By Bruce Geiselman
U.S.-based NFM Welding Engineers Inc. at NPE 2024 announced an extension of its license agreement with Shibaura Machine Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, for NFM to continue manufacturing and selling extruders using Shibaura’s TEM-series extruder technology.
The extension is for 10 years and follows a successful 26-year partnership that began in 1998.
“This third license renewal will make it 35 years of working together, and we’ll hopefully continue beyond that,” said Paul Roberson, president of NFM. “NFM has experienced an excellent relationship with Shibaura both in business and on a personal level. Shibaura has the best technology available and maintains the highest degree of quality.”
In a prepared statement, a Shibaura executive expressed hope for a longer-term partnership between the two companies.
“We also hope to continue this relationship and deepen it further,” said Kazuhisa Iwami, managing executive officer of the extrusion department at Shibaura Machine.
The TEM technology includes the TEM-S, TEM-SS, and TEM-SX co-rotating intermeshing twin-screw extruder models. In addition, Shibaura and NFM offer the TEM-DS model for higher-volume applications.
In addition to manufacturing and selling intermeshing twin-screw extruders using Shibaura Machine’s TEM-series technology, NFM offers its WE series of counter-rotating non-intermeshing twin-screw extruders as well as its HSX-II single-screw extruders for plastics and rubber applications.
Shibaura Machine (formerly known as Toshiba Machine) is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Shibaura Machine sells injection molding equipment in the United States, but NFM, under its licensing agreement, sells extruders based on Shibaura’s designs.
NFM is building the equipment in Massillon, Ohio.
“It’s U.S.-manufactured technology and equipment,” Roberson said.
The designs are virtually identical to the TEM twin-screw extruders that Shibaura sells in other parts of the world, Roberson said.
NFM Welding Engineers Inc., Massillon, Ohio, 330-837-3868, www.nfm.net
