Category: News

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 – Twente experienced a unique day on Tuesday, May 23rd. A group of 40 refugees with residence permits, who are in the final stages of acquiring a Dutch passport, participated in a unique company tour. The event, jointly organized by Culture Kitchen Foundation, Aqua+, Niverplast, Pentas, and ROC of Twente, aimed to strengthen the connection between these newcomers and local businesses.

The day began at ROC van Twente, where the refugees boarded the bus together. The first company the participants visited was Pentas in Almelo, followed by a visit to Aqua+ in Goor. The lunch break was spent at Eet- en werkcafé Kleurrijk in Nijverda, a restaurant that works closely with Culture Kitchen Foundation to give refugees a chance to gain work experience in the hospitality industry. The tour concluded with a visit to Niverplast in Nijverdal.

Strengthening Connection between Companies and Refugees This event marked a significant step in reinforcing the connection between refugees and the local labor market. It demonstrated the willingness of Twente businesses to embrace diversity and gave the refugees insight into their potential future in the region. The event illustrates the collective efforts of local businesses, educational institutions, and foundations to foster the integration of refugees into the Twente community. Through their involvement and openness, they hope to provide a warm welcome to the refugees and assist them in finding their place in the Twente labor market.

“With this tour, we want to show that we welcome and appreciate refugees. We want to lower the threshold and give them a glimpse into the Twente labor market,” said Marthijn Koorn, director of Pentas.

Aqua+ in Goor, a company specializing in fire protection systems, also opened their doors. “We believe in pooling resources and celebrating diversity. Not only within our walls but beyond as well. That’s why we have established the Rudolf Walhof Foundation, named after my grandfather, with which we launch initiatives in the field of refugee aid for a better world,” said director Bas-Jan Walhof.

During the lunch at Kleurrijk, the participants got a taste of how the Culture Kitchen Foundation offers refugees a chance to work in the hospitality industry and gain work experience. After lunch, the tour continued to Niverplast. Richard Nieuwenhuis, from Niverplast, highlighted the value of diversity in their international company and their pursuit of happy colleagues. “We consider qualifications and degrees less important. With this visit, we want to show that if you really want to, you can achieve a lot,” said Richard Nieuwenhuis.

ROC of Twente played a crucial role in the event, not only as the starting point of the tour but also through their involvement in the preparation and support of the refugees. “It is crucial to bridge the gap between refugees and the local labor market. This event is a beautiful way to show them the opportunities that Twente has to offer,” said Edwin Kamp from ROC of Twente.

The participants were enthusiastic about the tour and the opportunity to learn more about the Twente companies. “I hope I can get a job as a driver,” said one of the participants. Another participant added: “I am interested in all three companies, but I have to see which one I like best.”

“The goal is to promote the integration of refugees into the Dutch labor market,” said Marieke van der Vliet, director of Culture Kitchen Foundation. “We are pleased to see that Twente businesses are opening their doors and welcoming newcomers.”

Pentas Moulding B.V., a leading European company in the production of plastic products through rotational molding, and Produsoft, a specialist in production software, join forces with the implementation of the 5-axis CADCAM system WORKNC. This collaboration leads to a more efficient and flexible production of rotational molding molds.

In the ongoing pursuit of innovation and efficiency, Pentas Moulding has chosen WORKNC as their CADCAM system because of its ease of use and the quality that the software offers. The 5-axis CADCAM system WORKNC is specifically designed to simplify and accelerate the programming of complex parts. The software plays a crucial role in the production of complex rotational molding molds on the new 5-axis FOOKE Linear 411 Endura.

WORKNC is a ‘best-of-breed’ CAM software that generates reliable and efficient toolpaths. The software enables automatic machining and offers a wide range of 2-axis, 3-axis, 3+2-axis, and 5-axis machining operations. This allows users to achieve shorter production times and higher finishing quality.

This collaboration between Pentas Moulding and Produsoft is exceptional because rotational molders typically do not have the facilities to produce molds in-house. However, Pentas decided to offer this service internally 20 years ago for the following reasons:

1. Flexibility and speed: By having everything under one roof, Pentas can switch and adapt faster to changing circumstances.
2. Quality: Since Pentas uses the molds themselves on their rotational molding machines, they know exactly what is needed for high-quality molds.
3. Independence: By keeping the production of molds in-house, Pentas has full control over the supply chain and reduces risks.

