Linear Plastics Invests in Three New Wittmann SmartPower Cells

Linear Plastics, leading toolmaker and contract injection moulder, has commissioned a suite of three new injection moulding machine cells from Wittmann UK. The new injection moulding cells are set to help the Linear business handle a batch of specific orders within an overall increase in demand for the company’s manufacturing services.

At the heart of each new production cell is a Wittmann SmartPower 38-130-35 injection moulding machine, designed for precision and energy efficiency. The machines are part of Wittmann’s SmartPower B8X series, which features a 3-platen design, ssmuitable for small to medium-sized applications. The machines feature a ‘Drive-on-Demand 2.0’ system as standard, which uses a combination of fast-responding servo-motors and high-performance fixed displacement pumps for minimal energy consumption.

Each Wittmann SmartPower machine is served by a Primus CARD20 material dryer. These compressed air dryers – lately launched into Wittmann’s CARD range – have touchscreen panels, many automated features, and can handle temperatures of up to 200 Celsius. The new dryers include Wittmann’s VacuJet material loader as well as a drying silo of 20L capacity.

General Manager, Shaun Winter, says that “Linear Plastics has developed a strategic partnership with Wittmann UK over the past two decades. We have always had confidence in what the Wittmann brand can deliver, and this is reflected in our plant list, which includes 21 Wittmann IMMs ranging from 38T to 1000T.”

Shaun adds that “the 3x new 38T machines will improve the production efficiency of our existing small component business whilst also giving us additional capacity to support with a steadily growing order book.”

Savings of all kinds are now the watchword here for both supplier and customer. The space-saving dimensions of the new SmartPowers, for example, were essential to fulfilling the order. Linear’s own recent sustainability and cost-saving projects have included a significant and recent investment in Solar PV and BESS technologies. The 595 Kwp Solar PV installation will generate approximately 30% of the plant’s electricity usage, whilst the 2.4Mwh BESS will supplement this by capturing excess energy generated at off-peak times. This £750k investment rounds out phase 1 of their sustainable energy commitment with additional BESS planned for 2026.

Linear is located in a 52,000 sq ft purpose-built facility on the Treforest Industrial Estate, South Wales.  The Linear business offers three core strengths to the market

Firstly, the ability to offer the customer technical support right from the product design stage through to tooling development and prototyping, series tooling and manufacturing, then on to assembly with finished product dispatched as “ship to line” and “point of use” for the end customer.

Secondly, the ability to produce both plastic and metal components and assemblies, specialising in the over-moulding of metal inserts. This technology produces finished parts containing both metal and plastic into which the customer is able to integrate a variety of electrical, structural and mechanical features.

Finally, the ability to remain both flexible and agile in a demanding market sector, allowing for the manufacturing of rapid tooling concepts with typical lead-times of 2–3 weeks and offering series products to the customer in batch sizes ranging from single figures to millions.

The company’s broad skills base is part of its whole service offering, including a variety of assembly and packaging services. The Linear workforce includes on-site trained machine operatives, time-served toolmakers/tool designers and professionals.

Adrian Walters, Wittmann UK area sales manager says “Wittmann UK is honoured and delighted to be partnering Linear Plastics in this the latest stage of the company’s growth, and in its bold and imaginative strategy to future-proof a very successful business. In these cost-conscious times, our SmartPower technology delivers such clear benefits and savings. Wittmann UK is looking forward to exhibiting at next month’s Interplas exhibition (June 2-4) and to the opportunity to help all our visitors with savings in time, space, energy and cost.”

Visit the Wittmann UK team at Interplas, NEC, Birmingham this June 2nd to 4th, 2026.  The company is exhibiting on Stand T70 in Hall 9.

Read more from Wittmann Battenfeld here.

Wittmann Battenfeld UK
01933 275777
Website
Email