Plasnor

Success through innovative plastic solutions

Plasnor, a specialist in extrusion and thermoforming, being still a young company in the caravanning industry, offers interesting manufacturing concepts with customised task solutions for manufacturers of motorhomes and caravans. In doing so, the company builds on young, innovative ideas on the one hand and nearly 50 years of experience with a worldwide customer network on the other

Words Peter Hirtschulz

The combination of innovative ideas and many years of experience are the basis for a successful company in the caravanning industry. Reasons for this are, according to Juan Antonio Agirre, Plasnor’s General Manager, the market requirements in the caravanning industry as: functionality and aesthetics, lightweight solutions, sustainability, recyclable materials and “all-inone“ solution providers. Agirre states: “Our strength is to deliver our products matching customers integration needs for a ‘ready to assemble’ status. Further we are an experienced partner for co-designing of parts, for aluminium mould manufacturing, for plastic sheet extrusion and vacuum thermoforming as well. All this expertise together will bring lightweight, sustainable, recyclable solution-packages to the RV market, always keeping our products looking great“.

The company

Plasnor is a privately owned family company committed to the essential part of their competitive edge: the human team and the know-how of those on it. Constantly working on achieving the mission and strategy: to be a point of reference in the main production areas of activity, plastic sheet extrusion and vacuum thermoforming. The company has two production plants in the Basque Country (Spain) covering a surface area of more than 11,000 m², properly conditioned to carry out production of the main processes. Since 1974, Plasnor has over 47 years of experience in manufacturing plastics. Throughout its history, the company has followed a strategy to diversify sectors, which has allowed it to adapt to each moment’s needs. With an export rate of 70 percent of ist sales to five continents. For years, Plasnor has been focusing on a strategy of internationalisation and diversification of markets, which has made their products present and competitive world-wide. Plasnor‘s clients include leading companies in the most cutting edge industries. The company’s objective is to consolidate longtermed relationships with it’s customers, to work on projects together that allow being more a partner rather than “only“ a customer and supplier.

The company considers being customer-orientated as mandatory and stands out thanks to the flexibility and capacity when providing services. The objective is always to provide a high quality service to satisfy the individual customers needs. At Plasnor, the R+D+i is considered as an essential part of the company’s strategy in focusing on the future, and a necessary factor for continued improvement. This includes an own R+D department and collaborations on different European projects to develop products with well-reputated technology-centres.

The RV industry

Plasnor has a strong approach on the RV industry. The company wants to be present for the RV industry as an enterprise providing taylor-made solutions by bringing in all experiences generated on it’s principal markets. As there are:

• Expertise on plastic extrusion and lamination for all kind of cabinet door panelling. • Combined formula: extrusion and vacuum

thermoforming. • Wide technical background experience gathered on the automotive industry trajectory: as material selection, outdooring resistance, colour stability, ready-to-install parts. • In-house design and mould manufacturing. • Customer oriented R+D+i project development team.

In order to present this range of services and products Plasnor has been exhibiting at Caravan Salon 2021 for the second consecutive year. The presentation in Düsseldorf performed a strong conviction towards this caravanning industry with the main exhibition program, where not only consumers check what product is new on the market, but also main RV building companies could see innovative ideas and products to be introduced into their vehicles. The solution package that Plasnor offers is based on a complete chain of plastic transformation processes. For the optimal implementation of the aforementioned services and products the following manufacturing process and range of products are offered:

• Sheet extrusion of ABS, ABS/PMMA, ABS/

PC, HIPS, PS/PE, PMMA • Vacuum thermoforming for any type of parts and sizes. • Complex assemblies /ready-to-install components • Dedicated designer team on the Technical office for a Taylor made customer experience on part conception and design. • An own Aluminium mould manufacturing unit. • Dedicated laboratory for colour matching

Thus Plasnor delivers from embossed ABS sheets for RV door makers, acrylic shower cabinet walls, complete exterior bumpers for the OEM companies and up to cabinet door panel laminates. But the product Plasnor offers is related not just to a standard product catalogue, it is giving individually advanced plastic solutions to the industry. After all the Plasnor credo remains, success through innovative ideas (created in partnership) based on a long-termed market and production experience.