Extrusion International USA 2-2020

29 Extrusion International 2/2020 Delivery of ULTRA Extruders accelerated The COVID-19 crisis has generated a sharp upsurge in produc- tion capacity requirements for ventilator tubing, causing Gra- hamEngineering Corporation to speed up processes for deliver- ing extruders to the marketplace. “In the past weeks we have seen a strong uptick in orders and inquiries from businesses in North America and the Asia-Pacific looking to add capacity for ventilator tubing,” said David Ma- dar, strategicmedical marketmanager for GrahamEngineering. “We are responding by validating available inventory, turning quotes instantly, and committing to extruder supply through ac- celerated delivery. Nowmore than ever we are here to support the needs of our medical device customers globally, at a time when demands on the medical supply chain have never been greater.” The expandedproductionof ventilators is part of theworldwide increase in the manufacture of medical devices to fight CO- VID-19. Governments and companies are executing elaborate plans to deploy funding and resources for expanding or re-tool- ing existing operations.Ventilators are essential for supporting patients most severely impacted by the virus. “In the United States alone, ventilator demand could be as high at ten to fifteen times pre-pandemic levels, significantly outpac- ing the strategic stockpile and current production capacity,” said Gina Haines, chief marketing officer of Graham Engineering. Ventilator tubing kits are supplied to hospitals as single-use breathing circuits. A key component of the circuit is corrugated tubing, typically made of medical grade polyethylene or EVA. In adult kits, the standard inside diameter of the tubing is 22 mm. Graham Engineering www.grahamengineering.com American Kuhne www.americankuhne.com Welex www.welex.com New CEO Admir Dobraca has taken over management of Kautex Machines in USA in February, 2020. He succeeds Bill Farrant, who successfully managed and developed Kautex Maschi- nenbau’s North American site for a decade. Dobraca has many years of experience in the plastics indus- try and is a proven packaging specialist. With Dobraca in the lead, Kautex aims to strengthen its strong market position in the North American packaging segment and expand into new markets. To achieve this, the company will improve its product and service offerings for current and future customers. Thomas Hartkämper, CEO of the German parent company, Kautex Maschinenbau, is confident that Dobraca is the right person for the job: “Admir brings a lot of experience from the plastics industry and is a complete specialist in the pack- aging sector. He has a clear vision of how we can strengthen and expand our position in the North American market”. Andreas Lichtenauer, CSO of the Kautex Group, agrees with the decision to select Dobraca, but is also grateful for Bill Farrant’s efforts when he was in the job: “We appreciate his profound knowledge of the industry, gained over many years, and are pleased with his achievements”. Dobraca is optimistic about his new task and working with a dedicated team of experts: “The Kautex Group shows a great development, especially in the packaging segment. I am glad that I will have the opportunity to make a personal contribution to the success of this innovative company and grow its strong market position in North America. But of course, that must not be at the expense of the other impor- tant segments”. Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH www.kautex-group.com.