Medical Lab Line Equipped for Innovation and Profitability

 

A new lab line at Davis-Standard’s Technical Center is empowering customers to turn innovative medical tubing concepts into reality. The line, installed last spring, is engineered for end product development of small, tight tolerance tubing used in medical applications. Customers are able to test new resins, make parts for proof-of-concept, and conduct downstream R&D prior to making a large capital equipment investment. The line is also situated in a dedicated, climate-controlled area, offering a cleanroom environment for trials.

“There continues to be significant growth and development in medical tubing applications. We want to ensure our customers have the resources for success,” said Wendell Whipple, Vice President of Davis-Standard’s Pipe, Profile and Tubing Group. “This line provides a fully equipped option to develop new products and test equipment, which is aligned with our commitment to support customer profitability.”

The line features two direct drive interchangeable-barrel MEDD extruders in 1-inch (25mm) and ¾-inch  (19mm) 24:1 L/D sizes, enabling a full range of product development opportunities. The MEDD is Davis-Standard’s premier compact extruder optimized for clean room environments with efficient operation and a replaceable feed section liner. The line incorporates Davis-Standard’s patented alternate polymer process, with all components being monitored and controlled by our EPIC-III. Other advantages and capabilities of the line include:

  • Enclosed, ventilated and air-conditioned space
  • EPIC-III control and process data collection
  • Bump/taper tubing capabilities
  • Able to process common thermoplastics (PE, PP, PA, TPU) as well as high temperature polymers (PEEK, PEKK and others) including fluoropolymers (FEP, PFE, ETFE, and others)
  • Highly instrumented extruders and extensive screw inventory
  • Desiccant drying capabilities, up to three resins simultaneously
  • Melt pumps with servo drives
  • Mono and coextrusion capabilities
  • Multi-lumen capabilities
  • Vacuum sizing capabilities
  • Laser and ultrasonic gauging including trim control; two gauging systems
  • Dual servo belt puller capable of 250 fpm
  • Six-foot belt conveyor for sample collection
  • Space for customer-supplied equipment (coiler, payoff)
  • Product development including microbore, multi-lumen and catheter tubing

Interested customers should contact their local sales representative. They can also contact Jason Baird at jbaird@davis-standard.com or Bill Lee at blee@davis-standard.com to schedule a trial.

Davis-Standard and Guangdong Jinming Machinery Announce Strategic Partnership to Increase Global Footprint, Products and Services in Blown Film

 

Davis-Standard, LLC and Guangdong Jinming Machinery Co., Ltd. (Jinming) announced today that they have signed collaboration agreements that will enhance the blown film product line, global footprint and service capabilities of both companies to provide customers around the world with high-value blown film systems.

Davis-Standard is renowned as a leading expert in seven-plus-layer blown film technology, featuring precision engineering to support wide and high-speed blown film processes. The complement of Jinming’s capabilities will offer customers a convenient one-stop shop for a wider range of best-in-class machinery, service and support.

Robert Preston, Davis-Standard’s CEO, stated: “We are extremely delighted about our strategic partnership with a company that shares our philosophy of putting customers first. Our strategic partnership with Jinming enhances Davis-Standard’s ability to provide to customers in Asia and around the world exceptional blown film products and first-rate support and service, while strengthening our competitiveness to ensure long-term success and a market-leading position.”

Fred Pereira, Davis-Standard’s President – Asia-Pacific, added, “We are very excited to be partnering with Jinming, the leading supplier of blown film systems in China. With Jinming’s modern machinery and focus on quality complementing Davis-Standard’s world-class technology, we believe we have a winning formula to provide our customers with a range of blown film solutions that offer great value. We are anticipating jointly developing products that will utilize the strengths of each company to benefit our customers globally.”

Jinming has been appointed as sales representative for the Davis-Standard blown film product line in Asian markets (excluding Russia and the European Union), while Davis-Standard has become the exclusive distributor of Jinming’s blown film product line in Europe (including Russia and the European Union), Africa, Australia/New Zealand, and North and South America.

For more information about the global advantages of this strategic partnership, contact: info@davis-standard.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard (www.davis-standard.com) headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has four manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

About Guangdong Jinming Machinery Co., Ltd.

