The enormous, old brick building on its own makes you wonder what’s inside. The OREX ROTOMOULDING headquarters and production site in Chybie in southern Poland is where past and future, industry and innovation, and pragmatism and pioneering spirit all come together. The company has big ideas, and develops and manufactures products with great attention to detail. Extending over 10,000 m2 , the workshops that were once used for sugar production are now a high-tech site for building rotomoulding machines.

FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER

It is in one of these workshops that we find Przemyslaw Orlik, the Managing Director of the company, fresh from a meeting with a customer. Talking to him, it soon becomes clear that everything really does revolve around the customer at this company. “Our strength lies in our intensive dialogue with our customers. Over the past 30 years, we’ve got to know hundreds of owners of rotomoulding companies, machine operators and rotomoulding specialists – and we’ve learnt from the challenges they face,” Orlik explains. He tells us that what it really comes down to is trust and reliability. “Our customers can be confident that our production processes always meet the very highest standards in the industry. The machine builder attaches the greatest of importance to precise machining and outstanding products.”

We can see that for ourselves. In front of us is an impressive carousel-type rotomoulding machine – one of the dozen or so high-performance systems that the company builds each year. Some can be as big as a house, and they are shipped to over 15 countries, including as far afield as Asia and Australia. The valuecreation process is extensive – from planning the machines and control systems through construction and assembly to testing, startup and training. The target group includes manufacturers of plastic products such as water and fuel tanks, agricultural machinery components, garden furniture, rubbish bins and medical device housings.

HIGH TECH IN ROTATION

The three main types of machine are called CAROUSEL, SHUTTLE and ROCK & ROLL. After all, movement and high rotational speeds are pivotal in rotomoulding, which is one of the most versatile and efficient techniques used in the plastics processing industry. It involves powdered plastic raw material being placed in customised moulds, which are rotated around two axes in an oven chamber heated to temperatures of up to 320 °C. Once they have cooled, the finished products – uniform, seamless and durable parts with a consistent wall thickness – are removed from the moulds.

GOING TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

Customers have very exacting requirements for these machines. Besides precise machining, they expect reliable, energy-efficient and user-friendly operation as well as the option to integrate the machine into state-of-the-art digital systems. As Sławomir Kocur, who is in charge of procurement and logistics at OREX ROTOMOULDING, explains: “Our machines and systems also need to operate under very difficult conditions.”

The challenges involved can be very varied. “Control cabinets and cooling units need to be able to withstand the very high temperatures required for some applications.” And that, Kocur tells us, is why the machine builder opted for Rittal solutions – with the global service provided by Rittal also factoring into that decision. In the case of four machines that were recently shipped to Australia, the company had to have new settings implemented on the cooling units on site. The Rittal climate control service team took care of this.

“International services and certifications are crucial to us,” emphasises Kocur. Reliable, flexible system technology is equally important when building these complex machines. That’s why Rittal products are used in these systems, including VX enclosure systems and AX compact enclosures, power distribution technology, operating housings and system accessories such as LED lights. “The fact no major machining work has to be done on the enclosures benefits us,” adds Kocur.

UNIFORM STANDARDS

To meet the requirements of a rapidly changing industry and the growing expectations of potential business partners, development work is constantly ongoing. OREX ROTOMOULDING is currently working on remote maintenance solutions for the machines in order that rapid assistance can be provided without any need to send out a technician. Other key focus areas include intuitive user interfaces, sustainable solutions and a modular machine design that will make extensions and modifications easier. Orlik reveals that development projects with Eplan and Rittal are also underway. He explains the goal of these projects: “Together, we are creating new standards for system integration, automation and digital design – and making our machines and services even better.”

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  Interview

  “THE ADVANTAGE IS THE COMBINATION OF SOLUTIONS”

  Mr. Orlik, as a rotomoulding machine manufacturer, how does OREX ROTOMOULDING hold its own against the competition these days?

  Our big advantage is that we produce machines to order, using the very latest technologies on the market. Our machines boast high precision, energy efficiency and potential for complete automation. We attach great importance to innovation, ergonomics and user-friendly operation. We always listen very carefully to our customers’ requirements, because we want to produce machines that meet their expectations in the best possible way.

  What are currently the biggest challenges that you face?

  We’re facing several challenges, but the biggest one is the rising cost of energy and materials, which has an impact on the entire production process. Nevertheless, we are continuing to invest in development, automation and new technologies. We’re careful to maintain the very highest standards by ensuring we only offer our customers branded products and tried-and-tested technologies. Worldclass products solve all problems in terms of production times and quality. That’s why we opt for brands such as Rittal, Siemens and Weishaupt.

  How do Eplan and Rittal support your valuecreation processes?

  With Eplan and Rittal, we can reduce our planning and production times, boost our quality, enhance the reliability and safety of our enclosures and improve our customer service. The combination of solutions gives us a genuine competitive edge.