The protagonist of the fourth industrial revolution

An international press conference, a firework display, as well as a gala dinner at the Schönbrunn castle and a visit to the factories. This was the programme of events for the fortieth year celebrations organized by Wittmann Battenfeld for over 1500 guests, including press representatives and clients from all over the world, that took place in Vienna on June 8 and 9. The heart of the two-day event being an entire pavillion of the Vienna fair, where an immense showroom was set up to display the complete range of the products developed by the company in its four decades of operations.

Michael Wittmann, the company’s CEO, opened the press conference explaining that the group achieved a turnover of 359.4 million euros in 2015, which is equivalent to an increase of 19.5% as compared to 2014, with a further 3% rise being forecast for 2016, thereby targeting a sales turnover of approximately 370 million euros. Growth in terms of both the product range and the geographic coverage has always been a feature of the Wittmann Group, founded in 1976 by Werner Wittmann, initially as a company involved in the construction of flow regulators, and then as, from 1983, of robots, dryers, feeding systems, granulators and blenders, and finally injection moulding machines with the takeover of Battenfeld in 2008. Investments have also been made for the expansion of factory premises in both Austria and abroad, as well as the global sales network, which has allowed the company to become an innovative, competent and reliable partner.

The company currently employs a staff of over 2000 people in 11 factories and operations are driven above all by its SmartPower and MacroPower machine ranges and automation systems. The primary focus is on the efficiency and integration of both its processes and products, strongly oriented to the Industry 4.0 concepts. Sales are particularly strong in North America, headed by the United States and Mexico, as well as Asia and Europe, with Italy, Spain and Poland showing a growing demand.

A host of novelties are expected, also in view of the presentation at the K 2016. Including the new Unilog B8 control for injection machines, which differs from the previous, not only by virtue of the updated design and 21.5 inch screen, but above all thanks to the simplified intuitive operating system, especially as regards the most commonly used functions.

As regards the injection moulding machines, the MicroPower range is now available in a new multi-component version with two parallel injection units and rotary table, while the SmartPower range has been extended to a clamping force of 350 tons which can be used in combination with Cellmould and BFMold processes for the production, for example, of car interior panels with high-gloss finish.

There are also new versions of the robots such as the WL80 (S), WS80 and W853/863 Pro versions. A new addition to the temperature controller range: the Tempro plus D120 Large model, as well as new additions to the granulator range with the G-Max series, not to mention the additions to the feeding system range with Feedmax blenders and the net5 system.

Wittmann 4.0 marks the entry into the fourth industrial revolution, with auxillary and peripheral machines that are capable of communicating through simple connection and disconnection operations, by means of plug-in and router devices, which can be controlled from the machine’s panel or in remote mode.