A trusting and lasting cooperation
Manfred Schägner GmbH has relied on Netstal injection molding machines to produce food packaging and medical products for many years. In addition to the technological advantages of Swiss technology, the company values the trusting cooperation and good customer service.
“We have always felt that we are in good hands with Netstal. The machines are powerful and reliable. And if there is ever a problem, Netstal is always there for us and organizes a solution as quickly as possible,” say Christian and Manfred Schägner in unison. In Steinmauern, Baden-Württemberg, the family business with 70 employees produces food packaging, drinking vessels and various plastic articles for the pharmaceutical and medical industries. The company’s own mold construction facility to produce injection molds completes the portfolio. The company serves customers in Germany and abroad. Almost half of production is exported.
"We have been working with Netstal machines for many years. With Netstal, we consistently produce with maximum efficiency. In addition to the quality of the machines, we appreciate the excellent customer service."
Manfred and Christian Schägner
Sustainable food packaging produced efficiently
The machine park currently includes 28 Netstal injection molding machines with clamping forces between 600 kN and 4200 kN. “Our Netstal machines are linked to fully automatic removal systems and packaging systems. This is how we ensure a high standard of quality and hygiene in the production of food packaging and beverage containers,” explains Christian Schägner. The products should become ever more sustainable. That’s why, in addition to production, Schägner also places a strong focus on new developments, trials and research into recycling and the use of alternative materials and reusable items. All raw materials used are already fully recyclable.
Schägner products can be recognized by the familiar MS logo on the bottom. Items for multiple use are becoming increasingly important. Depending on the product, the beverage containers, plates and cutlery are designed for up to 125 wash cycles. Afterwards, the products made from mono-materials can be recycled.
Drinking cups from Schägner
Hygienic injection molding production with direct transport to the clean room
Schägner has been assembling some of its pharmaceutical products in a cleanroom since 1991. In 2021, a state-of-the-art class 8 cleanroom in accordance with DIN 14644 with approx. 500 square meters was put into operation to expand capacity. Due to the location of the cleanroom, it is now possible to transport the products manufactured in production to the cleanroom via encapsulated conveyor belts.
All-electric Elion 2200 in medical configuration
The product enter the clean room via encapsulated conveyor belts
“Modern and precise injection molding machines are a basic requirement for reliable production with stable production parameters. We recently invested in two new Elion 2200 machines in a medical version,” reports Manfred Schägner. The two all-electric machines are positioned directly next to the clean room. The finished products are transported directly to the clean room for further processing via an encapsulated conveyor belt. In order to meet the high standards, both machines are equipped with a laminar flow hood above the closing unit.
The assembly and packaging systems used meet the highest pharmaceutical standards and are a prerequisite for high-quality products. Schägner is certified to ISO 13485:2016 for the design and development, production and distribution of medical application aids for tablets, ointments and liquids.
Further processing in cleanroom class ISO 8
Schägner offers its customers in the pharmaceutical industry everything from a single source. From the initial exchange of ideas, through the planning, development and manufacture of the production tool, to the production and packaging of the product, everything is done in-house. Standard products are supplied to well-known companies in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide. These include applicators for creams, tablets and rectal cannulas. Customized special products have also been part of the range of services for decades. These include special applicators for capsules and tablets, tubes for liquid medicines in the field of veterinary medicine, dosing spoons and infusion bottle holders.
When you talk to Christian and Manfred Schägner, you can tell that Schägner and Netstal are simply a good match. We would like to thank them for their trust in Netstal and look forward to many more years of successful collaboration.
Photos: Manfred Schägner GmbH
Packaging highlight: 200 g ICM thin-wall cup
The Swiss Emmi dairy fills various products such as yogurt or skyr in 200 g pots, which are produced using conventional injection molding. When evaluating more cost-effective and sustainable alternatives, a cup produced using the injection compression molding (ICM) process came into play. Even in direct comparison with a thermoformed cup with a cardboard sleeve, the Netstal solution offers numerous advantages.
Solution from Netstal:
The ICM application was realized in cooperation with several system partners. We presented it as a running application at Fakuma 2023. For this we adapted a hybrid Elion 1750 to the injection compression molding process. The ICM mold with 4 cavities comes from Glaroform. Beck Automation provided the IML handling system with integrated camera inspection. The laminated PP label from iPB detaches itself during the recycling process.
Industry partner Emmi filled pre-produced sample cups on its filling line shortly before Fakuma and delivered them to Friedrichshafen. On our exhibition booth we served our guests finest blueberry skyr filled in show cups. Tasty proof that our solution works perfectly in practice.
Results ICM compared to 200 g cups in standard injection molding:
- The cycle time is reduced by approx. 14 % compared to standard injection molding
- Plastic consumption falls by approx. 34%
- 27 % more parts per packaging unit
- 33 % less CO2 equivalents1
Results ICM vs. 200 g thermoforming cup with cardboard sleeve
- Plastic consumption is reduced by approx. 20 % (both cups without label)
- The labeled ICM cup is around 40 % lighter than the labeled thermoformed cup (5.96 g vs. 9.87 g)
- Around 22 % lower power consumption per kg of material throughput
- 150 % more parts per packaging unit
- 28 % less CO2 equivalents1
- One-step process: the finished labeled cup comes directly from the injection moulding machine
Conclusion:
With this application, we can prove that cost efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand in injection molding. The thin-walled ICM cup has a significantly better carbon footprint, even compared to the thermoformed cup with a cardboard sleeve.
Because it is made of 100% PP, it is completely recyclable. This has been certified with the top grade A+++.
Download: Recycling certficate (German)
Injection compression molding offers manufacturers of plastic packaging unique opportunities. You too can increase your efficiency and optimize the ecological footprint of your production with ICM.
Our experts will be happy to provide you with individual advice.
1 Estimated carbon footprint for polymer, label, production in Germany (8000 h / year), transport distance 628 km