Machines for sealing flat films with thermo-contact or ultrasonic sealing technology as well as index maker machine for office products.

Chronicle/history

1946 Foundation of company Ing. Karl Widmann Apparatebau Esslingen.

1948 Purchase of metal working machinery – with money raised due to the monetary reform - and start of industrial production with toll-manufacturing for the machine tool industry.

1953 Relocation into to the newly built plant in Plochingen. Beginning of series production of high-frequency welders (HF-welder) for the process of PVC film.

1957 Extension of production range by development of simple welding devices for polyethylene foil.

1960 Extension in the area of machinery assembling and metal-cutting manufacturing. Series production of automatic pocket machines, semiautomatic machines and hand-held welding tongs for the process of polyethylene foil. Development of special welding machine for the production of tobacco pouches and poly bags with mini grip closure.

1966 Development of machinery for the production of stationery filing products out of polyethylene foil. Design and assembling of a prototype for the production of clear view folders for a Swiss customer.

1970 Extension of special machinery for the production of pockets and l-folders. By using impetus welding technology polyolefin as well as PVC can be processed.

1973 Werner Widmann joins the design department of the company.

1975 Plastics exhibition “K75” in Düsseldorf, Germany: presentation of the first machine for production of pockets out of polypropylene worldwide.

1977 Change of company name into a limited liability company. Werner Widmann becomes President of the company. Discontinuation of bag production machinery but extensive expansion of machinery for the production of stationery products out of flat film (mainly PP).

1980 Development of machinery to automate and rationalise production methods for stationery products. Presentation of the Heat Sealer TA-HD3, most successful machine of the company. Completion of the first Index Maker TA-R, which combines seven working processes in one automatic cycle. First machine delivery to USA. The Widmann family in mourning as the founder of the company – Karl Widmann – dies after a short and serious illness at the age of 69.

1981 2 pocket maker machines are installed in Japan.

1983 Development of machinery for the production of presentation folders, file strips and special machinery for the index maker section.

1985/1986 Development and building of a new company plant in Schlierbach.

1987 Relocation from Plochingen to Schlierbach. Capacity extension of the new pocket maker generation TA-HD4. Integration of packing machinery into existing lines.

1989 Plastics exhibition “K89” in Düsseldorf, Germany: Presentation of the first production line, consisting of pocket maker and packing machine.

1992 Plastics exhibition “K92” in Düsseldorf, Germany: Presentation of the first “Mylar” index machine, which was especially designed for the American market and patented worldwide.

1993 Development of a film sealing machine with patented welding system (ultrasonic welding technology) for tear sealing of flat films. The Index Maker TA-R4 (in 4th generation) reaches a performance of 200 cycles/min with newly designed and patented process engineering.

1995 Plastics exhibition “K95” in Düsseldorf, Germany: Presentation of a rotary welding machine with patented welding technology for the production of pockets. New Tear Sealing Machine for the production of ring books.

1996 The “Mylar” Index Maker gets additional equipment as 6 colour station or production optional from roll or with pre-printed sheets, edge hole reinforcing with strip or with “donut”. Just in time for the 50th company anniversary Widmann presents the 6th pocket maker generation: 220 cycles/min!

1998 Plastics exhibition “K98” in Düsseldorf, Germany: Performance of the Heat Sealer HS 300 together with packing machine.

2000 Drupa 2000: international exhibition for printing and paper in Düsseldorf – first presentation with own booth. Performance of the latest Index Maker TA-R5 with 250 cycles per minute and of the “Mylar” machine RA6 inline, with production from roll. Design and construction of an index maker from the RA line for production of index sets with coloured window tabs.

2001 Plastics exhibition “K2001” in Düsseldorf, Germany: Performance of the first high speed ultrasonic welding machine FSM 350 for the production of CD pockets (300 pockets/min). Delivery of the first automatic display book production line – production of pockets with collecting station, cover transport system, ultrasonic welding unit and stacking system.

2002 Clipfolder machine with metal clip assembling station. Machine for application of film on the outside of an open or closed DVD box.

2004 New generation of “Mylar” Index Maker series TM 140 with increased performance from 100 up to 140 cycles/min. First ultrasonic welding press in the medical field for the production of incontinence bags.

2005 Development of a new servo driven press for up to 160 cycles/min and a sonotrode table with a welding area of 920 x 580 mm. Machine for the production of stand-up pouches out of aluminium coated foil with ultrasonic welding without capillary activity, performance 600 pouches/min. Packaging exhibition Interpack 05 in Düsseldorf and Print 05 in Chicago.

2006 Exhibitor on the Plast 06 in Milan for the first time. Development of a ring book machine with a length of 28 m (longest machine ever built), with performance increase from 30 up to 45 cycles/min.