The UNIPLAST BRNO seminar brought together plastics specialists in Prague: Mold Design and Production in the Czech Republic – clinical death or future?

The two-day seminar took a different approach from previous years. The seminar's very title was provocative: "Mould procurement and manufacturing in Czechia – clinical death or a future?". Representatives from Škoda Auto, Tier 1 suppliers and toolmakers held moderated discussions with seminar participants about the contract award process in the automotive industry or industry in general and the realistic prospects of European toolmakers surviving competition from Asia, particularly China.

It would, of course, be appropriate to give a positive assessment of developments, but the reality is different. European toolmakers are in serious difficulty. Pressure on prices and costs permeates every negotiation on new projects, and European industry unfortunately cannot do without the capacity, flexibility and lower price levels of Chinese toolmakers.

Here are some of the points raised by the participants in the discussion:

• Europe must learn from Chinese manufacturers, particularly in terms of speed and flexibility; mould quality is already quite comparable;  
• the 18-hour difference in a Chinese worker's working time and the Chinese government's export support significantly influence the price levels and activity of Chinese toolmakers in Europe;
• Italian and Portuguese moulds continue to become more expensive, although they are partly or entirely manufactured in China through subcontracting;
• some high-quality Chinese toolmakers are now even more expensive than European ones;
• cash flow is a major problem – toolmakers finance up to 18 months of project preparation;
• more complex and high-risk moulds can remain in Czechia provided that Chinese manufacturing capacity is used;
• joint projects between Czech and Slovak toolmakers need to be tried – with greater specialisation and mutual cooperation;
• the purchase price of a mould is still considered separately from operating costs, which distorts the view of its true cost;
• moulds will no longer need to be designed for 1 million or more cycles;
• supplier selection continues to be influenced not only by money but also by long-term relationships and experience.

The morning of the second day was devoted to technical aspects of tool manufacturing. At the headquarters of Engel, the doyen of the Czechoslovak plastics industry, Mr Lubomír Zeman, and a representative of Smartplast gave presentations.

Active co-organisers of the seminar: the companies Cecho, Alca, Radka, Engel, Škoda auto, Kasko, Marelli, Flídr plast, Zálesí, Sigmaplast, Smartplast.      

Programme