Frank Schuster has headed the Packaging business unit at ENGEL AUSTRIA since April 2018. The company is one of the world's leading suppliers of injection moulding machines and integrated, automated system solutions for injection moulding applications in industries such as packaging, medical and automotive.
pj: Mr Schuster, what are the current priorities in your area of responsibility?
Frank Schuster: In the packaging industry, ENGEL is primarily active in the High-tech sector at home. This includes the production of beverage closures as well as thin-wall packaging and buckets, where we occupy a leading market position with the two all-electric high-performance machine series e-cap and e-motion as well as the hybrid machine e-speed.
pj: What particular challenges did you face last year?
Frank Schuster: The Poor reputation of plastics is one of the biggest challenges here in Europe. We can see that the new legislation does not always lead to greater sustainability. Turning away from polymer materials often results in poorer CO2-balance sheet. Here we must inform better and at the same time create the conditions for the responsible use of highly efficient polymer materials worldwide. There are further technological challenges. For example. Caps will remain on the bottle from 2021, which requires new product designs. We are facing a paradigm shift. In future, costs will no longer necessarily be the most important driver.
pj: How do you assess the economic situation?
Frank Schuster: We are well on track in the Packaging division, even though our industry is characterised by Uncertainty projects have been postponed. Overall, the company is clearly feeling the effects of the slowdown in economic growth and we currently see no signs of the economy picking up again in the short term. The mostly political causes make forecasting difficult.
pj: What effects do you expect?
Frank Schuster: In the Packaging division, we anticipate that the to maintain the current level at best. The growth drivers that are counteracting the slowdown include digitalisation, the development of a circular economy and increasing quality awareness worldwide. ENGEL has recently acquired new customers in packaging, including in Asia and the USA. We have built up decentralised expertise, which further strengthens customer confidence. This will enable us to further Declining European business compensate.
pj: What do you see as the most important tasks and trends?
Frank Schuster: The poor image of plastics is Challenge and opportunity at the same time, especially for us European machine manufacturers. We utilise our experience and knowledge to ensure that the conditions for a sustainable development are met in all regions of the world. Circular economy are created. As a family business, protecting the environment is particularly important to us. ENGEL was therefore one of the first plastics machine manufacturers to sign the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global commitment to the New Plastics Economy. Our commitment centres on the following topics Recyclate processing, process stability and design for recycling.
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