About Pentas:

Founded in 1975, Pentas is a leading European company specializing in the production of plastic products through rotational molding. With 11 rotational molding machines and 8 milling machines, the team of 130 technical experts is committed to providing customer-specific solutions. Pentas goes beyond just technical specifications and takes into account the wishes of the customer, the end-user, and the impact on the environment.

About Produsoft:

Produsoft is a specialist in CAD/CAM software for milling, turning, wire EDM, and 2D/3D sheet metal processing. Founded in 1993, the company offers a range of products, including Edgecam, Visi, WorkNC, Peps, Radan, and CIMCO. With 12 employees and its headquarters in Maldegem, Belgium, Produsoft provides tailor-made solutions through their own development department in addition to international standard products.

The first evaluation shows that employees are excited about Pentas’ extensive vitality programme. They feel fitter and thanks to physiotherapy, long-term physical complaints are resolved more quickly. 360 FIT is the name of this physical and mental health programme. It indicates that Pentas – a company specialising in rotational molding – is also about feeling fit.

About the reason for starting the 360 FIT programme, director-owner Marthijn Koorn says, “Now that everyone has to work longer and longer, it is even more important that employees remain in good shape. We employ 130 people with a passion for technology. That is a wealth of talent, experience and commitment that we cherish. That is why we like to contribute to health and well-being. In addition to the fact that low absenteeism is very important to us, job satisfaction and solidarity have always been pivotal as far as we are concerned. Delivering a team effort, that has been the motto of our family business for 47 years. And now we also do that during the vitality training programmes.”

Improve your mental and physical health during working hours

Pentas invests heavily in the vitality of its employees. And makes time, space, sportswear, equipment, professional guidance and physiotherapy available. For six months now, Pentas’ employees have been able to improve their mental and physical health during working hours with, for example, strength training or relaxation/meditation programmes. People are also made aware of the usefulness of exercise in a playful way. For example, by illustrating at the stairs that you burn 0.17 calories with each step, so when you are at the top you have already burned more than 2 calories.

Employees are excited

According to the first evaluation, employees are excited about the programme. The reactions are all positive. “It’s nice to clear my head and then I go back to work feeling energetic.” “It’s nice that I can exercise.” “It helps me to function better.” “I am happy that I can exercise during working hours.” “A short break and you get to know your colleagues in a different way.” “”Nice to join in.” “I now live more consciously and I have already lost weight.” “I can already move the belt up two holes.” Thanks to the physiotherapy through my work, my knee no longer bothers me.” “I feel really fitter during the week.” “It’s great that I can work out during working hours!”

Choose from three programmes

In the 360 FIT programme at Pentas, employees can choose from three programmes. The Core programme lasts 30 minutes, during which core stability is tackled for a stronger upper body and better posture. The Intensive programme involves 60 minutes and is dedicated to physical condition, strength and overall fitness. The Relax programme lasts 30 minutes and is a mix of relaxation exercises for body and mind. Including breathing, yoga, meditation and tai chi. Employees are allowed to spend one hour each week during working hours on the 360 FIT programme.

Developed based on employees’ needs

Family business Pentas has been characterised since the start in 1975 by great mutual involvement and a pleasant working atmosphere.The focus is increasingly also on vitality. For example, employees have been getting help to quit smoking for years, the company organises popular running competitions and mountain bike tours and, of course, fruit is also served in the canteen. With a survey, Pentas investigated what else it can do for employees to be a perfect employer. The vitality programme has been developed from the needs that emerged during this survey.

Professional guidance by TopSport Connect

Pentas works together with TopSport Connect for professional guidance with the 360 FIT programme. This company uses the lessons from top sport and deploys (former) top athletes to make people in organisations more mentally and physically healthy. It is not just about sustainable employability or higher productivity. Annemarie Heuvel, initiator of TopSport Connect, comments on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, “We know better than ever how important vitality is for sustainable employability and happiness at work. And in our vision we take things to the next level. It also has positive impact on creativity and innovation. In our approach, we ensure that employees have a choice, that they support it themselves and regularly get the right push in the right direction. We can see that our vision and approach align well with Pentas’ motto called ‘a team effort’.”

