Injection molding machine brand comparison - guide 2025

Introduction to injection molding machine brands

Choosing the manufacturer of an injection molding machine is a strategic decision affecting production efficiency for many years. The injection molding machine market is dominated by several key players, from German and Japanese quality leaders to Chinese manufacturers offering excellent price-to-quality ratio.

Global injection molding machine sales amount to over 50,000 machines annually, with a significant portion being Asian manufacturers. However, European brands still set technological standards.

In this comprehensive guide, we will compare the most important injection molding machine manufacturers available on the Polish market: Tederic, Arburg, Engel, Haitian, Sumitomo, Fanuc, Milacron, Chen Hsong and Krauss Maffei.

Tederic - Chinese innovation at its best

Tederic (Zhejiang Tederic Machinery Co.) is a dynamically developing Chinese manufacturer founded in 2003. As the first company from the injection industry listed on the stock exchange in China, Tederic sets new quality standards among Asian manufacturers.

NEO series - Tederic flagship products:

1. NEO•T (Toggle System)

• Traditional toggle system
• Force range: 900 - 40,000 kN
• Excellent platen parallelism
• Hybrid drive system (electric + hydraulic)
• Energy savings up to 60% vs. traditional hydraulic

2. NEO•HII (Two-Platen)

• Innovative two-platen system
• Column-free construction - easier mold access
• Higher stiffness and precision
• Ideal for large and multi-cavity molds

3. NEO•EII (All-Electric)

• Fully electric injection molding machines
• Positioning precision ±0.01mm
• Repeatability ±0.1%
• Quiet operation < 70 dB
• Production cleanliness - ideal for medical, optics

4. NEO•M (Multi-Component)

• Multi-component injection (2K, 3K)
• Rotating table or moving nozzles
• Production of soft-touch, sealed elements

Advantages of Tederic:

• Excellent price-to-quality ratio - 30-50% cheaper than European equivalents
• Modern technologies - advanced control, servo drives
• Wide range - from small 90T to giants 6000T
• Global service - representatives in 38 countries
• Fast delivery - 8-12 weeks (vs. 16-24 for European)

Ideal applications:

• Mass packaging production
• Automotive (secondary parts)
• Household articles
• When ROI and efficiency are key

In Poland Tederic injection molding machines are available exclusively from an authorized partner - TEDESolutions, which provides comprehensive service: consulting, installation, training and service.

Arburg - German precision standard

Arburg is synonymous with quality in the injection industry. The German company with over 100 years of tradition (founded 1923) is one of the most recognizable injection molding machine manufacturers in the world.

Allrounder series - heart of Arburg offer:

• Allrounder - hydraulic injection molding machines (270-6500 kN)
• Allrounder Electric - fully electric (600-5000 kN)
• Allrounder Hidrive - hybrid
• Freeformer - innovative 3D printing with plastics

Advantages of Arburg injection molding machines:

• Reliability - lifetime 20-30 years with proper maintenance
• Precision - repeatability at the highest level
• Modularity - possibility of upgrade and modernization
• SELOGICA control system - intuitive, multilingual
• Ecology - high energy standards

Disadvantages:

• High price - premium positioning, 80-120% more expensive than Chinese
• Long delivery time - often 20-30 weeks
• Expensive spare parts

Ideal for: Automotive tier 1, medical, precision optics, when quality is priority over cost

Engel - Austrian technical excellence

Engel (Austria) is the second largest injection molding machine manufacturer in Europe. Company known for technological innovations and excellent service support.

Main Engel series:

1. e-victory

• Electric injection molding machines (280-3300 kN)
• Energy savings up to 70%
• High dynamics and precision

2. e-motion

• Hybrid (servo-hydraulic)
• Range 280-65,000 kN
• Optimal balance of performance and cost

3. victory

• Hydraulic injection molding machines (280-65,000 kN)
• Proven technology

Engel innovations:

• iQ flow control - intelligent filling control
• iQ weight control - molded part weight control
• iQ clamp control - clamping force optimization
• CC300/CC200 - modern control systems

Advantages of Engel injection molding machines:

• Highest manufacturing quality
• Advanced assist systems
• Excellent global service
• Wide range of dedicated solutions (cleanroom, multi-component)

Disadvantages:

• Premium price (similar to Arburg)
• Long delivery times

Haitian - Chinese production giant

Haitian is the world's largest injection molding machine manufacturer by number of machines produced (over 20,000 annually). Chinese company offering excellent price-to-quality ratio.

Haitian series:

• Mars - standard series, most popular
• Jupiter - high-performance, servo-hydraulic
• Zhafir - electric, high precision
• Saturn - for large molds, two-platen

Advantages of Haitian injection molding machines:

• Lowest price - 40-60% cheaper than European
• Availability - short delivery times (6-10 weeks)
• Wide range - 680-66,000 kN
• Global reach - service in 100+ countries

Disadvantages:

• Lower quality than European (but constantly improving)
• Higher energy consumption vs. Tederic or Engel
• Service can be challenging in some regions

Ideal for: Start-ups, mass production of simple elements, when budget is limited

Sumitomo - Japanese engineering perfection

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is a fusion of Japanese Sumitomo Heavy Industries precision with German Demag experience. Injection molding machine manufacturer known for technical innovations.

