LS Mtron, a South Korean injection molding machine manufacturer, is offering the new WIZ-TA series of servo-hydraulic toggle presses featuring seven machines with clamping forces ranging from 55 to 420 tons.
The new models extend the company’s offering in the U.S. The company’s portfolio also includes a two-platen servo-hydraulic range of machines from 550 tons to 5,000 tons, and a series of all-electric presses with clamping forces ranging from 20 to 950 tons.
The company added the smaller servo-hydraulic machines to accommodate U.S. market trends, according to Peter Gardner, VP of sales and GM at Daiichi Jitsugyo (America) Inc., a U.S. distributor of LS Mtron injection molding machines.
“There are companies that want to buy a servo-hydraulic machine in this tonnage range,” Gardner said. “It is less expensive to build and to buy than an all-electric machine. LS Mtron wanted to introduce this machine to the U.S. market to capture this portion of the market that is buying competitors’ servo-hydraulic-type machines. It is designed to go after the lower-end, general-purpose molding machine market.”
He said more than 50 percent of the injection molding machines sold in the U.S. are servo-hydraulic machines. They enjoy a significant price advantage compared to similar-sized all-electric presses.
“Servo-hydraulic-type machines might cost 20 to 30 percent less than an all-electric machine,” Gardner said. “In Japan, they buy about 90 percent all-electric machines because energy costs are very high.”
Both all-electric and servo-hydraulic machines are more efficient than hydraulic machines, though servo-hydraulics deliver only about 70 percent of the savings provided by all-electrics, he said. The injection molding machines are built in South Korea and have no import duties or tariffs, due to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.
The WIZ-TA-series presses are available with clamping forces of 55, 90, 140, 190, 240, 330 and 420 tons. The machines are available in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. More than 25 machines are available in stock at the company’s Atlanta facility.
Since re-launching the LS Mtron brand in the U.S. at NPE2018, the company said it has sold more than 130 units in North America.
South Korean tech company LG Group started LS Mtron in 1969. The machines were formerly sold in the U.S. under the LG label.
Bruce Adams, senior staff reporter
For more information
Daiichi Jitsugyo (America) Inc., a Wood Dale, Ill., 630-875-0101, www.djausa.com
