Poly Vinyl’s Custom Extrusion Legacy Flourishes with Davis-Standard Extruders and Service

Mark Schnettler with the recent rebuild of a 3.5-inch (90mm) Davis-Standard extruder

As a family-owned business spanning three generations and 60 years, Poly Vinyl Co. of Sheboygan Falls, Wisc., thrives in the custom extrusion segment. Instrumental to their success is Davis-Standard extrusion technology and ongoing aftermarket collaboration that supports a diverse product range. Poly Vinyl Co. employs standard, co-extrusion and tri-extrusion processes to produce custom profiles for multiple industries, including large appliance, commercial refrigeration, building products and several OEM’s. Not only has Poly Vinyl Co. turned to Davis-Standard for nearly every extruder over the years, but they have taken advantage of upgrade and rebuild services to enhance processing options and extruder performance.

“My father, James Schnettler, has been working with Davis-Standard extruders for over 43 years. Matching products and profiles to the right extruder has always been a point of pride for us,” explained Mark Schnettler, Poly Vinyl’s President. “It’s nice to buy brand new machines, but that isn’t always necessary. This is especially true with Davis-Standard because their gearcases are designed to run thousands of hours. If the gearing is set up properly and the right feedscrews are used, you’re going to have positive long-term results. We also have an excellent maintenance program and make appropriate upgrades and changes based on materials.”

Poly Vinyl Co. runs several Davis-Standard co-extruders for its dual-durometer processes ranging from 1.25 to 1.5 inches (32 to 38mm) as well as 28 main extrusion lines, all equipped with Davis-Standard extruders and feedscrews. These extruders range from 2 inch (50mm) 24:1 single screw models to GC-65 conical twin-screw designs and are engineered to process polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, polycarbonate, and ABS; among others. Over the past 10 years, Poly Vinyl Co. has worked with Davis-Standard on five major rebuilds to boost processing capabilities. These include conical twin-screw extruder upgrades as well as a recent rebuild of a 3.5-inch (90mm) Davis-Standard extruder, purchased via the used market, which was completed in less than 12 weeks. In all cases, Poly Vinyl Co. has been pleased with turn-around time and processing results, which have added value to customer products. Schnettler credits the attention to detail by Davis-Standard’s aftermarket department and their collective working relationship with his team at Poly Vinyl Co.

“Joe Guigli and his team have really helped us with our extruder knowledge, maintenance procedures, and in getting the most out of our machines,” said Schnettler. “Davis-Standard is very timely in their response, which has been especially helpful during COVID. They are also great at record-keeping, which helps us work through any challenges.”

In addition to outstanding equipment capabilities, Schnettler says Poly Vinyl’s employee-driven culture, sales focus and operations execution has been paramount to their competitive advantage.

“The fact that we are a multi-generational family-owned business with 130 talented employees makes us unique. As we look to expand, we will continue to carry out the good work that our customers expect while enjoying the journey along the way.”

For more information about Poly Vinyl products, visit polyvinyl.com.

Rich Kanarski to Chair SPE Technical Programs, Extrusion Divison

Davis-Standard is pleased to announce that Rich Kanarski has been elected to serve as a Technical Program Chair for the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), Extrusion Division. In 2014, Kanarski was recommended by a mentor to serve on the SPE Board of Directors as a young professional, several years later being elected to serve on the Board in a traditional governing role. In addition to presiding over technical programs, he also serves as the division’s Membership Chair. His SPE responsibilities coincide well with his leadership position at Davis-Standard where he manages the company’s converting system technical product team. 

“I am honored to serve as the Technical Program Chair. My fellow board members are incredible people who consistently inspire members to challenge themselves personally and professionally,” explained Kanarski. “We have a common commitment to the betterment of our industry, which is a fundamental value within SPE. Sharing knowledge and strengthening skills is a collaborative effort among our professionals worldwide.”

In his TPC role, Kanarski will support technical conferences, including ANTEC® 2021 to be held via live-stream beginning May 5. ANTEC is a top priority for Kanarski as it one of SPE’s largest technical conferences. As a TPC, with the support of the technical paper review committee, is responsible to review and organize all the technical content submitted by the extrusion division members who wish to voice and present their developments to their peers, compiling it into an effective program for ANTEC.  ANTEC offers a platform for members and students to share and discuss the latest developments in plastic processing and polymer science. A key experience of ANTEC, is the presentation of technical papers that highlight timely subjects and processing expertise within all areas of the plastics industry.

SPE is at the forefront of advancing extrusion innovation and best practices within the global plastics industry. The organization represents more than 22,500 members from 84 countries, connecting scientists, engineers, technical personnel and senior executives. For more information about SPE’s technical conferences, visit www.4spe.org.

Davis-Standard Excels at Aftermarket Services in the Age of COVID

Doing business in the COVID era has required a great deal of creativity and flexibility. With evolving protocols and safety requirements, businesses have had to adapt quickly and with prudence to ensure success. To support customers, Davis-Standard’s teams have rallied to provide an exemplary aftermarket response in regard to parts, rebuilds, equipment upgrades and emergency breakdown services. Anagram International of Minneapolis, Minn., and Synovos of Radnor, Penn., are two examples of customers who have experienced this top-tier service.

The Anagram (www.anagramballoons.com) project was two-fold with an extruder rebuild and controls upgrade. The extruder rebuild occurred first to complement the company’s recently reconditioned feedscrew and extrusion die. Typically, Davis-Standard holds pre-installation meetings on-site at the factory, but due to COVID, held a detailed pre-install meeting virtually. Davis-Standard shipped the parts to Anagram and a regional service engineer (within driving distance) did the installation in-person. The extruder was back in full production faster than expected, which decreased downtime. This was important for Anagram as the world’s leading foil balloon manufacturer.

Anagram’s second phase required upgrading an Integrator-C controller to a faster PC system. As with the extruder rebuild, a virtual pre-installation meeting outlined specifics. It was decided Davis-Standard could do the upgrade remotely via the DS5 secure network access system. The remote upgrade went well with the only in-person contact being from a gauge technician who installed new gauge application software and provided operator training. Within 24 hours, the line was back up and running. In both cases, in-person contact was minimized and timelines were met.

“I was most impressed with how quickly Davis-Standard’s team developed a plan to mitigate COVID exposure while performing the work,” said Bob Hajlo, maintenance and facilities manager at Anagram. “Both projects were successfully completed on time and on budget.  It also proved to be a great technology enrichment course for our operators.”

Synovos (www.synovos.com) benefitted from Davis-Standard expediting parts on a regular basis. This has been critical during COVID as Synovos provides comprehensive MRO supply chain management services for customers in a range of industries, including medical and health. Davis-Standard has supplied all types of extrusion parts this year including spare parts, rupture discs and band heaters. When needed, Davis-Standard has been able to overnight parts for early morning delivery to mitigate downtime. In cases where parts were not in stock, Davis-Standard has been successful in getting them to Synovos within a week. The ability to serve customers with speed and efficiency is a reflection of Davis-Standard’s planning strategy early on in the pandemic. This included keeping parts well-stocked, maintaining a healthy network of suppliers, establishing multiple production shifts, and prioritizing employee safety. All without sacrificing 24/7 customer accessibility on a global scale.

“I am always impressed with Davis-Standard because they go above and beyond to do what it takes to get me the parts I need,” said Renee Evans, a buyer at Synovos. “They haven’t missed a beat during COVID, which has been instrumental in helping us serve customers.”

Davis-Standard’s customer service extends to all heritage brands under the Davis-Standard umbrella. Customers can call (+1 844 MYDAVIS) for assistance or visit the aftermarket webpage for more info.