News & Insight

What are transfers in the plastics industry?

Last year, full of uncertainty and distruptions, brought TMR Plastics a number of transfer projects. What’s more, the company expects such processes to support the dynamic growth of TMR’s business. So what are transfers?

 

“Transfer is a transition of an ongoing project, i.e. existing injection moulds, to TMR. The company’s team receives an existing solution, which is not yet in the implementation phase, but at the stage of serial production. This is very important, because in the case of transfers, there is no time for long implementations and complicated tests. The client wants the project to continue, the new supplier to make the necessary optimizations and bring the project to market without delay,” comments Georgi Giochev, CEO TMR Plastics.

 

Not surprisingly, in the case of these types of processes, it is crucial to have qualified, experienced employees who will know what actions to take before and after the transfer.

 

„This type of team is managed by a coordinator who is in charge of the whole process. The R&D department, on the other hand, checks that the particular mould being transferred can be operated by our plant. We cannot assume in advance that every type of mould will be suitable for the injection moulding machines used by TMR. So we need to assess whether a particular mould has any defects, or what risks may arise. It is therefore necessary to perform a full technical analysis. Certainty counts, because there is no room for surprises here,” adds Georgi Giochev.

 

Virtual assessment

 

Interestingly, until the moulds arrive at TMR, the company’s team relies only on the data given to them to visualise the whole process. The purchasing department, in turn, is responsible for securing the project by ordering the right raw materials and other components that are needed for production.

 

„Currently, because of the pandemic, there has been quite a clear problem with the availability of raw materials. So when we receive information from a customer that a transfer is to take place, it is the purchasing department’s aim to make sure the plastics are in place. Efficiency is crucial, because when the moulds are delivered, everything has to be in place and the raw materials or metal parts for the overmoulding have to be ready,” explains Izabela Liniewska-Maza, Key Account Manager. 

 

What are the reasons for transfers?

 

Customers often point to logistical issues. They may find it difficult to communicate or work with their existing supplier. It may also be a question of the business approach of the current vendor. TMR Plastics returns the favor with a comprehensive and professional approach.

 

Chosen transfer projects:

 

American global network infrastructure provider 

 

This American company had worked with TMR before, which allowed to build trust and translated into the decision to transfer a large-scale project. What’s important, its parts are very complex – there are snaps, seals and overmoulds. One finished part consists of 15-20 components. Unfortunately, its previous supplier was quite haphazard and lacked documentation. This, in turn, forced TMR Plastics to take each piece apart and prepare the appropriate documentation. TMR didn’t have much time to get to grips with it all, as the customer required deliveries, so the company’s team had to implement the new transfer quickly. The project was a success and the client rewarded TMR with a statuette for the smooth transfer at an official award ceremony at a conference in Brno. The project value for TMR Plastics was €3 million.

 

The world’s leader in the lighting sector

 

This was another large-scale project in TMR’s portfolio. In this case a big difficulty was the availability of raw material, which was all the more challenging as demand for the parts involved was extremely high. The transfer was due to take place in November, a period when the pandemic was hitting the plastics market hard. The entire transfer procedure was carried forward in time. TMR transferred all the moulds gradually so that the whole process was protected from a potential fiasco. The project ended with a very positive reception on the client’s side, everything went very smoothly (considering the market context). All critical factors were secured.

 

TMR Plastics is one of Poland’s fastest growing plastics injection moulding companies. Company specialises in the entire process of producing high-precision injection moulded plastic parts – from concept through customisation to final delivery. Over the years, the company has delivered its products to the leading global international players from different sectors such as automotive, electric/electronic, lighting, telecommunications, white goods, and medical.

To learn more about TMR Plastics offer, please visit: https://www.tmr.pl/en/why-tmr/