PLASTGrommet (distributed exclusively in the UK by ATECH LTD) is returning to FESPA Global Print Expo in Amsterdam from 19th-22nd March 2024, where it will showcase a brand-new Hot Edge and Hot Air Welder alongside some of the company’s most popular and versatile banner automation solutions offering unprecedented productivity.
PLASTGROMMET is a third-generation family-owned company with a background in manufacturing. Their roots are plastic injection moulding, which remains an important part of the business, manufacturing millions of clear eyelets.
Customer requirements have evolved over the years and PLASTGrommet has adapted to meet these needs. Over the last few years, they have grown in Banner Finishing Automation and have recently added progressive stamping to manufacture in-house metal eyelets. Under one roof, PLASTGrommet has a unique offering including clear plastic and metal eyelets, eyelet machines, hot air & hot wedge welders, banner finishing systems, roll lifters, roll rewinders, storage racks and squeegees.
The company will present its automated banner finishing systems including The Finishing Station, The All in One and the Roll2Roll Eyeleting PRO and launch the much anticipated Evolve Air&Wedge Welder with live demonstrations.
The Evolve was developed to fill a missing space in the impressive lineup of banner-finishing equipment currently available. Until now, customers were able to eyelet and create hems but not join banners.
The welder features both hot air and hot wedge, offering customers a flexible welding solution to make different finishings such as hem, webbing tape, pole pocket, hem with cord and banner joining at unprecedented speeds of up to 20m/min. The machine features a material puller, especially useful on long welds, and has a precise head positioning system with stepper motors. The built-in table assures optimal material handling and offers the option to add an additional L-shaped table.
Rafa Menendez, Head of Sales of PLASTGrommet, says “The UK is one of the key markets for our company, over the last years we have helped wide format printers to automate their finishing processes but there was a gap in our product portfolio as we did not have a solution to join banners, something all customers were asking for. Our R&D team has worked for almost two years to bring this machine to the market, and the feedback we have recieved is extremely positive”.
Allan Ashman, Managing Director of Atech, says, “We look forward to presenting this new Evolve Welder at FESPA. This welder will further expand PLASTGrommet’s line up of Banner Finishing equipment for our sign and graphic customers”.
“Not all customers have the same requirements for banner finishing in terms of volumes, materials used and finishing requirements. This welder adds another exciting option.”
Due to an increase in weight and roll diameter, and customer requests for a larger storage rack, PLASTGrommet are unveiling the BullRack Max.
The BullRack Max will sit nicely alongside the BullRack and BullRack XXL which take a
Ø17 cm diameter roll whereas the BullRack Max will take rolls up to 25 cm.
Visitors can also see the fully automatic MultiPress eyelet machine which offers a unique feature, known as pre-cutting. This feature eliminates wrinkles in the setting area. This is especially useful when reinforcement tape is applied to fabrics and corners become a challenge to eyelet due to the thickness. Auto-feed machines can greatly speed up the eyelet setting process, setting up to 60 eyelets per minute.
Another feature will be the PLASTGrommet clear plastic eyelets which are manufactured in-house and continue to set standards in sustainability. Celebrating their twentieth birthday, they are the smart solution for banners and offer many unique advantages including being the only fully recyclable eyelet on the market. When applied on PP or PE banners the entire banner can go into the #4 or #2 waste system.
Allan concludes “We are proud to further strengthen our partnership with PLASTGrommet and to offer a complete solution for banner production, it doesn’t matter how big your business is as we have a solution for all budgets, from hand presses to fully automated systems that integrate welding, eyeleting and cutting”.
PLASTGrommet will be exhibiting in Hall A1, Stand C30
