by Bing Carbone
Founded in 1966 by Wilfried Ensinger, Ensinger Industries is an internationally-operated, family-owned thermoplastic giant and global supplier of high performance polymers headquartered in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Some few years after its founding, the company relocated to Nufringen, where it expanded the scope of its production to include machining parts for semi-finished casting products. By the end of 1977, the first of Ensinger’s glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6.6 heat-insulating webs were delivered to manufacturers of aluminum windows, again increasing the reach of the company.
A second plant was built in 1980 in Cham (Oberpfalz), enabling the mass production of insulating profiles and other product lines. The year 1985 saw another leap forward, with the addition of an injection molding division. The largest subsidiary of Ensinger Industries originated in 1986 in Washington, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Since then the corporation has expanded throughout Europe, South America and Asia. Sales in China began in 2002, and Ensinger opened a permanent facility there in 2007. A new injection molding facility opened in 2009, in Rottenburg-Ergenzingen, making it Ensinger’s third facility within Germany.
In 1997, the role of stewardship of the company passed to the next generation, the current CEOs being Klaus Ensinger and Roland Reber. As of 2015, the Germany-based Ensinger GmbH employs about 2,100 people, boasts annual sales of approximately $437 million and owns 28 production and sales facilities globally.
Products from Ensinger
Developed and produced from plastic and composite polymers by the Ensinger Stock Shapes Group, the company’s extruded, cast and compression molded stock serve many different industries, including energy, food processing, automotive, aerospace and defense, and healthcare and medical technologies. With a rich history under its belt, Ensinger provides its engineers with the framework to create optimal plastic solutions to suit even the most highly particularized applications.
Thanks to its decades-strong tradition of innovation, Ensinger’ products are as versatile as they are impressive. TECANAT GF20, for example, is a transparent, 20 percent glass-reinforced natural unfilled polycarbonate that is strong and tensile. Because of its superior impact strength, outstanding mechanical strength and stiffness and good electrical properties, TECANAT GF20 is popular in the automotive industry, and is used in light bezels, instrument panels, pumps, valves and more. TECAFORM AD HPV13, on the other hand, with its low coefficient of friction and superior wear resistance, among other features, is used in everything from aviation, military and industrial equipment to food processing machinery.
Ensinger in the News
On May 4, 2015, Plastic News reported that Ensinger Putnam, a division of Ensinger Industries based out of Putnam, Connecticut, U.S.A., ordered three all-electric Battenfeld injection molding machines, weighing in at 61, 121 and 198 tons. In addition, the company ordered “a plethora of auxiliary equipment.” This accrual of new equipment includes three DryMax E30/708 dryers, six Tempro basic C200 temperature control units, six FeedMax S3 integral loaders, two W818 servo robots, three MAS2 conventional granulators and one 2808 servo robot.
Most of this equipment will be manufactured in and shipped from Austria by Wittmann Battenfeld, to end up in the 12,000-square-foot facility in Torrington, where assembly and rigorous testing of the three work cells will be undertaken. There, as well, the crew will be thoroughly trained in the use of these tools. These machines will replace the older models of Ensinger Putnam’s 20 injection molding machines. Renovating and replacing keeps this division of Ensinger Industries’ 66 employees highly productive in their state-of-the-art 66,000 square foot facility. Upon retiring the older machines, “we will have an average machine age of 14 years,” says Matt McKenney, general manager of Ensinger Putnam, confirming Ensinger’s place as a titan in the modern plastics industry.
Ensinger carries forward a proud tradition of excellence, which makes it the ideal fit for the Modern Plastics family. From vehicle manufacturing to food processing and more, Modern Plastics has the Ensinger plastics you need. For more information or to find the right plastic, visit our products page.
