Smart Molding International 1-2026

46 smart_molding interna onal 1/2026 periphery Dust generation has been completely eliminated, which is due to the closed pipeline system as well as the Feedmax Clean material loaders with their integrated dedusting function. “The Feedmax Clean reaches extremely high extraction rates of up to 80 per cent of all particles below 1 mm in diameter”, explains Prütting. WITTMANN originally developed the Feedmax Clean to meet the increasing requirements of the circular economy and with the aim of being able to use recycled materials safely also for high-quality applications, thanks to thorough dust extraction. “For products not certified for direct contact with food, we use regrind more and more often”, says Rösel. In part, this is regrind produced in-house from sprue and scrap parts. As an example, they point to a “Profi 320” tray, made of recycled polystyrene. The round waiter’s tray with a high rim and a slip-resistant inner surface, on which beer advertising is often shown, is one of elasto’s top sellers. It is produced by two-component injection molding with in-mold labeling (IML). Down-stream finishing of injection molding products is one of elasto’s main specialties. In addition to IML, the available options include screen print, pad print and digital print. Moreover, items such as drinking bottles and cups are engraved with a name, logo, or other motif. 20 per cent more e ec ve elasto is the first company on the promotional item market to be ISCC Plus certified and thus furnishing evidence of its generating resource-saving materials and manufacturing ecologically valuable products. In addition to recycled materials, polypropylene produced from agricultural and forestry waste has contributed to the successful certification. A particularly large contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases comes from the company’s own photovoltaic system. 1560 solar modules are installed on the new logistics center alone. “On a sunny day, we can operate entirely with energy produced in-house”, Sperber emphasizes. On 5500 square meters, the new logistics hall offers space for 5000 pallet racks and a storage area for 7000 small parts. The latter contains stores of small injection-molded products which are most frequently in demand, and which elasto also sells via online market places. Products ordered are sent fully automatically by mouse click directly to the person responsible in the shipping department. The latter carries out the final finishing step – for example, engraving – and then packages the products for dispatch. “We can only handle such small individual orders efficiently, because we have optimized and automated our processes also in the logistics department”, Sperber points out. The overall flexibility of production at the corporate headquarters has increased substantially – and this, too, pays off in terms of high competitiveness. What is the proportion of the efficiency gain contributed by the new central material supply system? – This is not quite so easy to calculate, since the total number of optimization measures is very large. “But we have certainly become about 20 per cent more efficient in granulate feeding”, estimates Rösel. “The central material supply system definitely helps us to produce competitively”, Marcus Sperber confirms. “We now have the necessary efficiency to make products in Germany, which others buy from Asia. “ WITTMANN Group www.wi mann-group.com The CMS includes Drymax material dryers. Round waiter’s trays are well-known products from elasto. (all photos: WITTMANN Group)