Oerlikon Acquires INGlass And Its HRSflow Hot Runner Business

Oerlikon (Pfaeffikon, Switzerland) has acquired INglass S.p.A. (Polo di Piave, Italy), including its HRSflow hot runner manufacturing business, in a deal the Swiss company says will accelerate the diversification of its manmade fibers business into plastics processing.

Oerlikon has a flow control components business, featuring gear metering pumps for textiles and other industries, including automotive, chemical and paint markets. HRSflow will be integrated into this existing business to form the Oerlikon Flow Control Solutions Business Unit, which is part of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. That unit was formerly knows as the Manmade Fibers division. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021.

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INglass S.p.A. was established in 1987 by Maurizio Bazzo, initially focusing on multicomponent molds for automotive lighting lenses. HRSflow was created in 2001 by INglass, focusing on the design and production of hot runner systems. In 2004, the INglass brand was created, initially focusing on polycarbonate automotive glazing. The company opened a production site in China in 2009, with a U.S. based manufacturing site in Grand Rapids, Mich. opened in 2015. HRSflow’s FLEXflow technology utilizing servodriven valve gates to control plastic flow in large parts, reducing warpage and improving surface quality, was launched in 2013.

Headquartered near Venice, HRSflow generated 2020 revenues of approximately $147.7 million. The company has more than 1000 employees and 55 sites worldwide, including the aforementioned production facilities.

Between its two divisions—Surface Solutions and Polymer Processing Solutions—Oerlikon has more than 10,600 employees globally spread over 179 locations in 37 countries. In 2020, the company had $2.5 billion in sales.

In the U.S., the company operates Oerlikon Balzers Coating USA; a supplier of surface coating technologies for the metal and plastics processing industries, including molds and mold components.

With the acquisition of INglass and its HRSflow business, Oerlikon adds advanced hot runner technologies to its portfolio.

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