Smart Molding International 4-2021

machinery 26 smart_molding international 4/2021 F rom the distribution center to the supermarket, from the sup - plier to the automaker – and all the way to the assembly line by means of an automatic conveyor system. Goods are being moved everywhere. They need a sturdy container for solid protection. Monoflo in Virginia spe - cializes in pallets, collapsible bulk con - tainers, totes, and trays – and, since 2015, has been using technology from KraussMaffei. At its Winchester location, about 70 miles fromWashington, DC, ten heavy - weight injection molding machines from the KraussMaffei MX series with clamping forces of 10,000 to 32,000 kN are in use already, and two new MX machines (one MX 1600 and one MX 2300) and seven GX 1100 machines are currently on order, some of them equipped for automated labeling, in mold labeling (IML) and palletizing. Monoflo is a family-owned company. It pursues a strategy of continuous ex - pansion of its capacity and technolo - gies to be ahead of the game in its market. Its claim is even printed right on the employees' uniforms – "Crafting Better Plastics." At manufacturing locations in Virgin - ia and Kansas, two hundred and fifty employees produce reusable transport packaging products such as pallets, col - lapsible bulk containers, totes with and without lids – some of them stackable – as well as trays and totes for automa - tion solutions 24/7. Most Monoflo customers are from the logistics in - dustry, followed by the automotive sector, automation and the food in - dustry. Most of the products are stan - dardized for each industry. Depending on the client, they can be produced in custom colors, marked with the client’s name, and labeled to their exact speci - fications. The customer list includes global players such as Amazon, General Motors, Mercedes, and Aldi. IML as new option for more profitability Manufacturing efficiency and cost- efficiency are particularly valued at Monoflo. You have to keep this in mind if you want to introduce technologies that are not yet widespread in the US. In the words of Henning Rader, the CEO, "Currently we apply customer specific Monoflo relies on automatic mold changes for ten heavyweight injection molding machines from the KraussMaffei MX series, manufacturing larger logistics packaging. Two new MX machines and seven GX 1100 machines are currently on order, some of them equipped for automated labeling, in mold labeling and palletizing. "Two machines do the work of three" A look into the production at Monoflo: Depending on customer requirements, up to 100% recycled material is processed (all photos: Monoflo)