About Pentas

Pentas is one of the most advanced companies in Europe dedicatd to producing customer-specific plastic products through mold construction and rotational moulding. The company has 130 employees, is located in Almelo (the Netherlands) and has 11 rotational molding machines and 9 milling machines. Since its foundation in 1975, the company sees technology as the basis. And through continuous innovation, the products are becoming lighter and more durable. In addition, the company was one of the first entrepreneurs in Almelo to generate the energy required for production with more than 1600 top-roof solar panels. And by focusing on efficiency, Pentas reduces the use of raw materials and energy. This is sustainable for the environment and the relationship with customers. Quality is inextricably linked to this. The products meet the highest quality requirements, which is why renowned companies in the German manufacturing industry, such as Daimler, Siemens, Claas and Hymer, have embraced Pentas for decades.

Mid-September 2021, we will receive and install a new rotational moulding machine from Reinhardt in India. This will be an expansion of our existing machinery, bringing our total to ten rotational moulding machines. This expansion will further support us in the growth we have experienced in recent years.

Sustainable and safe 

Sustainability was an important factor in our purchase of this new machine. It comes with a high-efficiency combustion motor which makes it highly economical. In addition, the oven walls contain insulation material that allows the oven to reach a maximum temperature of ±400 ˚C while keeping the exterior safe to the touch.

Production capacity and payroll expansion

With this new machine, our company is ready for further growth while we opt for expansion of our production capacity for large products with a maximum diameter of 2.5 m and a height of 2.8 m.

The rotational moulding machine will operate in three shifts five days a week. We are still looking for staff to operate the oven (in three shifts) as well as employees to post-process the products in the daytime shift. As such, we are expanding our payroll as well as our production capacity.

Curious about the possibilities of rotational moulding? 

Get in touch with us and we will tell you all about it. Whatever your question may be, we will be able to help you.

The purchase of an adjacent plot of land marks Pentas’ continued expansion. The opportunity presented by the available plot to the northeast of the current grounds is welcomed with open arms. With a surface area of 10,000 square metres, it offers Pentas the ability to increase its warehouse capacity as well as add another production hall.

First things first though. In the months ahead, the new plot will have to be flattened to prepare the road towards our plans for the future.

Pentas Moulding from Almelo uses the cashback promotion by Overijssel Province for high-speed doors. But that is just a minor measure considering what the plastics specialist is undertaking to save and generate energy. ‘We created a plan to ensure our continuous commitment to saving energy’, says owner Marthijn Koorn. ‘We contribute to the energy transition in other ways as well, by delivering products for windmills, for example.’

From toys to agricultural machines

The family-run business was founded in 1975 as a designer or windsurfing boards and went on to become the ultimate specialist in custom plastic product manufacturing with rotational moulding. From toys to plastic parts for agricultural machines, flower pots, lamps and urinals. You will find Pentas Moulding’s products anywhere.

Pentas Moulding’s efforts

The process of melting plastics consumes a lot of energy. Pentas Moulding aims to make the process more energy efficient from the drawing board onwards. The designs are made as lightweight as possible. The company developed a ribbed structure a few years ago and was even able to patent it. Marthijn: ‘Lightweight construction reduces the energy consumption and benefits the environment in other ways as well. Such as by reducing the amount of raw materials and transportation.’ The company is also improving the insulation of their machines, mostly ovens, and has converted all lamps to LED lighting some time ago. In addition, they try to limit outage to a minimum. The roof holds 1,670 solar panels and high-speed doors have been installed.

Main driver

Pentas Moulding views its commitment to sustainability as a self-evident part of its operation. ‘As a company, we feel a responsibility to contribute to a healthy environment. For society, our staff and our clients. Because they, too, are finding it increasingly important to do business with suppliers who are committed to sustainability. Plus, it is simply part of good employer practice to tend to the world we work and live in.’

What other plans are in the pipeline?

‘We meet with our energy consultants on a regular basis to see what we can do. We want to install more solar panels. We will be checking our compressor system to ensure that no energy is lost due to leaks. And we will be upping the ante on our machine monitoring to improve efficiency. Plenty of plans!’

What other plans are in the pipeline?  

‘We meet with our energy consultants on a regular basis to see what we can do. We want to install more solar panels. We will be checking our compressor system to ensure no energy is lost due to leaks. And we will be upping the ante on our machine monitoring to improve efficiency. Plenty of plans!’

The plastics manufacturing industry has countless processes for the production of plastic products. In addition to rotational moulding, blow moulding and injection moulding are the most important ones.

Rotational moulding in a nutshell

Rotational moulding is a tension-free process of heating plastic powder in a mould to form a plastic product. In this production process, an  aluminium or sheet steel mould is filled with thermoplastic powder (usually PE or PP) and sealed. The mould is heated in a large oven while being rotated on two axes placed perpendicular to each other. As a result, the molten material is pressed against the mould wall to obtain its shape. Next, the product is cooled and removed from the mould. The thermoplastic is processed free of tension, creating an impact-resistant product in almost any shape imaginable. Production series range from 100 to 5,000 products per mould per year and have a weight of 0,5 kg to 300 kg.

