As the highlight of the "50 years of Allrounder" anniversary, Arburg held its “Economic Miracle” anniversary competition. The aim was to find the oldest Allrounder in original ownership, still being used in production. The prize was a new electric Edrive series machine. It went to the company Wilh. Wissner, Göppingen (Germany), which has been using it to produce clips for suspenders for 45 years. During a festive celebration in Lossburg on 8 December 2011, Arburg Partner Eugen Hehl handed over the Allrounder 370 E with Managing Partners Juliane Hehl, Michael Hehl and Renate Keinath in the presence of Managing Directors Helmut Heinson and Michael Grandt.
“I’m delighted that our technology of the day still works and is in reliable operation today,” said Partner Eugen Hehl during presentation of the anniversary machine. “With our new electric Allrounder E 370, more application options will be available to you in the future.”
“That’s very much in line with our intentions. The high-quality Edrive machine fits perfectly into our plans,” replied the delighted Wissner Managing Director, Dr. Andreas Lederer. “Because we know that Arburg offers sophisticated technology and perfect service, we will continue the Allrounder success story and keep this machine in operation for several decades too,” he added with a smile.
Dr. Andreas Lederer was accompanied by Production Manager Siegfried Eberle and retiree Bernhard Nägele, who was responsible for commissioning the nominated machine, an Allrounder 150, in the autumn of 1966 in order to produce suspender clips. At the time, Wissner devised a solution for feeding the fabric strip onto which a plastic component was injection moulded. And the Allrounder 150 has been producing the same product to this day, a period of 45 years.
The high performance and durability of the first Allrounders is also evidenced by the fact that 160 companies – from Germany, Europe, the US and even South Africa – participated in the anniversary competition. All of these continue to use their Allrounders in injection moulding production to this day. The success story of the Allrounder injection moulding machines covering five decades is a veritable economic miracle – for our customers, for the sector and, of course, for Arburg.
In 1961, the invention of the Allrounder principle revolutionised conventional ideas regarding injection moulding. For the first time, production was possible in different working positions using a pivoting clamping unit and interchangeable injection unit. New, modern application processes were thus made possible.
Over the years, the unique modularity of the Allrounder injection moulding machines has developed from the Allrounder principle. Whereas in 1961, the Allrounder was a single machine for all applications, today, thanks to the unique modularity, the ideal machine can be individually configured for any application.
Today therefore, the Allrounders precisely meet all customer and application-specific requirements. Since the market launch of the first Allrounders, the Arburg machines have been characterised by precision and reliability. All Allrounder machines are produced exclusively at the production location in Lossburg with the mark of quality “made by Arburg – made in Germany”.
At Wissner, around a dozen Allrounders are in use today, including models from the first generation. In addition, the company regularly invests in new machines. It produces components with supporting, shaping, holding, adjusting and fastening functions for lingerie and orthopaedic products. In addition to suspender clips, these include bikini clips, bra underwires and bandage accessories. With the new Allrounder 370 E, the company wants to develop and produce new orthopaedic and medical technology products among others.
