Unlike real wood, Re-Wood building blocks can withstand cleaning in the dishwasher, they are very strong, almost infinitely durable and, if they do wear out, can be recycled again and again. Wissner even takes back Re-Wood products that are no longer needed. Building blocks & co. can be coated using drum coating, for example, and printing is also possible. Wissner also processes Re-Plastic, which consists of 100% recycled post-consumer waste.

In addition to its own products, such as the number game “Hexagon”, Wissner also offers its expertise to major players in the games industry. The industry as a whole is currently endeavouring to relocate production processes from South East Asia back to Europe. For example, the well-known Halma men are now available in Re-Wood in the special colors purple and natural. A total of 80% of Wissner's turnover comes from abroad. The pricing must therefore also be attractive for less affluent regions. The efficient processing of the future material Re-Wood on the CX machines is the prerequisite for this.

At the blackboard in school - the large one-metre ruler in hand: many have already had contact with the products of Wissner GmbH. The company is also a technological innovation and has created its own recycling material, Re-Wood. It is processed on injection moulding machines from the KraussMaffei CX series with standard plasticising.

The compact pallet injection molding machine features low energy consumption and high-quality construction. Image courtesy Wilmington Machinery.

The Lumina Pallateer Model PM-1C comes standard with a 350-ton press capable of molding pallets up to 48 x 52 inches in size and weighing up to 40 pounds. Its HDPE melting capacity of 1200 pounds per hour is sufficient to produce 30 pallets per hour. Hot runner molds, robots, and other accessories are available from Wilmington.

Believed to be the lowest cost US-made machine of its type, the PM-1C is priced to compete with Asian-built injection machines of comparable capacity. It more than competes with such machines from a pallet-cost standpoint and produces an excellent ROI for both contract and captive molders, said Wilmington’s information.

The PM-1C boasts a small footprint, low energy consumption, and high-quality construction. It has a two-stage injection unit — extruder/accumulator — furnished with bimetallic barrels and long-life feed screws. The hybrid machine is controlled by a Beckhoff PLC and actuated by Rexroth hydraulic components. A classic structural foam multi-nozzle injection manifold is an available option.

German SMEs are family-run, think in terms of generations and are committed to sustainability. This coincides with the interests of parents. They want their children's products to be natural, durable and, above all, safe to use. Wissner GmbH (Bensheim, Germany) combines everything: its teaching materials and games are mainly made from Re-Wood, a recycled material developed in-house. No additional trees have to be felled for it, as it is based on regional wood flour. Combined with a binder, either recycled plastic or biopolymer, Wissner brings it to granulate size and to the injection moulding machines - all CX from KraussMaffei with clamping forces of 500 to 1,300 kN.

The Lumina Pallateer Model PM-1C from Wilmington Machinery accepts 100% recycled plastics even in flake form, enabling the production of low-cost plastic pallets.

A new low-pressure plastic-pallet injection molding machine from Wilmington Machinery accepts 100% recycled plastics even in flake form. That enables the production of low-cost plastic pallets, noted the company.

When the company began developing Re-Wood around ten years ago, the focus was on regional raw materials, environmentally friendly production, freedom from harmful substances and durability. It also had to be stable and saliva-proof - after all, the products are also intended for small children. Given the company's history, combining wood and plastic was an almost logical step, as Wissner started out as a joinery in 1976, followed later by plastics processing, and in 2007 the first CX machines from KraussMaffei moved in. Around 25 employees produce items such as geometric solids, slide rules and peg cubes. The traditional focus is on teaching materials for schools and kindergartens, with the games sector becoming increasingly important.

Due to its 80% wood content, Re-Wood has different physical properties than pure plastics. Nevertheless, it can be processed in a standard plasticising process without any adjustments to the screw geometry or non-return valve. One thing in particular should be noted for the injection parameters: Re-Wood does not shrink - so care should be taken when reprinting.

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

The new Lumina Palleteer PM-1C joins the Wilmington lineup of horizontal and vertical machines with press capacities to 2500 tons, injection capacities to 300 pounds, and melting capacities to 6,600 pounds per hour.