AKF Plastics evolution leads to high-capacity low cost production

The latest chapter in Netherlands-based plastic injection moulding business AKF Plastics’ rich history has seen the company make significant investments in new technology and systems, making AKF a higher capacity, next gen moulder with 24/7 operating potential.

AKF Plastics was initially founded in 1930 as AGF, with a focus on the production of cutting, bending, tracking, and punching stamps for the metal industry. Continuing on this path for the next four decades, during the 1970s the business evolved to focus more on the production of injection moulds for the Netherlands’ emerging plastic market.

Later, the 1980s saw the establishment of AKF, alongside the purchase of the company’s first injection moulding machine, followed by many more as the business rapidly grew.

In 1999, AGF and AKF became one company – AKF / AGF Industry – and the business continued to grow through the early 2000s. By 2012, it was clear that AKF / AGF had outgrown its existing premises, and work commenced on a new site in Naarden, which opened in 2016 and where the company remains based to this day.

2020 saw the business rebrand to AKF Plastics, with a focus on the specialist requirements of the aerospace, automotive and construction industries.

Last year also saw the business bring in the very piece of equipment that allowed it to vastly increase its capacity: the Haitian Jupiter 16000 III injection moulding machine. As well as increasing capacity, the investment in the new equipment widened AKF’s product offer and capabilities while maintaining the highest quality standards, enabling the business to meet all demands for injection moulded parts, from large components to small and specialized parts, and multiple parts of the same assembly.

In addition to the new Haitian Jupiter 16000 III machine, AKF Plastics today has a wealth of machines from the world’s leading manufacturers of such equipment, enabling the business to create moulds using clamping forces from 12 to 1600 tons! Further adding to AKF’s flexibility, its machines are equipped with various operational options, including hydraulics, as well as using ceramic heating elements and being able to place GP screws where needed.

All of AKF’s plastic injection moulding is of the highest quality, putting its clients and end users at the heart of the production and assembly processes.

AKF’s vast production capability means the business is ideally positioned to help its clients across its main verticals.

In the automotive space, AKF produces a vast range of both small and large parts, from those with a visible and functional use like a glovebox to invisible yet vital parts of a car’s build and operation.

AKF is an industry leader when it comes to aerospace, too, providing airlines with fire-resistant plastics and components that are used throughout an aircraft. Most crucially, AKF has pioneered the reverse engineering of aerospace parts to produce new products that improve on what’s already in the market. This helps AKF keep its clients at the forefront of safety, comfort, and the overall passenger experience. AKF has also pioneered the development of creating additional components to add to existing components to enhance their use. As a result, AKF’s clients can save huge sums of cash by investing in added components rather than new ones built from scratch.

AKF has also helped businesses in the global construction industry save significant sums of money by producing higher quality components and getting them into projects quicker. Even small savings per component lead to significant cost reductions given production runs for injection moulding for building and construction can often be in the tens of thousands.

As well as being a pioneering force in producing plastic injection moulding, AKF also offers clients additional services to aid their processes and projects. If plastic moulds are to be used in complex assembly, AKF can arrange for on-site assembly or to outsource assembly at their clients’ request. 

AKF also offers logistics and stock management solutions, becoming part of clients’ supply chains and helping to maintain stock levels or deliver parts “just in time” to ensure seamless operation of assembly lines or additional logistic processes. Businesses can even use AKF’s premises as their off-site warehouse if they need to!

AKF Plastics’ investment in innovation and technology has set the business up for success and further growth into the rest of the 2020s and beyond.