Foundry customers new and old are putting Hunter’s most advanced molding machines to work, with an eye toward lowering maintenance costs and increasing their profitability.
Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation has announced the sale of four new HLM-20s to current and new customers. Three of the company’s popular HLM-20 molding machines have been ordered by key customers, as follows:
- Oil City Iron Works in Corsicana, TX is replacing its old Hunter HMP-20H machine, which has been in operation since 1999, with a new Hunter HLM-20.
- Travis Pattern of Spokane, WA has purchased a new HLM-20 machine. Travis Pattern also has three Hunter XL 20x24 matchplate molding machines in operation.
- Washburn Iron Works of Washburn, WI has ordered a new HLM-20 machine to replace its existing Hunter HMP-20, which has been in production since 1975.
According to company president and CEO Bill Hunter (inventor of the HLM Series), “Obviously we enjoy continuing to fulfill the needs of long-time customers Oil City Iron Works, Travis Pattern, and Washburn Iron Works in their purchase of our HLM-20,” Mr. Hunter said. “Building and maintaining customer loyalty has been our goal for more than 50 years.”
In addition to these long-time customers, the first HLM-26 matchplate molding machine has been ordered by a new Hunter customer. The HLM-26 will employs a new, 20x26 flask size and will replace a machine made by one of Hunter’s competitors. This new customer required a larger flask size than their current 16x20 molding machine was capable of producing. Initially, a 20x24 HLM was considered, but after reviewing the customer's patterns they requested that Hunter build an HLM based on their 20x26 flask size specifications. Hunter is now building the HLM-26, that is designed to accommodate the customer's foundry needs now and into the future.
Hunter lauched its HLM Series at Cast Expo 2013. Since that time, Hunter has built and sold nearly 20 of the HLMs to foundries throughout North America. This year, Hunter introduced the HLM Series to the world foundry market at GIFA 2015 in Duesseldorf, Germany. The company was awarded U.S. Patent 8,826,967 B1 earlier this year, as well, for the products’ unique integration of linear-motion bearings, both for the squeeze station and hopper car, as well as its board feeders, which are based on magnetically coupled, rodless pneumatic cylinders. Key benefits of the HLM Series include smoother, quieter, more energy-efficient operation and lower maintenance requirements. These features result in increased mold quality, productivity and profitability.