ROTOTOUR
The ARMA Rototour is now a well known established brand in the international industry as being world class, well organised and value for money with Michelle playing the ultimate host and travel partner.
The list of tour locations is growing and you can read a little more about the last 3 tours below.
Rototour 2019 Africa – Rototour 2018 Italy, Germany & The Netherlands – Rototour 2017 China – Rototour 2016 Australia – Rototour 2015 United Kingdom – Rototour 2014 USA – Rototour 2013 India – Rototour 2012 Poland – Rototour 2008 USA – Rototour 2006 Germany, Italy & France – Rototour 2005 China
ROTOTOUR 2018 AFRICA
As an organiser for Rototour, this was one of our best programmes and a perfect mix of business and pleasure, with 28 attendees from 8 different countries, who all meshed extremely well in the stunning back drop of Africa.
The optional add on began in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, with 15 delegates embarking on the first visit in the program, a factory tour of JoJo Tanks (the largest tank maker on the African continent) where we were welcomed with a wealth of information on what it is like doing business in Zimbabwe and the difficulties that come with it.
Monday was an early start as we headed towards Pietermaritzburg to visit our first host Gordon at East Coast Moulders and then it was on to Kaymac Rotomoulders for Alvin to show us through the rotational moulding and the low-pressure injection moulding facilities and host us for lunch.
The following morning was check out, put on our tour safety gear and prepare ourselves for 3 factory visits for the day. First up was Enviro Loo which everyone thoroughly enjoyed, seeing the whole process from start to finish of this water dry sanitation toilet system. Then just down the road to Duys Rotomoulders, and the final tour was with the ACD Rotoflo team.
3 more factories again the following day, the first visit being with Calamite, who developed and patented the World’s first one-piece poly manhole and the two-chamber vertical septic tank. Then on to Pioneer Plastics with the last factory of the day was JoJo Tanks in their new greenfield facility.
The final day of factory visits was very different again with CHM Plastics showing us through both their rotational moulding and their mould making locations. And then it was on to Sinvac Plastics, with a formal presentation and tour of all aspects of the business.
Now that the factory part of the tour was over, it was time to head out to Sun City for the ARMO 2019 Conference and trade exhibition.
ROTOTOUR 2018 ITALY-GERMANY-NETHERLANDS
The 2018 tour ended up being an incredible mixture of unique experiences. Cracking Art usually don’t open their studio and warehouse, however because of the great connection, fostered by IT-RO, Rotoconnect was able to secure a visit and I couldn’t think of a better way to begin a tour and we were even able to have a sneak preview of their latest installation being created while we were there. Cracking Art’s pieces are moulded by Roplast, the first factory on our schedule who also use extrusion moulding at their site outside of Milan.
Amsterdam was the official start of the full Rototour and here we met the rest of our group for a very quick tour of the city and its famous canals. Pentas Moulding is a highly technical and innovative company that has grown from producing surfboards to producing over 700 different products, most of which are in the automotive sector.
In Germany the group visited mould maker, Maus and well as Speidel, Peuker GmbH & Co. KG, HMT, PlasTec Technology and Premier Tech.
Ironically, or perhaps very necessarily, the final day of Rototour 2018 didn’t include any factories but provided both a desperately needed rest and a final chance to spend some relaxed time talking to those who had by then, become real friends and colleagues in this experience. The majority of the group went to Bremen, a small medieval town outside of Hamburg for a last chance to relax with each other before joining what would be the largest ARMO conference ever held.
ROTOTOUR 2017 CHINA
The 2017 Rototour included 27 delegates from 10 different countries who visited 10 factories in 7 cities across China in a busy 10 days before heading to Hawaii for some much needed down time (only one day) before joining the ARM / ARMA Joint Forum. The first moulder on the program was Lang Fang Quan Zhen Automobile Fittings Co., Ltd, and then one of the world’s largest rotoliners, Santi.
Much of China’s rotomoulding industry is based around Shanghai’s wider region and while in the city ARMA partnered with RPC-CPPIA, the Chinese association for their conference, at which several of the Rototour delegates presented.
The following day the group visited Shanghai Chunxu Mould Industrial Co., Ltd. And Cixi Deshun Container Co.,Ltd founded in 1999, which produces plastic products and moulds as well as Dafeng Plastics & Metals Industry Co., Ltd is specialized in developing and producing both rotomolded and blow molded products.
KSC, rotomoulders from Kazakhstan are regular participants for Rototour but because they also have local manufacturing in China, they were precluded from joining this year. Happily for the group, they hosted an amazing dinner. They turned their factory into a restaurant for the night, included a full firework show, private entertainment, flowing drinks and fun.
Next on the schedule was Ningbo Kuer Plastic Technology Co., Ltd. also known as Cool Kayak, Wenling Rising Sun Rotomolding Technology Co.,Ltd and Zhejiang Feiyou Kangti Amusement Facilities Co.,Ltd.
The last internal flight of the tour took the group to Guangdong, one of the largest cities in China, still moving south towards Hong Kong. Here we visited Dong Guan Malish Cleaning Equipment Co., Ltd and Guangdong Adlo Group Co., Ltd.
