TOOLS FACTORY is a private, family owned company with 25 years of experience. The company designs and manufactures modern machines for moulding and processing plastics. The basis of the offer are vacuum thermoforming machines.
TOOLS FACTORY is a leader in its industry on the Polish market and one of the several leading companies in Europe in this field. Their machines are commonly used for the production of plastic components in the automotive, transport, sanitary, packaging, construction, advertising and many other industries. The company dynamically develops exports to all European countries.
TOOLS FACTORY is located in Stefanówka in central Poland, about 25 km from Warsaw. About 50 people work in the company.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
TOOLS FACTORY: The main activity of the company is manufacturing machines for plastic processing: vacuum thermoforming machines, Rotomoulding machines and multi-axis CNC machining centers. Machines are offered together with commissioning and training about process and machine service. The company also offers consulting on the selection of machines and optimization of solutions for a given material and production profile.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
TOOLS FACTORY: At last year’s K fair in Dusseldorf, we presented the latest thermoforming machine from the TWINLINE series. This is our “youngest child” in the family of thermoformers. The TWINLINE machine is a device dedicated to the production of elements in the “Twin Sheet” technology (forming two sheets at the same time). Two-sheet thermoforming in the “Twin Sheet” technology allows you to replace two processes – forming and bonding elements – with one. This enables the effective production of seamless spatial or hollow elements, such as: pallets, tanks, canisters, floats, road barriers, etc. The process simultaneously forms the lower and upper parts, and then connects the two elements by pressing, without the need for adhesives, solvents or other connecting materials between them. The obtained elements have high stiffness and strength. The possibility of creating voids is also often used to reduce the weight of the product and reduce material consumption.
It is also worth mentioning the fairly new line of SPALINE machines, which have already got high reputation from customers and have become a kind of sales hit. These are thermoformers designed and built specifically for the production of hot tubs, spas and similar products that require deep drawing. These machines also contain a number of unique solutions adapted to this type of production.
I must be mentioned here that we have prepared a whole package of innovations that we intend to introduce from the beginning of this year on all standard machines. These will be both “cosmetic” changes in appearance and advanced, new technical solutions. We plan to present “new generation” thermoforming machine on FAKUMA fair in October.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
TOOLS FACTORY: The basis of the offer are vacuum thermoforming machines of various sizes and with various functionalities, offered in 4 categories:
– SMARTLINE – a group of basic machines supplied with standard solutions, characterized by high efficiency and economy
– QUICKLINE – machines equipped with solutions to maximize efficiency, accelerate the production process and save energy (automatic material feeders, halogen heaters, central cooling system, etc.)
– SPALINE – thermoforming machines specially designed for deep forming of bathtubs, hot tubs and similar products for sanitary and SPA sector
– TWINLINE – machines designed to work in the “twin sheet” technology, i.e. for the simultaneous forming of two material sheets and combining them into one element impossible to produce in one mould.
In addition to thermoforming machines, the company offers rotational moulding machines (ROTOMOULDING) in two configurations: Shuttle and Carousel, and multi-axis CNC machining centres for plastics, wood, aluminium and similar materials.
A large part of the devices is customized, manufactured according to individual arrangements with customers, according to their needs in terms of dimensions, equipment and production requirements. All offered machines have a modern computer system for process control and steering, and a module for internet connectivity enabling remote diagnostics and “on-line” service.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
TOOLS FACTORY: It depends on “market” definition. If you mean our domestic, Polish market, then it’s quite young, open for innovations, developing the technology and suffering of capital shortage (like in other East European countries). In Western Europe market is older and more stable and developed. Producers are well known, so may be difficult sometimes to enter such market with new brand or new product.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
TOOLS FACTORY: Thera are three most important and visible trends on our market. First is strong energy saving, due to energetic situation generally. Second is accelerating the production process and decreasing the cycle time as much as possible. And third goes to automatization and possible combining all single operations, like forming, cutting, finishing into one automated process.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
TOOLS FACTORY: Definitely they are modern vacuum thermoforming machines – computer controlled, supplied with automatic material feeders, fast and energy saving halogen lamps, automatic regulation of forming size and many devices for high level process control. These machines are developing and changing all the time, the most modern solutions and components from mechanic, electric and electronic side are being used. As a manufacturer, we care very much to implement all innovations quickly and efficiently.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
TOOLS FACTORY: Trends mentioned before seem to be very strong. They will force producers to adapt machines for these requirements and to answer market needs. Therefore, the typical “standard” of machines will be changed to higher level. More recycled material will be used in production – this may require some adaptation in machines, as well.
