At Swiss Plastics Expo 2026 in Lucerne, Arburg will focus on alternative materials and digitally supported process stability. At stand C1061 in hall 1, the company will exhibit an electric Allrounder 370 A equipped with the Gestica control system that processes so‑called "paper pearls" in place of conventional petroleum‑based plastics. The application is presented as a forward‑looking approach intended to expand the range of sustainable injection moulded products for technically demanding markets such as Switzerland.
Marcel Spadini, Managing Director of Arburg AG in Münsingen, underlines the significance of the event for the company and for the local market. According to him, the Swiss Plastics Expo plays a key role in Switzerland as it addresses a highly demanding, technology‑oriented visitor base. The trade fair takes place only every three years and focuses on presentations from leading technology providers. Within this context, Arburg positions its exhibit as a response to the current priorities of Swiss injection moulders, including fully electric machine technology, automation, digitalisation and sustainability. The combination of an electric machine, an alternative material based on paper fibres and integrated digital assistance functions is intended to illustrate how these requirements can be met in a single application setup.
Electric Allrounder processes fibre‑based "paper pearls"
In Lucerne, Arburg will demonstrate a paper injection moulding application that has been developed in cooperation with Swiss paper and cardboard manufacturer Model. The joint development aims to broaden the portfolio of future‑proof products that can be produced by injection moulding from alternative, more sustainable feedstocks.
The exhibit uses an electric Allrounder 370 A to process "paper pearls", an alternative material with a fibre content of more than 50 per cent. The main component consists of primary and secondary paper fibres. To make these fibres suitable for injection moulding, they are compounded with bio‑based and biodegradable plastics, for example materials based on lignin, starch or corn. This combination enables processing on standard injection moulding equipment while maintaining a high proportion of paper‑derived content.
The moulded article shown at the fair is a "cross knot" puzzle produced in a single‑cavity mould supplied by Lercher. The cycle time is around 60 seconds. After mould opening, a Multilift Select 8 linear robotic system removes the finished part and places it onto a conveyor belt for downstream handling. This arrangement illustrates how the alternative material can be integrated into an automated, industrial injection moulding process without fundamental changes to the overall production setup.
Digital assistance functions in Gestica control
Alongside the material concept, the exhibit highlights the use of integrated digital helpers within the Gestica machine control system. The software‑based pilot function "aXw Control RecyclatePilot" is designed to actively compensate for material and batch fluctuations during production. By continuously adjusting process parameters, the function supports uniform mould filling, stable shot weights and consistent part quality.
RecyclatePilot is suitable for processing a wide range of materials that may exhibit higher variability than virgin polymers. These include post‑industrial and post‑consumer recyclates, regrind as well as bio‑based plastics such as those used in the paper‑fibre compound. The integration of this function directly into the control interface enables machine operators to manage fluctuations in material properties within the standard production workflow, contributing to more robust processes when using alternative or secondary raw materials.
Alignment with Swiss injection moulding requirements
From the perspective of Arburg's Swiss subsidiary, the combination of fully electric machine technology, automation and digital process support shown in Lucerne is closely aligned with the expectations of local processors. Marcel Spadini summarises this alignment by stating: "Our focus on fully electric machine technology, automation, digitalisation and sustainability reflects the current market trend and thus also the wishes of our customers". He observes that market developments increasingly point towards customer‑specific solutions based on fully electric machines that are designed to meet stringent demands in terms of quality and efficiency.
At the same time, Spadini emphasises that advanced technology alone is not sufficient to ensure long‑term success in the market. According to him, comprehensive customer support and service are equally decisive factors. In his view, these services make an important contribution to maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction over extended periods of cooperation. Against this background, the exhibit at Swiss Plastics Expo 2026 is intended to represent both Arburg's technical offering and its approach to supporting customers in implementing new materials and digital solutions in their injection moulding operations.
An electric Allrounder 370 A with Multilift Select 8 is used to process “paper pearls”, an alternative material with over 50 per cent fibre content
