consequences for users. HRC’s solution is to deploy 100% part inspection and to accept zero faults. It says that this results in service and maintenance completed without unscheduled delays, en- abling reliable planned downtime and fast turnaround. The company does not base its offer on lowest cost but, rather, on value in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO). HRC’s main customer base is in Europe, where it supports some of the industry’s biggest names. It has also, more recently, established itself in Russia, India, and Japan, where its attention to detail and high quality standards have been rewarded with a growing turnover. HRC’s reservoir of expertise, which covers different types of hot runners ranging from two to 144 cavities, grew through the need to respond to urgent requests of cus- tomers who were depending on their systems. While converters and food packaging companies plan major maintenance and refurbishment activities for quiet periods during the year, unforeseen problems and machine failures cause unscheduled production interruptions and down- time. “Production managers can shut down the problematic cavities and keep running with reduced output but this is a temporary solution and such actions can cause more seri- ous issues down the line,” Árpád Horvath explains. “Some of our customers now contact us directly when an issue occurs, so we can assist in a brief root-cause analy- sis and help them make the best decision.” He says that HRC’s fast turnaround time is an advantage, as it can be more effective to send the faulty system to its workshop, for repair and fast return, in full-cavity configuration. HRC takes pride in its very clean workshop which includes a hot-clean- ing section, a large ultrasonic bath array, a QC lab featuring a Mitutoyo CMM, a hardness gauge and a con- tour measurement unit. “A few microns’ variation can cause headaches for precisely dimen- sioned parts, such as valve bushings and valve stems, and we simply do not want to bring that risk to our cus- tomers,” he says. In response to requests from cus- tomers for solutions for co-injection hot runners, HRC has provided year- round support and refurbishment ser- vices for multilayer preform systems since 2012. “Reliability is key, and we believe that our customer stays with us for exactly that reason. Zero risks and proven performance, with the fastest lead times,” Tamás Hor- vath concludes, on behalf of the two brothers. www.hotrunnercomponents.eu General Manager Árpád Horváth founded HRC hot runner components together with his brother Tamás Hor- vath in 2006.