futronic is thrilled to have won a new order from Taiwan. The customer is the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation (TTL), a state-owned conglomeration which unites some of the country’s biggest breweries and distilleries under one roof. The company is currently modernising one of the two production lines in its glassworks. The project centres around the hot and cold ends; amongst other things, the line’s eight-section IS machine is to be completely replaced. The new glass machine will be built by a major European plant and equipment manufacturer, the leading Western supplier in the Asian world. Yet in spite of the fact that the firm’s portfolio includes machine controls and drives of their own, the end customer is insisting on futronic technology.
Competitive edge over big player
“We’re very proud to have succeeded in convincing the customer of our products and our expertise”, says Murat Yolaçan, sales engineer at futronic and the man responsible for the project. futronic is well-connected in Asia, with many EPRO controls and other models from older generations still doing duty to the utmost satisfaction of their users. The two production lines at TTL have also worked with EPRO control systems until now. “We have an excellent reputation there”, Yolaçan confirms with pride in his voice. “All the same, it’s not every day that we can gain a competitive edge over such big players in such an extensive refurbishment project.”
Almost the entire futronic portfolio
The order comprises almost the entire futronic portfolio of control and drive systems for IS machines with up to 24 sections: the package’s core items are a futronic FMT24S machine control system and an FDU24S servo drive. The drives for the servo take-outs (STO24S), 2-axis pushers (PDU24S) and servo inverts (SIU24S) will likewise be furnished by the control system specialist and housed in a total of five control cabinets. Last but not least, an FMT training module will double as a supply of spare parts.
Commissioning in January 2022
Installation and commissioning are scheduled for January 2022. The plan is for several representatives from the customer’s organisation to travel to Tettnang in parallel for training at futronic, the pandemic permitting. The two parties have agreed not to disclose any details regarding the order volume.
Lighthouse contract
Yolaçan is now hoping that the project will have a lighthouse effect throughout the Asian market: “There are an awful lot of glassworks that are due to be modernised in the next few years. This contract is a chance to show how our controls are ideal for controlling machines from different manufacturers.” The 36 year-old is confident “that our product portfolio will become very attractive for more and more potential customers as a result.”