Sumitomo series:

• IntElect - fully electric (500-20,000 kN)
• Systec - servo-hydraulic
• Cyclo-power - multi-component

Unique technologies:

• In-Line Screw - unique inline screw system
• DMFS - melting without decompression
• My-JECTOR - ultra-precise injection for optics

Advantages:

• Highest precision in the industry
• Excellent for optics and medical
• Innovative technical solutions

Disadvantages:

• Very high price
• Lower availability in Eastern Europe

Fanuc - Roboshot and robotics integration

Fanuc (Japan) is the world leader in industrial robotics, which also produces electric injection molding machines under the Roboshot brand.

Roboshot series:

• α-S (small machines 60-300 kN)
• α-DA (medium 450-1500 kN)
• α-SiA (large up to 4200 kN)

Advantages of Fanuc injection molding machines:

• Integration with robots - seamless cooperation with Fanuc robots
• 100% electric - ultra-precise
• Cleanliness - ideal for cleanroom
• Energy efficiency

Disadvantages:

• High price
• Limited offer (only electric)
• Smaller service reach than competitors

Milacron - American legend

Milacron is a historic American brand (now part of Hillenbrand). Manufacturer of hydraulic and hybrid injection molding machines.

Milacron series:

• Maxima - hybrid, energy-efficient
• Magna - large hydraulic (10,000+ kN)
• Robus - specialist for PET

Advantages:

• Solid construction
• Good for large molds and PET
• Competitive pricing

Disadvantages:

• Smaller presence in Europe
• Older technology vs. Asian competitors

Chen Hsong - global Chinese player

Chen Hsong (Hong Kong) is one of the oldest Asian manufacturers (since 1958). Strong presence in Europe through factory in Czech Republic.

Chen Hsong series:

• JM-AD - servo-hydraulic
• EM-SVP3 - fully electric
• SuperMaster - large machines

Advantages:

• Good price-to-quality ratio
• European service (Czech Republic)
• Wide range

Disadvantages:

• Brand less recognizable than competitors
• Quality below Tederic or Haitian

Krauss Maffei - German ultra-premium

Krauss Maffei (now part of KraussMaffei Group) is a premium injection molding machine manufacturer for the most demanding applications.

KM series:

• PX - hydraulic, modular
• GX - electric SmartPower
• MX - reactive (RTM, RIM)

Advantages:

• Highest manufacturing quality
• Specialization in composites and reactive
• Automotive tier 1

Disadvantages:

• Highest price in the industry
• Long delivery times
• Expensive parts and service

Parameter and price comparison

The following table compares key parameters of injection molding machines from different manufacturers for a reference machine 2000 kN (200 ton):

Brand	Price (EUR)	Precision	Energy	Delivery
Tederic NEO•T	€60-75k	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	8-12 wks
Arburg Allrounder	€120-150k	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	20-30 wks
Engel e-motion	€110-140k	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	18-26 wks
Haitian Mars	€45-60k	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	6-10 wks
Sumitomo IntElect	€130-160k	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	16-24 wks

How to choose the right injection molding machine brand?

Choosing an injection molding machine brand depends on many factors. Here is a practical decision guide:

Choose Tederic if:

• You need excellent ROI (return on investment in 18-36 months)
• Modern technologies at reasonable price matter
• Mass production (packaging, automotive tier 2-3, household appliances)
• You need fast delivery
• Local service support is important (TEDESolutions in Poland)

Choose Arburg/Engel if:

• Quality and precision are absolute priority
• Automotive tier 1
• Medical, precision optics
• Budget allows premium
• You care about long lifetime (20-30 years)

Choose Haitian if:

• Budget is very limited
• Simple products, low quality requirements
• Start-up or first machine
• Commodity products production

Choose Sumitomo/Fanuc if:

• Ultra-precision (optics, micro molding)
• Cleanroom production
• You need robotics integration (Fanuc)
• Innovative technical solutions

Service and spare parts

A key aspect of choosing an injection molding machine brand is availability of service and spare parts:

Tederic (through TEDESolutions):

• Local service support in Poland
• Parts warehouse in Europe
• Parts delivery 24-48h
• Affordable parts prices (30-50% cheaper than premium)
• Technical training for operators

Arburg/Engel:

• Extensive service network in Europe
• Quick response
• Expensive spare parts
• Long parts availability (even 30 years)

Haitian/Chen Hsong:

• Service can be challenging
• Parts delivery from Asia (2-4 weeks)
• Low parts prices

Summary and recommendations

The injection molding machine market offers a wide range of manufacturers. There is no one "best" brand - choice depends on your priorities.

Our 2025 recommendations:

🥇 Best price/quality ratio: Tederic

• Modern technologies at reasonable price
• Excellent local support (TEDESolutions)
• Fast delivery and ROI
• Ideal for 80% of industrial applications

🥈 For maximum quality: Arburg/Engel

• When precision and quality are priority
• Automotive tier 1, medical
• Long investment lifetime

🥉 For limited budget: Haitian

• Start-ups, first experiences
• Simple mass products

If you are considering purchasing an injection molding machine, contact TEDESolutions - authorized Tederic partner in Poland. We will help select the optimal machine, provide training and comprehensive service.

Also see our articles about injection molding machines, injection molds and contract injection services.