Reifenhäuser acquires Plamex Maschinenbau

Plamex is a specialized supplier of blown film lines and extrusion components. Its core competences are blown film lines for water-cooled and biaxially oriented films for the medical and food packaging industries. In addition, Plamex develops coextrusion tools, such as multilayer blown film dies for special applications.

Founded in 1911 and headquartered in Troisdorf, Germany, Reifenhäuser Group provides technologies and components for plastics extrusion

The company will continue its operations under the name Reifenhäuser Blown Film Plamex, managed by Maximilian Herchenbach and Manfred Kurscheid. Jochen Herchenbach is to retire.

The acquisition expands Reifenhäuser Groups’ product range to include new technology for flexible film production.

Reifenhäuser Group CEO Bernd Reifenhäuser explained: ‘The extremely efficient water cooling keeps the polymer in amorphous state and produces a particularly glossy and transparent film with remarkable puncture resistance and very good barrier properties. In our discussions with customers we can now provide even more differentiated advice and deliver the optimum solution for the particular application.’

Kurscheid added: ‘Water cooled blown film extrusion lines for medical applications, such as infusion bags, and biaxially oriented multi-layer films, have not been in the scope of the Reifenhäuser Group, yet. Now we can offer water-quench, double and multi-bubble technologies, with which we can address new customer groups and thus continue our growth path.’

In addition to technological synergies, Plamex is expected to benefit from the strong global network of Reifenhäuser Group and the close connection to specialist machinery manufacturer Polyrema.

Reifenhäuser Blown Film Polyrema specialises in mono blown film lines and smaller coextrusion lines as well as components.

Herchenbach said: ‘It was particularly important to us that we can continue the Plamex success story with a strong partner at our side. Reifenhäuser Polyrema is the perfect match for Plamex, both in terms of corporate structure and business focus.

‘We are and will remain a special machine manufacturer and develop tailor-made solutions for the packaging industry. We are proud to be part of the Reifenhäuser Group. We will join forces and thus be able to act even more efficiently for our customers.’