Guangdong Jinming Machinery Co., Ltd. (www.jmjj.com) is headquartered in Shantou City, Guangdong. Established in 1987, the company is dedicated to the research, design and manufacture of plastic extrusion machinery. Jinming is developing into one of the leading providers of blown film lines, cast film lines and blow molding machines in China, known for competitive prices, high quality, timely delivery and meticulous service.

Davis-Standard Seven-Layer Line Excels in Lightweight Film Production

 

A new Davis-Standard seven-layer blown film line at Raven Industries exemplifies the benefits of performance and efficiency for lightweight films. The line, installed at Raven’s facility in Sioux Falls, Sound Dakota, features next generation technology for manufacturing precise lightweight barrier films ranging from 0.80 mil to 10 mil in thickness. Adding this capability has expanded Raven’s product range by targeting thinner film profiles with several distinct features. It has also increased throughput efficiencies for consumer-sized rolls, which are packaged and sold straight off the line.

“This line has met or exceeded our expectations on several levels,” said Anthony Schmidt, vice president and general manager of Raven Industries Engineered Films Division. “We collaborated with Davis-Standard on several add-on features that control film profiling and processing to meet performance parameters, along with barrier design flexibility that delivers added value to end-use applications. Our customers have been pleased.”

The seven-layer coextrusion system features in-line web-flattening capability, necessary for precise films used in lamination and conversion operations. The Vertex die configuration includes high volume IBC airflow and is expandable to nine layers. The machine is configured with two sets of winders to produce small diameter rolls for hand carrying and large diameter rolls for converting.  SLC Surface winders with full shaft handling enable production of mill rolls up to 40 inches (1,016mm) in diameter.  The Model 1750 turret winder with swing-out shafts produces the small reels. The system operates in trimless mode. However, to support Raven’s sustainability efforts, the line also features the capability of direct recycling by converting excess plastic film to reusable resin pellets.

For more information about Raven Industries, visit www.RavenInd.com. For more information about Davis-Standard’s world leading blown film capabilities, visit www.davis-standard.com.

About Raven Industries, Inc.

Since 1956, Raven Industries has designed and manufactured high quality, high-value technical products.  Raven is publicly traded on NASDAQ (RAVN) and has earned an international reputation for innovation, product quality, high performance, and unmatched service.  Raven’s purpose is to solve great challenges in areas of safety, feeding the world, energy independence, and resource preservation.  To realize this purpose, we utilize our strengths in engineering, manufacturing, and technological innovation to serve the precision agriculture, high performance specialty films, aerospace, and electronic manufacturing services markets. Visit www.RavenInd.com for more information.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard (www.davis-standard.com), headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of plastic and rubber extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 850 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has two manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

20 Billion Feet of Wire and Counting… Legendary Davis-Standard Extruder Running Strong

 

In the realm of exceptional extruder performance, it’s hard to beat the track record of a legendary Davis-Standard extruder being used at Southwire Company’s Carrollton, Georgia Building Wire Plant. The extruder is better known or identified as 0750-02 in the plant, and, with a few exceptions through the years it has been running virtually nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 1966. Southwire purchased this particular extruder “used” in the market and it was one of the first extruders installed in the Carrollton Building Wire Plant. Based on Davis Standard records, this extruder was purchased new by a Southwire competitor at that time where it had run nonstop six years prior, making this hard-working machine more than 50 years old.

Since 1966, Southwire’s “IRON HORSE” Davis- Standard extruder has processed approximately 20 billion feet of 2-Conductor NMB wire that has a market value of over $5 billion based on today’s NMB prices. According to Scotty Ledbetter, Process Engineering Support Manager at Southwire, this extruder performs as well as the newest machine in the building in terms of efficiency and production.

“This extruder is an iron horse; there’s no other way to describe it,” said Ledbetter. “The only thing it has required is barrel and feed screw replacement several times throughout the years. We have never rebuilt or replaced the gearbox, which is rare. It is one of two machines in Southwire’s Carrollton Building Wire Plant with the old-style, round-top gearbox. We have one employee (Patsy Lambert) working in the Plant that was employed at Southwire in 1966 when the extruder was installed and commissioned.”

