PLASTGrommet and Eurotech: global manufacturing with local expertise
Headquartered in Alcoy, Spain, PLASTGrommet supplies high-quality finishing equipment in over 30 countries and has distribution centres in Europe and the US. But for over a decade this global manufacturer and supplier of banner finishing systems and automatic and manual eyelet presses and eyelets, has developed a strong reputation in Australia too, well-represented by Eurotech.
Originally, Eurotech and PLASTGrommet developed a solution in the form of the industry’s first Roll2Roll eyeleting system which was subsequently ordered by Jaybro in early 2016, resulting in a reduction from two people taking approximately 35 minutes to finish a printed roll, to one person completing the same process in around 10 minutes.
This sparked a realisation that many other businesses were also looking for ways to remove finishing bottlenecks. Cactus Imaging, widely recognised as one of the leading large format printers in Australia, took order of its first fully automated PLASTGrommet welding and eyeleting system in 2019 and the company’s co-founder and GM Operations, Keith Ferrel, confirms: “You’re only as quick as the slowest point in your process, and in a lot of cases that’s in the finishing side of things. For us, it used to take two guys two and a half hours to put reinforced webbing around the perimeter of banners and then add eyelets. Now we use a PLASTGrommet machine and it takes 12 minutes to do a 50-metre roll with one person operating it.”
Today, six fully automated welding and eyeleting machines from PLASTGrommet have been installed across Australia and New Zealand, alongside nine dual-head eyelet systems dedicated to pre-hemmed mesh production.
Automation isn’t the only area where the Australian market requires a different approach, as environmental conditions also influence finishing requirements. Clear eyelets are the preferred choice across Australia due to being rust-free and visually unobtrusive. Their compatibility with recyclable materials and their long-neck configuration also make them suitable for thicker substrates without causing damage or deformation to materials. But proximity to Australia’s coastline can often cause corrosion, rendering stainless steel eyelets as more suitable than traditional metal alternatives.
PLASTGrommet and Eurotech have worked together to develop 9.5mm stainless steel eyelets with spur tooth washers specifically for the Australian market, with the first eyelets already shipped. By offering stainless steel eyelets in addition to its clear eyelets, PLASTGrommet and Eurotech will enable customers to automate a wider range of industrial applications while still meeting demand in sectors where metal eyelets remain a requirement. With many businesses serving multiple industries, this broadens the range of applications they can support while still being able to invest in automation.
Rafa Menéndez, Head of Sales at PLASTGrommet, adds: “Australia is a market with very specific requirements, and that is exactly why our relationship with Eurotech has been so valuable. Their understanding of local customers, production environments, and market challenges has helped us to develop solutions that genuinely fit the needs of Australian businesses. From the early development of our Roll2Roll systems through to new products being developed today, Eurotech has been much more than a distributor, they have been a true partner in driving the adoption of finishing automation across Australia.”
