Inmold Plast Developing Tool for Production of World’s Lightest Plastic Bucket – Pozega Facility Gets Development Center Status Thanks to Innovation Which Saves up to EUR 330,000 Annually

Inmold Plast from Pozega, a family company which makes high-quality tools for the injection of plastic and non-ferrous metals, has received funds for the development of tools for the production of the world’s lightest one-liter plastic bucket from the Innovation Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

– These funds have helped us include innovative CNC milling machines by the leading German producer Hermle in our machinery park. A tool prototype has been developed which enables the production of a bucket of 1000 ml with a small handle, which, with its mass of 24.5 g is 28% lighter than the standard one. This enables our customers to reduce the consumption of plastic by up to 184.3 tons per tool a year, which makes for annual saving of EUR 184,000 to 331,000 – they say at Inmold and add that they are currently working on improving the prototype, considering that it’s a matter of microns when it comes to precision, so this phase of the project requires some time to be carried out.

It is precisely thanks to this project that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development has awarded the status of a development-production center to Inmold Plast.

At Inmold, which is a family company owned by the mechanical engineer Goran Jankovic, they explain that development activities are the backbone of their operations since the founding in 2006:

– We are “living” that development daily. We have in fact dealt with development since the very beginning of our operations, but we are now more widely recognized as such. All these development activities are now, of course, done on a much bigger scale, considering that nowadays, without innovations, it’s hard to keep up with the needs of the market and be recognized and maintain the leading position in this field.

In addition to being an active participant in the 4th industrial revolution, the cooperation of Inmold with local high schools and the faculties of mechanical engineering in Kraljevo and Belgrade further emphasizes the developmental character of the company, which focuses of tools for the injection of thin-wall packaging and tools for the injection of technical parts.

Inmold also stands out for the processing of large aluminum profiles and steel profiles for rail vehicles (the biggest client in this field is Siemens), whereas IML robots are Inmold’s step toward the automation of the process of plastic injection, which is inevitable nowadays.

Inmold is in fact the only company which produces IML systems in Serbia.

– In the modern injection process, the leading position can belong to a production of equipment that offers to the so-called IML system, consisting of a tool for packaging and an IML robot, and Inmold has put itself in that position precisely by making an IML robot. This product, like all our other products, goes through all the necessary phases: from the preliminary design adapted to the customer, through the design, to the production. Inmold independently produces tools and robots, while at the same time providing technical support to the customer in selecting the machine for plastic injection – they say at the company, which employs 70 engineers of the 600 workers and constantly invests in innovations.

At Inmold, they believe that, in addition to the fact that the field of plastic injection requires great technical knowledge, in the market, one must also match the most modern software and equipment of high quality and precision.

– That is why we constantly renew our machinery park, because toolmaking requires that if you want to do it the right way. When a customer entrusts your with something and sets aside up to EUR 300,000 for your tool or IML robot, you have to make sure that their expectations are absolutely met. You can only keep their trust if you constantly innovate and perfect the existing products. That is in fact like with professional athletes, you are always assumed to be in top form.

Source: "Market Analysis Report" on Grand View Research
(https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/plastic-packaging-market)

The company points to the increasing demands of large and socially responsible companies from the EU which are active in the sectors of the food industry and plastic packaging industry to develop innovative solutions for reducing packaging weight, that is, for reducing the consumption of raw materials, while preserving the quality and the good characteristics of the product.

– With taking care of the plastic in an adequate manner, as has been the case so far, continued growth of this market is expected – they estimate at Inmold.

Opening of a company in the USA planned as well

The company, which exports close to 90% of its products, was until recently building its reputation by producing tools and IML robots for the German, Russian, Turkish, partially African, and, to a lesser extent, Serbian markets, and since last year, the sphere of Inmold’s operations has expanded to the Republic of South Africa, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Also, this year, they plan to open a company in America.

– We have already taken the first steps toward realizing that goal. By gaining an insight into that market, we are sure that, in that part of the world as well, we can offer quality products – they say at Inmold.

In Serbia, the plan is for the facility in Priboj to be developed to the finest details so that it would realize its full potential and for Inmold Priboj to achieve the status of a development-production center, like Inmold Plast in Pozega.

Finalists at 2022 EY Entrepreneurs of the Year selection

The company received another acknowledgment when Inmold Plast became one of the finalists for the prestigious 2022 EY Entrepreneur of the Year award.

This year, the company presented itself as a managerial team, with three family members, at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year contest.

– We are therefore extremely satisfied for having placed in the finals, since this kind of acknowledgment confirms to us that, as a team, we are the most effective and well rounded. Although we strive to keep the family spirit at the company, with our accomplishments, we want to achieve global success, they say at Inmold, which already operates in numerous foreign markets.

B. P.

Inmold Group d.o.o. Požega

INMOLD d.o.o. Priboj

Fond za inovacionu delatnost Beograd

Mašinski fakultet Beograd

Ministarstvo prosvete Republike Srbije

Inmold Plast Požega

Imnmold Plast Priboj

Innovation Fund

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Belgrade

Ministry of Education Science and Technological Development

Goran Jankovic

plastic injection tools

IML robots

Development Production Center Inmold Plast Pozega

tool for the production of the lightest plastic bucket in the world

lightest plastic bucket in the world

2022 EY Entrepreneur of the Year