Southwire’s appreciation of Davis-Standard’s commitment to quality equipment and service is evident by the number of Davis-Standard extruders lining the company’s production facilities. Within Ledbetter’s group, there are approximately 130 Davis-Standard extruders that the group monitors. Within Southwire as a whole, Ledbetter estimates about 90 percent of all extrusion equipment is Davis-Standard. Just how much wire are these extruders processing each day? According to Ledbetter, the company ships multiple tractor-trailer loads of finished product daily, which is destined for big box retailers and other Southwire customers throughout the United States.

“Davis-Standard has played an integral role in our success,’’ says Ledbetter. We like that they consistently make great equipment that we’ve relied on to grow our business over the past four decades. It’s heavy-duty,

reliable and built to last. It has enabled us to supply our customers with superior quality and value,” he said. “I have never heard of anyone else possessing an extruder that has a record like this machine’s. This extruder exemplifies all the reasons we like working with Davis-Standard.”

For more information about Southwire Company, visit www.southwire.com. For more information about Davis-Standard’s extensive wire and cable systems which are engineered and built to make manufacturers more competitive, contact info@davis-standard.com or visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Opens Spare Parts & Service Center in Asia

 

To better support customers in the Asia region, Davis-Standard is pleased to announce the opening of the Spare Parts and Service Center located at the company’s manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China.

This innovative center will specialize in high usage maintenance items for customers throughout this important region. The ongoing expansion of service capabilities is aligned with Davis-Standard’s Global Advantage™ initiative developed to ensure premier service enabling customers to increase productivity by keeping equipment in the best working condition.

Advantages of the parts center in Suzhou include a vast inventory of maintenance items, shipment within 24 hours of order for stock inventory, local language support, and acceptance of payment in RMB. Customers are welcome to call for any parts, service, or performance inquiries related to Davis-Standard equipment brands.

The toll free number for the parts and services hotline for customers within China is 800-820-7477. For customers outside China, please call +86 21 6440 0468, ext. 108. Customers can also correspond via e-mail to Nicole.wang@davis-standard.com. Please provide the machine SO number and specific part number in all communication to facilitate processing.

For more information about Davis-Standard’s facility in Suzhou, visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Driving Manufacturing Efficiencies

 

In a continuing effort to drive manufacturing efficiencies, Davis-Standard, LLC today announced the relocation of its New Jersey manufacturing operations from Bridgewater, New Jersey, to Fulton, New York.

The closing of the New Jersey manufacturing facility will take place in stages to allow for a smooth transition, assuring that supply and service levels for customers are maintained.

The company will continue to have Engineering, Project Management, Sales and Aftermarket service operations at the Bridgewater facility, and will work over the next several months to relocate human and material resources to Fulton as needed.

Allen Lee, Vice President of Global Operations, commented, “Having the largest, most focused global manufacturing footprint in the industry will ensure that we continue to deliver our brand of world-class products and support to our customers around the world.”

For additional information, please contact us at info@davis-standard.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has three manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Latin American Diaper Film Producer Grows on Davis-Standard Reliability Plastar Group Views Davis-Standard as Supplier of Choice

 

Quality and performance define the close relationship between Davis-Standard and Plastar Group of Argentina. For over 15 years, Davis-Standard’s ability to engineer and support quality cast embossed film equipment that adheres to stringent performance standards and strict product consistency has been an essential part of Plastar’s regional and global expansion. Last year, Plastar purchased its sixth Davis-Standard line with plans to add more systems in the near future.

“When we entered this market, we didn’t want to take any risks with our equipment supplier,” said Alejandro Strauss, President of Plastar Group. “Davis-Standard has become our supplier of choice because we know what to expect in terms of value, quality and reliability. We serve large multinational companies, so there is no room for error.”

Plastar has Davis-Standard lines at its facilities in Argentina and Mexico that produce micro-embossed polyethylene film used for diaper backsheet, disposable medical products, surgical clothing and other hygienic applications. Working closely with Plastar, Davis-Standard has engineered its equipment to enhance Plastar’s growing product portfolio focusing on regionally available raw materials.

Strauss appreciates that Davis-Standard is always available to fulfill the company’s growing needs. “From a service standpoint, our relationship with Davis-Standard is like family. We are a family-owned and operated business, so being able to trust our supplier is important to us. We know we can count on Davis-Standard for excellent regional support and attentive service.”

