Engel's decades of experience in the automotive industry was another crucial factor in WMG's decision to invest in an Engel v-duo machine. It was also important to Professor Kendall to purchase an integrated solution where everything came from a single source. When Engel is used as a system supplier, the customer only communicates with one Engel contact, which can speed up the project planning and start-up of the plant significantly. A further advantage is that the HP-RTM unit, which Engel implemented in cooperation with its system partner Hennecke (in St. Augustin, Germany), has been integrated into the machine's control unit, meaning the entire manufacturing process can be managed via the machine's display.

Echoing those comments, Blackford Capital founder and managing director Martin Stein noted that IMC’s seasoned leadership team and deep expertise in the plastics injection molding industry will be a “capability multiplier for our customers.” The acquisition, he added, builds a “solid foundation for accelerated and sustained growth within the Davalor platform, paving the way for continued expansion and innovation.”

Headquartered in Chesterfield, MI, Davalor provides injection molding services primarily for the automotive industry. It was acquired by Blackford Capital in 2016, and the addition of IMC to the portfolio “marks an initial stride toward establishing a global, full-service plastics injection molding business with a range of capabilities and a diversified, global customer base,” said Blackford Capital.

“We are excited to welcome the IMC team to Davalor. We are committed to providing our customers with the most advanced, most reliable injection molded plastic products available," said Davalor CEO John Boeschenstein. "As we seek to expand our capabilities beyond our core plastic injection molding offering, we are thrilled to have found a strategic partner with a great management team, a professional and highly capable staff, and a strong, design-for-manufacturing approach to injection molded plastics. I look forward to working together to expand our capabilities on a national scale."

The Engel v-duo is characterised by a very high degree of rigidity and excellent platen parallelism. Platen-parallelism control for injection compression moulding is included in the standard version of the machine. In addition, handling devices that move straight into the mould area can be integrated to save space. Using the sliding tables, insertion tasks and set-ups can be carried out flexibly and easily. The hydraulic accumulator has been done away with completely, and with the ecodrive servo-hydraulic system fitted on the standard version of the machine, the Engel v-duo is setting new standards in energy efficiency too.

At Composites Europe 2015, which takes place from September 22nd to 24th in Stuttgart, Engel will be presenting the full potential of the Engel v-duo series and also guarantees visitors a look at many other current lightweight-design projects at its booth (stand D20, hall 7).

Great Britain's first Engel v-duo press has been housed at WMG's Automotive Composite Research Centre at the University of Warwick. Engel supplied the 1,700-tonne press with a mould and integrated HP-RTM equipment.

Blaige & Co. served as the exclusive financial advisor to NN Inc. on the transaction. Greenberg Traurig LLP served as counsel for Blackford Capital, with legal entity support from Varnum LLP. Parliament Capital Management provided lending for the acquisition, with legal support from DLA Piper. Plante Moran advised on financial and tax diligence, and Signature Associates CRE brokered the Sale Leaseback transaction with STORE Capital.

Engel supplied the 1,700-tonne press with a mold and integrated HP-RTM equipment. With a mold mounting surface of 2.2 by 1.8 meters, the machine offers WMG the opportunity to produce a multitude of components and use different materials and manufacturing processes.

Founded in 2010, Blackford Capital focuses on the acquisition and management of founder- and family-owned lower middle-market companies in the manufacturing, industrial, and distribution sectors. The company is based in Grand Rapids, MI.

At its Center for Lightweight Composite Technologies in St. Valentin, Austria, the injection moulding machine manufacturer focuses on promoting the interdisciplinary development of fiber composite technologies with partner companies and universities. The aim is to speed up the launch of composite technologies in the automotive industry. The technology center is currently focusing on the processing of semi-finished thermoplastic products (thermoplastic fabrics and tapes) and on reactive technologies that use thermoset and thermoplastic material systems, such as HP-RTM and in situ caprolactam polymerization.

The Informa Markets Engineering network of B2B media sites includes Design News, Battery Technology, Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry (MD+DI), Packaging Digest, PlasticsToday, and Powder & Bulk Solids.

Private equity firm Blackford Capital has acquired Industrial Molding Corp. (IMC), the first add-on acquisition for its portfolio company, Davalor Mold Co. IMC is an independently run subsidiary of NN Inc., a precision metal manufacturer based in Charlotte, NC, with a global footprint. NN Inc. said total net cash proceeds would reach approximately $16 million. IMC is NN’s sole plastics processing plant and, as such, was targeted for divestment because it was not core to its strategic direction.

The Engel v-duo machine was designed specifically for fiber composite applications. Compared to conventional presses, the it is 50 per cent shorter in height and about 60 per cent lighter. The large vertical machine, which is available with clamping forces from 4,000 to 36,000 kN, therefore makes it possible to create compact production cells at low investment costs.

Great Britain's first Engel v-duo press has been delivered to WMG's Automotive Composite Research Centre at the University of Warwick. "As a development partner with the automotive industry, flexibility is very important to us. The Engel v-duo enables us to research thermoset composites prepreg compression molding (PCM), sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding, HP‑RTM and stamp forming of thermoplastic composites," says Professor Ken Kendall, Professorial Fellow at WMG's Automotive Composite Research Centre.

Founded in 1947 and based in Lubbock, TX, IMC molds precision components for global customers in a variety of end markets. The long-tenured management team will continue in their current roles, said the news release.

The Engel v-duo machine was designed specifically for fibre composite applications. Compared to conventional presses, the Engel v-duo is 50 per cent shorter in terms of height.

WMG is a research and education group based at the University of Warwick and works collaboratively with global companies to develop innovative products, services and processes. Along with its UK base, the group operates education centers and partnerships in seven countries. The Centre's aim is to help the automotive sector tap into innovative technologies, using the industrial-scale machine to develop mass-production processes for the manufacture of fiber reinforced composite components

Great Britain's first Engel v-duo press has been delivered to WMG's Automotive Composite Research Centre at the University of Warwick. "As a development partner with the automotive industry, flexibility is very important to us. The Engel v-duo enables us to research thermoset composites prepreg compression molding (PCM), sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding, HP-RTM and stamp forming of thermoplastic composites," says Professor Ken Kendall, Professorial Fellow at WMG's Automotive Composite Research Centre. "The precise control provided by this equipment is an essential feature for us when researching these processes".