Why Did COLOWE Establish A Second Workshop? ——The Inevitable Choice After A 47% Increase in Demand For Co Rotating Twin-screw Extruders
1, Demand signal: Environmental regulations and the simultaneous increase in the use of recycled plastics
According to the "2025 Plastic Circular Economy White Paper" released by the European Plastics Manufacturers Association, the use of recycled plastics in Europe will increase by about 9.6% year-on-year in 2024, with a significant increase in the use of rPP and rPE in the packaging and automotive sectors. At the same time, the EU's "Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations" require a higher proportion of recycled content, and the global plastic treaty negotiations promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme are also urging countries to accelerate their recycling and modification capacity building.
This change directly drives the demand for updating plastic extruders. Traditional single screw equipment often faces problems such as uneven dispersion of impurities, insufficient exhaust capacity, and narrow formula window when processing recycled materials; The co rotating twin-screw extruder can achieve blending, devolatilization, filtration, and granulation in one line through modular screw combination, multi-stage vacuum devolatilization, and lateral feeding design. About 62% of COLOWE's overseas inquiries in 2024 are related to recycled modified materials, biodegradable materials, and high filling formulas. Many international customers who are trying to produce new materials for the first time are no longer just asking "how much does the equipment cost", but are more concerned about "whether they can process PCR, PLA, PBAT, and whether it is convenient to change the formula".
2, Current situation in COLOWE: Order growth and production capacity bottlenecks have become apparent
In 2024, the total order volume of COLOWE increased by 47% year-on-year, with a 63% increase in orders for co rotating twin-screw extruders. The original workshop had an annual production capacity of about 450 sets, but the capacity utilization rate has reached 97.6%. The delivery cycle of standard models has been extended from an average of 35 days to 58 days, and some customized plastic extruders even exceed 70 days. The three stages of assembly, electrical debugging, and load testing occupy space with each other, becoming the main reason for delivery delays.
Establishing a second workshop is not simply about increasing the area, but rather breaking down the standardized assembly, screw combination debugging, electrical testing, and no-load operation of cost-effective extruders into independent sections. The second workshop plans to add an annual production capacity of 300 sets of plastic extruders, with a focus on covering co rotating twin-screw extruders with diameters ranging from 35mm to 75mm, serving experimental lines, pilot lines, and small to medium batch production lines. After production, the delivery cycle of standard models is expected to be shortened to within 35 days, while customized models are controlled at around 55 days.
3, High cost performance extruders are not low-end, but more reasonable process investments
Customers who are new to modified granulation often understand "high cost-effective extruders" as cheap. In fact, the core of high cost-effectiveness lies in appropriate torque levels, stable aspect ratio configurations, replaceable threaded components, reasonable unit energy consumption, and reduced trial and error costs. The COLOWE co rotating twin-screw extruder adopts a modular cylinder and modular screw structure. Customers can start with a small production experimental machine to verify the temperature window, shear rate, and residence time distribution, and then scale up to the production model to reduce raw material waste in the new material development process.
The "2024 China Plastic Machinery Industry Operation Report" by the China Plastics Machinery Industry Association shows that the export value of plastic extruders in China increased by 18.3% year-on-year in 2024, with particularly significant growth rates in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America markets. Customers in these regions generally hope to quickly get started with new materials for the first time, so they are more concerned about whether the plastic extruder has partition temperature control, torque protection, formula storage, and remote debugging functions. The second workshop of COLOWE is equipped with a standardized testing platform. Each equipment undergoes at least 4 hours of material or no-load testing before leaving the factory, and English operation manuals and remote support are provided to reduce the installation and operation threshold for first-time equipment customers.
4, Data support: Why it is necessary to expand production now
·In 2024, the proportion of overseas orders from COLOWE will increase from 31% to 44%, and the proportion of international customers will continue to expand.
·The inquiry for recycled modified equipment increased by 58%, among which the high cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruder series had a significant increase in repurchase rate in the Southeast Asian market.
·The monthly overtime hours of the assembly workers in the original workshop have reached 42 hours, approaching the management limit, and it is no longer realistic to continue to compress the delivery time.
·After the second workshop is put into operation, the delivery cycle of standard models is expected to be shortened by about 35%, and the delivery cycle of customized plastic extruders is expected to be shortened by about 20%.
·The after-sales and spare parts teams will be set up independently, without diluting the service response speed due to an increase in orders.
These numbers indicate that the establishment of the second workshop is not a market expectation, but rather a capacity restructuring driven by orders. COLOWE needs to complete its layout before the demand side is fully released, otherwise delivery capability will become an obstacle for customers to enter new markets.
5, Key Questions and Answers
Q1: This is our first attempt to modify with recycled or biodegradable materials. Which type of plastic extruder should we choose?
It is recommended to start with a small-sized co rotating twin-screw extruder with a screw diameter of 35mm to 52mm and a production capacity of approximately 50-300kg/h. First, verify the formula, temperature window, and volatilization process clearly, and then zoom in on the production model. COLOWE can provide experimental and pilot equipment to reduce initial investment and material loss.
Q2: Will the opportunity to squeeze out high cost-effectiveness not sacrifice long-term stability?
High cost-effectiveness is not about reducing core configurations, but about optimizing structures and reducing unnecessary non-standard designs. COLOWE retains high-strength materials and heat treatment processes in key parts such as gearboxes, cylinders, and screw components. The control system adopts a modular solution, which facilitates subsequent upgrades and maintenance. This way, the initial procurement cost is controllable, and the later spare parts and energy consumption are also more reasonable.
Q3: What is the actual impact of the second workshop on delivery time?
The second workshop is mainly used for the assembly and testing of standard aircraft models. After production, the delivery cycle of conventional co rotating twin-screw extruders is expected to be shortened by about 35%, and the delivery cycle of customized plastic extruders is expected to be shortened by about 20%. At the same time, after-sales response will not be diluted due to an increase in orders, and COLOWE will set up a separate debugging and spare parts team for the second workshop.
Q4: Can the equipment process environmentally friendly materials such as PCR, PLA, PBAT, etc?
Okay. It is necessary to configure screw combinations, vacuum devolatilization ports, and filtration systems based on material characteristics. COLOWE's co rotating twin-screw extruder supports multi-channel feeding, liquid injection, and lateral forced feeding, making it suitable for recycling materials with high moisture, ink, and low molecular weight content. Suggest that customers send samples for testing to confirm the screw configuration and exhaust position, in order to improve the success rate of new material development.
6, Conclusion: The second workshop is not just a factory building
The establishment of a second workshop in COLOWE is ostensibly a capacity expansion driven by order growth, but essentially a response to the changing logic of global plastic processing. When environmental regulations increase the proportion of recycled materials used, and when international customers try to produce new materials for the first time, they are most afraid of uncontrollable equipment. High cost-effective extruders are no longer just a price concept, but a comprehensive ability to lower entry barriers, shorten verification cycles, and stabilize mass production performance. For international customers who pursue environmental protection, high cost-effectiveness, and scalable production, a suitable plastic extruder is not only a fixed asset, but also a process entry point into new markets. COLOWE chose to expand production during the period of rising demand, hoping that customers would not waste time waiting for equipment, but rather complete formula validation and product launch faster.