Davis-Standard’s success in cast film is backed by proven experience in the field with hundreds of installations worldwide. Davis-Standard offers both mono or co-extruded cast film systems to produce breathable or non-breathable films with wet, dry and/or post embossing capabilities. Specialty lines can be equipped with coating or lamination of lightweight nonwoven substrates and finished net widths of 82 to 132 inches (2.1 to 3.35 meters). In addition to diaper films, applications include protective and masking films, disposable garments and bed sheets, stretch wrap, metallized CPP, photovoltaic and high-barrier packaging films.

Davis-Standard’s extensive cast film capabilities are a component of the company’s global advantage initiative, helping customers gain a competitive edge by optimizing their ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of their markets. For more information about Davis-Standard’s cast film capabilities, visit www.davis-standard.com. For more information about Plastar, visitwww.plastargroup.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has four manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Davis-Standard to Feature Recent Innovations in Flexible Packaging and Stretch Film at CPP Expo

 

Davis-Standard, a recognized global leader in high-performance converting and extrusion systems, will feature its recently-introduced dsX™ technology in booth 1667 during CPP Expo in Chicago, Illinois, including the high-value, pre-engineered dsX flex-pack™ extrusion coating line and the innovative dsX s-tretch™ line for cast film.

The new dsX flex-pack™ extrusion coating line (patent pending) provides converters and printers with a pre-engineered system that will give them distinct advantages in the price-sensitive global flexible packaging market. The high-value system can be delivered in as little as six months and is available in two layouts to accommodate almost any plant space requirements. The dsX flex-pack™ provides customers with all the capabilities and flexibility needed to compete effectively in a variety of rapidly emerging application opportunities including: salted snack and noodle bags, toothpaste tubes, sachet packs personal care products, condiment packs and stand-up pouches. Advanced computer technology, standard on the dsX flex-pack™, continually adjusts the product profile for best performance and allows for remote access of the line for troubleshooting and updating over a secure internet connection.

The optimized dsX s-tretch™ pre-stretch cast film extrusion line is the first in-line pre-stretch system enabling customers to run thinner films at higher speeds, allowing stretch film providers to produce consistent, high-quality pre-stretch film with greater efficiency. The 2-meter wide line has the advantage of a lower footprint, yet allows for growth. The dsX s-tretch™ system is comprehensive yet flexible – its pre-engineered technology is available in as little as six months with both five and seven-layer options. The line will be offered with environmentally-friendly coreless technology in the future, reducing both material and disposable cost.
The new dsX™ technology is representative of the many new innovations to be introduced as part of Davis-Standard’s Global Advantage initiative, helping customers gain a competitive edge by optimizing their ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of their markets. Davis-Standard has taken great care to merge its best technology into cost-effective, highly-engineered packages that are supported by regional engineering and service teams. Davis-Standard’s experts in extrusion and converting will be available to discuss these new offerings along with the company’s current technologically-advanced solutions to the global polymer industries, all with the goal of providing exceptional value for customers.

For more information prior to the show, visit www.davis-standard.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has four manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Davis-Standard Appoints Todd Pearson as Managing Director – Europe Operations

 

Davis-Standard, LLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Todd Pearson to the position of Managing Director – Europe.

Pearson will be responsible for managing Davis-Standard operations in Europe, Russia and the Middle East, overseeing efforts to identify, create and deliver value for Davis-Standard customers. He has also been appointed Managing Director of Davis-Standard’s German subsidiary ER-WE-PA GmbH.

In his previous role, Pearson served as Vice President of Global Operational Excellence, responsible for leading the company’s operational excellence team. Prior to joining Davis-Standard, he spent over two years in Germany providing operations and operational excellence leadership for the industrial electronic equipment company Belden, Inc.

“Todd has spent part of his professional career driving transformation in Europe, the Middle East and Asia by developing and implementing lean manufacturing programs. His in-depth knowledge and leadership will benefit our customers and enhance our global product offering,” stated Robert Preston, Davis-Standard CEO.

His previous experience includes roles of increasing responsibility in lean manufacturing management at Chrysler, LLC and Danaher Corp. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and an MBA in Integrative Management from Michigan State University.

Pearson has replaced Andreas Kandt, who has decided to pursue opportunities outside Davis-Standard.

