Penn Color, Inc. Chooses ENTEK
Color Compounder Relies on ENTEK for Quality, Reliability
When you're in the color business - whether it's paint, printing, fabrics, or plastics - your finished products are judged by how closely they match the original specification. Manufacturing high quality color concentrates and masterbatches requires machinery that performs to exacting standards.
Custom colors and compounds are Penn Color, Inc.'s business, and have been for over 40 years. Based in Hatfield, PA, this privately-held company is a leader in the development of color solutions for masterbatches for the plastics industry, for a wide variety of resins. Penn Color uses ENTEK E-MAX™ twin-screw extruders for its color compounding needs. "ENTEK's service and support is better than anyone else that we've worked with," said Jerry Sonsino, Production Manager at Penn Color. "With ENTEK, you get a lot of machine for your dollar."
Long Term Value
Five years ago, when Penn Color needed to upgrade its machinery, they searched for domestic suppliers of twin-screw extruders. "We felt ENTEK was the best choice," said Bob Kaminski, Plastics Industry Manager for Penn Color. "They were not the least expensive machine on the market, but we found that many of the standard features on ENTEK machines were extras or options on others."
After deciding on ENTEK, Sonsino visited the company at its Lebanon, Oregon headquarters to run initial material trials. "They have an excellent in-house, state-of-the-art lab," he said. "I was there for three days of trials, and found that the ENTEK engineers and technicians were most helpful and had a great attitude."
"Now that we've been running ENTEK machines for five years, we're confident we made the right decision," said Kaminski. "We consider ENTEK to be a true partner."
Reduced Downtime for Fast Color Change Capabilities
Penn Color produces a large quantity of small lots, and as many as five or six different colors being produced on one machine in a given day is not unusual. When changing colors, the extruder needs to be thoroughly cleaned as quickly as possible, and can require removal of the screws. "ENTEK provides us with a huge advantage by providing their machines with a swing-out die design," said Sonsino. "Because of this, we can extract the screws through the die without having to dismantle the front of the machine. We can change screws in a half-hour, compared to 2-3 hours with other machines. This reduced downtime translates to considerable productivity gains."
When Penn Color needs spare parts or expedited orders, they count on ENTEK to deliver. "Spare part shipments can be an issue with our other suppliers," said Sonsino. "They are never an issue with ENTEK."
