Exlabesa ordered a new 71 MN shortstroke, front-loading extrusion press for its plant in Padron, Spain. The press will be used to serve the growing electromobility market, as well as produce profiles up to 620 mm wide for truck superstructures and railway carriage manufacturing. In addition, the new press will allow Exlabesa Building Systems division to produce unique architectural solutions, enabling them to target the most demanding bespoke façade projects.
“Lighter and, at the same time, safe structural designs, low fuel consumption, and reduced emissions for sustainable mobility are today’s drivers for using high-strength aluminum profiles,” said Francisco Quintá, founder of Exlabesa. “With our new, large extrusion press, we intend to double our production output for large profiles and secure the availability of the plant. Furthermore, we will be able to offer new profile cross-sections and widths that were not possible before and strengthen our position as market leader in the European aluminum industry.”
Supplied by SMS group, the new press will be able to extrude billet with a diameter of 16 inches (406 mm) and a maximum length of 70 inches (1,800 mm). The press will feature the EcoDraulic control system, which ensures a reduction in energy consumption of up to 10% cover standard presses. The system included an intelligent, demand-oriented start/stop control function, which switches off all hydraulic pumps that are not required during the extrusion process.
With this new acquisition, Exlabesa will operate a total of 27 extrusion lines, including five SMS extrusion presses at its nine production facilities. The extruder produces its own aluminum billet within its recycling plant, using equipment supplied by Hertwich Engineering, an SMS group company.
“We are proud to support Exlabesa on their expansion course,” said Hans-Uwe Rode, sales representative for extrusion presses, SMS group. “Through the consistent use of optimized plant technology and the expansion of its portfolio to include Spain’s largest extrusion press, Exlabesa is growing into one of Europe’s leading extrusion press plants.”
The new extrusion press is scheduled to go on stream at the beginning of 2024.