Development and foaming of recyclable molded parts from particle foam materials EPS, EPP, EPE and Neopor® since 1972.
Kunststoffwerk Katzbach GmbH & Co. KG
93413 ChamNew on Amplifa
About Kunststoffwerk Katzbach
Kunststoffwerk Katzbach GmbH & Co. KG (brand Grupor®), based in Cham in the Upper Palatinate, has been developing and manufacturing molded parts from expanded plastics since 1972. The core competence is the foaming of molded parts from particle foam materials such as EPS (Airpop®/Styropor), EPP, EPE, Neopor® and expandable copolymers on a broad fleet of molding machines. In addition to series production, the company offers 3D-CAD development (Catia, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor), sample construction, CNC prototypes and precision-milled parts in its own design center. The in-house toolmaking department plans and manufactures foaming tools on its own responsibility. As a Tier-1 supplier, the company serves the automotive industry as well as the food, packaging, transport and electrical industries and the construction/building technology sector. An in-house testing laboratory ensures product quality, and a recycling process returns end-of-life molded parts to the production cycle. Delivery is carried out by the company's own fleet with three truck rigs.
- Site
- Cham
- Processes
- Foaming of molded parts from expanded polystyrene (EPS / Airpop® / Styropor), Foaming of molded parts from expanded polypropylene (EPP), Foaming of molded parts from expanded polyethylene (EPE), Foaming of molded parts from expandable copolymers, CNC precision-milled parts and prototypes, Creating functional models in sample construction (CNC or manual), Design and development using 3D-CAD (Catia, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor), Toolmaking / manufacture of foaming tools
- Materials
- EPS (expanded polystyrene, Airpop® / Styropor), EPP (expanded polypropylene), EPE (expanded polyethylene), Neopor® (expanded polystyrene with graphite particles), Expandable copolymers, ARPRO, EPS (Airpop®/Styropor), Neopor®
- Certificates
- DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949 (ISO/TS 16949), ISO 14001:2015, ISO 50001:2018, QNG-suitable (Grupor roller shutter boxes), QNG-suitable (Grupor VEKAVARIANT EPS roller shutter boxes), TISAX Assessment, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, Other (QNG)
- Founded
- 1972
- Industries
- Automotive (Tier-1 supplier), Construction and building technology, Food industry, Packaging industry, Transport industry, Electrical industry
- 01
Design and 3D-CAD development
- 02
Sample construction and functional models
- 03
CNC prototypes and precision-milled parts
- 04
Toolmaking (foaming tools)
- 05
Pre-foaming and de-foaming of the molded parts
- 06
Testing laboratory quality assurance
- 07
Final inspection, packaging and logistics
- 08
Recycling of end-of-life molded parts
Materials and Processes
EPS (Airpop®/Styropor)
Thermally insulating, pressure-resistant and 100% recyclable particle foam material for construction, packaging and protective helmets.
EPP (expanded polypropylene)
High energy absorption under repeated stress, e.g. for bumper elements, load carriers and transport containers.
EPE (expanded polyethylene)
Elastic cushioning foam material for transport protection of scratch- and impact-sensitive goods.
Neopor®
EPS containing graphite particles with around 20% higher insulating performance for roller shutter boxes and reveals.
Expandable Copolymers
Combine the properties of various thermoplastics; energy absorption through cell structure fracture, e.g. for protective helmets.
CNC Precision Milling
Manufacturing of prototypes and precision-milled parts for sampling and small-volume production.
3D-CAD Design
Development of molded parts in Catia, Mechanical Desktop and Inventor, including the transfer of customer data.
Sites
Cham
DEHeadquarters with production, toolmaking, design, testing laboratory and logistics
- Materials
- EPS, EPP, EPE, Neopor®, Copolymers
- Molding machines (small to large machines)
- CNC machining centers
- Testing laboratory
- Own fleet (3 truck rigs)
Molded Parts from Particle Foam
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foaming of molded parts from expanded polystyrene (EPS / Airpop® / Styropor)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EPS, Neopor |
| Foaming of molded parts from expanded polypropylene (EPP)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EPP |
| Foaming of molded parts from expanded polyethylene (EPE)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EPE |
| Foaming of molded parts from expandable copolymersPlastics | – | – | – | – | Expandable copolymers |
| CNC precision-milled parts and prototypesMachining | – | – | – | – | EPS, EPP, EPE |
| Creating functional models in sample construction (CNC or manual)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Design and development using 3D-CAD (Catia, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Toolmaking / manufacture of foaming toolsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| In-house testing laboratory quality assurance (fire tests, sample examination, measurement)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Recycling of end-of-life molded parts (return to production cycle)Plastics | – | – | – | – | EPS, EPP, EPE |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molding machine (foaming machine) | – | – | – | – | Cham |
| CNC machining center | – | – | – | – | Cham |
Additional services
Quality and Certification
The molded parts are continuously monitored; in the company's own testing laboratory under the quality assurance department, fire tests are carried out and samples from ongoing production batches are examined, measured and documented. Logistics performs a final end control before dispatch. The QM system complies with DIN EN ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 (as successor to ISO/TS 16949).
| Evidence | Cham |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| IATF 16949 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 50001 | |
| Other (QNG) |
Company History
- 1972
Start of foaming of molded parts from expanded plastics in Cham.