Rotational moulding vs blow moulding

Blow moulding is another highly popular production method that involves molten plastic being extruded in a preform. Pressurised gas, usually air, then presses the molten plastic into the mould until it cools and hardens. Once cooled, it can be removed from the mould.

Rotational moulding vs vacuum moulding

Vacuum moulding involves plastic film being heated to the distortion temperature with e.g. an infrared oven. The heated film is stretched in or on a mould. A vacuum is created in between the surface of the mould and the plastic and as a result, the plastic is sucked into the shape of the mould. Next, the product undergoes a forced cooling process.

Rotational moulding vs injection moulding

Injection moulding involves molten plastic being injected into a mould under high pressure. As a result of cooling, the plastic sets and the part is created. Injection moulding allows for the manufacturing of complex parts. Due to the high production costs of the mould, injection moulding is mostly suitable for larger production numbers.

Every product starts as an idea. But the road from idea to a production-ready product is a speciality. Our speciality.  At Pentas Moulding, we have a lot of knowledge and experience in this regard. Once the product is ready for mass production, we can produce and deliver it by order. We will clarify the process below in several steps.

From design to finish

Whether it be fuel tanks, flower pots, mudguards or toys: all plastic products by Pentas are made in a similar way. The shape, dimensions and colour may differ but the steps we take are always the same. From design to rotational moulding and from assembly/finish to transport. 

The design

The design is the foundation of any product. In consultation with yourself, our client, we create the optimal design. We hear your wishes and requirements and analyse the entire assembly environment of the product. We consider all of this in the context of the possibilities and limitations of the rotational moulding process and are happy to share our many years of experience with you to avoid any pitfalls.

Within the predetermined framework, our  builders optimise the design for the rotational moulding process. Product design is not just about the shape of the plastic product, but also about its application. We install parts into the product routinely, such as level gauges, caps, hoses, etc. Our extensive supplier network allows us to rely on a wide range of this type of assembly parts. But that is not all. Our builders are also responsible for designing the production mould which is then produced at our own mould construction department.

The mould

Once we know the dimensions and shape of the product, we will build a production mould. This mould is used to make countless exact copies of your product. Once the series is completed, we store the mould at our warehouse for your next order.

Pentas only uses CNC moulds in order to guarantee products of the highest possible quality. Benefits include close tolerances, proper wall thickness distribution and tight division seams. In addition, CNC moulds are relatively easy to adjust should any design changes prove necessary.

Rotational moulding

We fill the mould with plastic powder and heat it until the powder, now a liquid mass, sticks to the hot mould wall. Next, the product is cooled at our cooling station. In order to ensure proper wall thickness distribution, the mould is rotated on two arms throughout the entire process. In the final step, the set product is removed from the mould which is filled with a new batch of powder for the next cycle.

Finish

Our professional technical staff finish the product. Based on specific post-processing instructions available on the production line in digital form, the product is finished. During the design phase, we take a critical look at this entire process. Support moulds, gauges and measuring equipment are designed in advance for critical dimensions or important shapes. We also consider what may go wrong in our production/post-processing process in advance and anticipate this by developing ‘Poka-Yoke’ solutions.

As a system supplier, we deliver more than the plastic product alone. We install assembly parts as well to deliver semi-finished products. This means your product is delivered ready-made and completely assembled. To enable all of this, we manage stock parts and supplier relationships ourselves.

Quality assurance

Pentas puts quality first. We go all out in order to meet the agreements made with our client and the expected quality.  One way of doing this is by conducting thorough quality inspections. Quality assurance staff go around our factory with tablets taking samples from our production series. Drawings with tolerances are compared to the actual product. In the event of any deviations, we will investigate the cause and solve the problem at the source. Every individual product must meet all of the client’s predetermined requirements and thanks to our thorough inspections, we make sure it does.

Transport

If your organisation does not have its own transport department, we can have your product delivered to the desired location. We do this in collaboration with professional carriers in the region. We are well versed in logistic techniques such as  Just-In-Time and Just-In-Sequence and work with them on a daily basis. 

Curious about the possibilities of rotational moulding? 

 Contact us and we will be happy to tell you more. Whatever your question may be, we will be able to help you.