Smart Molding International 1-2025

9 www.smart-molding.com newsfeed Factory expansion of the American subsidiary NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., a Japanese company headquartered in Nagano, Japan and led by President Hozumi Yoda, has been strengthening their global production network. The factory expansion of their US production base in Texas is now complete, and the added building will be operational from February 2025. As a global supplier of injectionmolding machines, NISSEI has a management strategy of producing and delivering ideal machines from the nearest production bases to meet demands in each region. NISSEI has followed its strategical plan and established a global production system with five production bases in Japan, China, Thailand, United States, and Italy. NISSEI’s US production subsidiary was established in November 2016 to provide large-size injection molding machines to the North American market on a stable basis and with short delivery times. The operation of the US factory began in March 2018. At the time of its opening, a series of tariffs was imposed on China during the first Trump administration, and the reshoring trend has gained significant momentum as a result. To meet these regional needs, NISSEI has been steadily increasing the assembly and production of large hybrid type injection molding machines at the US factory, delivering over 200 units to the North, Central, and South American markets to date. Large injection molding machines with 560 tons to 1,300 tons clamping force are currently being produced in the US factory, and NISSEI has been receiving many inquiries about super large-size injection molding machines, mainly for the automotive, housing, and construction material industries in North America. The decision to expand the US factory was made in March 2023, and the added floor will allow NISSEI to assemble injection molding machines with clamping force up to 3,000 tons. With the start of the second Trump administration in the U.S., all eyes, including people in Japan and around the globe, are on President Trump's new tariff plans. Coincidentally, NISSEI is launching the operation of the added factory building, and they consider it is a perfect timing to expand their Made- in-USA machine lineups, increasing their presence in the US market. In addition, NISSEI AMERICA, the US subsidiary of NISSEI Group, integrated production and sales functions in 2021, making their operation streamlined and efficient. It has been benefitting their customers by providing meticulous services and precisely meeting their needs. NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL https://www.nisseiplastic.com Manufacturing and sales of injection molding machines, located in Brooks City Base Industrial park, San Antonio, TX, USA (photo: NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL) Apollo Funds completed acquisition of Barnes Group In January, Barnes Group Inc., a global provider of highly engineered products, differentiated industrial technologies and innovative solutions, and Apollo announced that funds managed by affiliates of Apollo (the “Apollo Funds”) have completed the previously announced acquisition of Barnes in an all- cash transaction with a total enterprise value of approximately $3.6 billion. “We are pleased to announce the completion of our transaction with Apollo Funds, which opens the door to the next phase in Barnes’ evolution,” said Thomas J. Hook, President and Chief Executive Officer of Barnes. “Under Apollo Funds’ ownership, we are well positioned to accelerate our transformation strategy, enhance our capabilities and broaden our product offerings to create new opportunities for increased growth and innovation.” “We are excited to reach this milestone with the Barnes team and for the tremendous opportunity to accelerate the growth of the Company’s strong portfolio of businesses across the aerospace and industrial sectors,” said AntoineMunfakh, Partner at Apollo. “Barnes has a proud legacy of innovation, close customer relationships and is uniquely positioned to benefit from robust aerospace demand trends. We look forward to partnering with the Barnes team to help them continue to solve their customers’ most complex challenges.” The transaction was announced on October 7, 2024, and approved by Barnes shareholders at the Company’s Special Meeting of Shareholders on January 9, 2025. With the completion of the acquisition, Barnes’ common stock has ceased trading and will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. Barnes www.onebarnes.com A tailored hot runner solution, developed by Synventive® – a business of Barnes Group Inc. (picture source: Synventive)