Davis-Standard is a recognized global leader in high-performance converting and extrusion systems. The company has recently begun introducing a series of new innovations as part of their Global Advantage initiative, helping customers gain a competitive edge by optimizing their ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of their markets. For more information on Davis-Standard’s extensive extrusion and converting capabilities, email info@davis-standard.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC
Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has four manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Davis-Standard to Feature High-value Innovations for Extrusion Coating, Cast Film, and Medical Tubing at K2013

 

Davis-Standard, a recognized global leader in high-performance converting and extrusion systems, will feature its recently-introduced dsX™ technology in Hall 16, booth #A43 during K 2013, October 16 – 23, including the high-value, pre-engineered dsX flex-pack™ extrusion coating line, the new ultra-compact dsX med-tube™ medical tubing system, and the unveiling of the innovative dsX s-tretch™ line for cast film. Davis-Standard is offering a conveniently-scheduled shuttle service to the company’s Erkrath facility where the new dsX flex-pack™ extrusion coating line and dsX s-tretch™ cast film line will be spotlighted.

The new dsX flex-pack™ extrusion coating line (patent pending) provides converters and printers with a pre-engineered system that will give them distinct advantages in the price-sensitive global flexible packaging market. The high-value system can be delivered in as little as six months and is available in two layouts to accommodate almost any plant space requirements. The dsX flex-pack™ provides customers with all the capabilities and flexibility needed to compete effectively in a variety of rapidly emerging application opportunities including: salted snack and noodle bags, toothpaste tubes, sachet packs personal care products, condiment packs and stand-up pouches. Advanced computer technology, standard on the dsX flex-pack™, continually adjusts the product profile for best performance and allows for remote access of the line for troubleshooting and updating over a secure internet connection.

The optimized dsX s-tretch™ pre-stretch cast film extrusion line is the first in-line pre-stretch system enabling customers to run thinner films at higher speeds, allowing stretch film providers to produce consistent, high-quality pre-stretch film with greater efficiency. The 2-meter wide line has the advantage of a lower footprint, yet allows for growth. The dsX s-tretch™ system is comprehensive yet flexible – its pre-engineered technology is available in as little as six months with both five and seven-layer options. The line will be offered with environmentally-friendly coreless technology in the future, reducing both material and disposable cost.

The ultra-compact dsX med-tube™ medical tubing system, a variation of Davis-Standard’s widely used medical tubing systems, has been optimized for both value and versatility. The dsX med-tube™ system offers a smaller footprint for clean rooms, language-specific control systems and fast delivery. A unique co-extruder arrangement allows for processing materials ranging from polypropylene (PP) to fluorinated ethylene polypropylene (FEP) by changing feedscrews. Systems are available for single lumen, multi-lumen, IV catheter, corrugated drainage, integrated bump tubing and multi-layer tubing.

Innovations Displayed at Erkrath Facility– Davis-Standard is offering shuttle service from Düsseldorf to the company’s facility in Erkrath (about 20 minutes away) for the display of the new dsX flex-pack™ and dsX s-tretch™ lines. The transportation schedule for this service will be available at the show.

The new dsX™ technology is representative of the many new innovations to be introduced as part of Davis-Standard’s Global Advantage initiative, helping customers gain a competitive edge by optimizing their ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of their markets. Davis-Standard has taken great care to merge its best technology into cost-effective, highly-engineered packages that are supported by regional engineering and service teams. Davis-Standard’s experts in extrusion and converting will be available to discuss these new offerings along with the company’s current technologically-advanced solutions to the global polymer and rubber processing industries, all with the goal of providing exceptional value for customers.

For more information prior to the show, visit www.davis-standard.com. For more information on Davis-Standard’s exhibit at K 2013, Hall 16, booth #A43, or for more information on the Open House at Davis-Standard’s facility in Erkrath during the show, contact us at info@davis-standard.com.

About Davis-Standard, LLC

Davis-Standard, headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology. Davis-Standard systems encompass over 10 product lines to support manufacturing applications and customers within every major industry. This includes the agriculture, automotive, construction, healthcare, energy, electronics, food and beverage packaging, and retail industries, among others. With more than 950 employees worldwide and a network of independent sales agents and suppliers in nearly every country, Davis-Standard is committed to engineering equipment that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, and offers a high return on investment. The company has three manufacturing and technical facilities in the United States, as well as subsidiaries with facilities in China, Germany and the United Kingdom.