WITTMANN USA, a manufacturer of injection moulding machines, robots and auxiliary equipment, has developed a custom robot solution targeting stack mould applications.

Decades of application experience, innovative developments and more than 35,000 produced units have made the WITTMANN robots what they are today – the most reliable and innovative robots for the plastics industry.  Well planned detailed solutions and state-of-the art components allow highest reliability, shortest cycles and long intervals between maintenance.

The cell also provides flexibility, as it can also be designed with different mounting stands to allow smaller footprints, integrated conveyor systems, or other downstream equipment needed for pre or post moulding automation. The robots can be programmed to work together or can run individually, when one robot can be used when standard two plate moulds are run in the same machine.

By incorporating dual high-speed top entry robots, this type of cell allows for faster cycle times, lower payload requirements, and flexible process flow.

The three Co-CEOs (affectionately referred to within the company as G3) have backgrounds that collectively position the company’s leadership to sustain the company’s 70-year success, driving new growth and value:

The trio credit a steadfast commitment to the same values as one of the key reasons G3’s shared leadership works so well. The core values of family, integrity, service, and trust have been the hallmarks of Hoffer Plastics since their grandfather, Robert Hoffer, founded the company in 1953. These values keep them aligned on crucial companywide decisions and customer commitments, while their individual domain expertise adds valuable perspective.

Hoffer Plastics, a provider of custom injection moulding solutions, board of directors has promoted Gretchen Hoffer Farb, Charlotte Hoffer Canning and Alex Hoffer to Co-CEO’s following their sharing of the company’s leadership after taking the helm in January 2020.

“Customers often call asking for dual vertical arm robots to run stack moulds, but in most cases the high-speed top entry robot cells have proven to be more robust and quicker for those applications,” said Jason Long, national sales manager, robots and automation for WITTMANN. “A lot of moulders who are not stack mould experts do not think of this out of the box until we share it with them, as these type of dual robot cells are unique to WITTMANN.”

The standard WITTMANN high-speed robots can be mounted to run even the most complex stack mould applications. These cells normally can offer cycle times of 7-12+ seconds, without requiring special robots or causing abnormal wear and tear on dual vertical arm robots, which is the case for robots not designed for quicker cycles.

“I’m proud of their collaborative spirit, relentless focus on delivering innovative solutions for our customers and, most importantly, the way they embody our core values and support each other every day,” William Hoffer continued. “I’m confident that the future of the company is secure under their shared leadership and am excited to see where they lead our company next.”

When looking at stack mould applications, moulders normally opt for a dual vertical arm robot to provide automated part handling. However, the issues with dual vertical arm top entry robots are the speed and payload needed for such applications.

The three siblings were tested immediately, working together to steer the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions and other unprecedented challenges. Three years later, with Hoffer Plastics stronger than ever, the move to three Co-CEOs reinforces the strengths of this sibling triumvirate.

G3 initially took on leadership roles in January 2020 when William Hoffer, then the second-generation CEO, shifted roles to become board chairman. At that time, Gretchen became chief financial officer, Charlotte took the role of chief culture officer and Alex stepped up to chief revenue officer.

“Gretchen, Charlotte and Alex each bring distinct passions, perspectives and expertise to the table. But they have one crucial thing in common, and that’s a commitment to carrying on the Hoffer family legacy,” said William Hoffer, chairman of the Board.