Crisis, Resilience, Expertise: How Miraplast came back stronger after the flood with ENGEL technology

In September 2024, Miraplast was severely hit by flooding. Within a very short time, the entire production facility was flooded, and the machinery came to a standstill. What followed was a massive effort—and the beginning of a comprehensive fresh start. Together with ENGEL, the team began assessing the damage and carrying out repairs immediately after the water receded. Some machines were repaired by ENGEL’s experienced service technicians. However, many had to be replaced in order to resume production as quickly as possible.

As a result, less than a year after the flooding in Würmla, just outside Vienna, a state-of-the-art production facility was created: A total of nine tie-barless ENGEL victory injection molding machines with clamping forces ranging from 900 to 1,800 kN, as well as a fully electric ENGEL e-mac with 800 kN clamping force, were delivered, installed, and handed over ready for production—most of them with integrated automation via ENGEL viper linear robots.

“The flooding was a major setback for us, but also a turning point,” says Markus Brunnthaler, Managing Director and co-owner of Miraplast. “We had to act fast—and in ENGEL, we had a partner who could not only deliver but also think ahead with us.”

Miraplast has been active in plastics processing for more than sixty years. At its Würmla site in Lower Austria, the company develops and produces high-quality technical plastic parts as well as design-oriented household products for the European market. With two major brands—mira-tech and mira-home—Miraplast demonstrates its broad expertise in various areas of plastic applications.

mira-tech specializes in the development of plastic injection-molded parts, the construction of injection molds, and series production. The brand offers solutions across the entire value chain—from planning and consulting through production to assembly. It stands for high quality standards, technical precision, and the continuous refinement of the processes used to meet the growing requirements of a wide range of industries.

mira-home focuses on functional products for the kitchen, storage, and household. mira-home’s product range includes over 300 reusable, durable articles that demonstrate just how prevalent plastic material is in everyday life. The products are available both through retail stores and online. Their constant availability is considered a natural part of a modern lifestyle—and the competitive pressure is correspondingly high.

“What sets us apart is that we have the complete value chain in-house—from the product idea through tooling to the finished series,” says Markus Brunnthaler. “This structure helps us remain flexible and respond quickly to new requests—both in the B2B sector and in the consumer goods market.”

In the consumer goods segment in particular, production reliability determines market position. Delivery failures, for example due to natural disasters, can quickly threaten a company’s survival. Competitive pressure from suppliers in the Far East, regulatory uncertainties, rising energy costs, and the shortage of skilled workers further exacerbate these challenges.

Against this background, Miraplast decided not to view the flooding as a setback, but rather as a strategic turning point. Wherever possible, repairs were made, and at the same time, the company invested in the comprehensive modernization of its production cells. Today, this forms the backbone of a production environment that is flexible, efficient, and future-proof.

“Just as our products are geared toward consumer needs, it is important to us that they are also easily recyclable and produced with the smallest possible carbon footprint. That is why our primary focus was on purchasing energy-saving machines,” says Markus Brunnthaler. The choice fell on tie-barless ENGEL victory injection molding machines, whose highly energy-efficient ecodrive drives not only achieve energy savings but also conserve cooling water, emit less heat into the production environment, and are significantly quieter than conventional hydraulic drives.

This extension created a structure that combines proven processes with the latest machine technology. The compact yet powerful injection molding machines integrate seamlessly into the existing infrastructure and create new possibilities in terms of cycle time, automation, and energy efficiency.

The new injection molding machines are not only state-of-the-art but also highly automated. Nearly all production cells are equipped with ENGEL viper linear robots. An automated pallet transfer system has also been integrated into several lines, transferring parts to the packaging process without manual intervention. The automation is fully integrated into the machines’ CC300 control system in a user-friendly manner.

This integration ensures lean processes, greater process reliability, and a noticeable reduction in staff workload—an aspect that is becoming increasingly important, especially in times of a skilled labor shortage. With the integrated control system, all movements and process steps can be centrally monitored and adapted, which represents a real advantage in a mixed-production environment combining series-produced items and custom projects.

The decision to adopt ENGEL’s tie-barless technology was central to the investment. This technology has already proven its worth in the past—and with the modernization, Miraplast can now leverage its benefits even more effectively.

Without tie bars, the mold space can be utilized optimally. The unobstructed access from three sides also facilitates the integration of handling systems and maintenance. In practice, this means shorter setup times and simplified maintenance of the injection molds. Markus Brunnthaler confirms this from a production perspective: “The tie-barless injection molding machines offer us real advantages in practice, whether in terms of accessibility or automation possibilities. But they also offer benefits for molds that remain mounted on a machine for a week or longer. For example, with slider molds. There, maintenance work can be performed while the mold is clamped in place, or the sliders can be changed without being restricted by tie bars.”

At the same time, the tie-barless technology ensures tool-friendly operation—a significant advantage for Miraplast when producing precise articles with delicate parting lines.

These machines make it possible to produce large products cost-effectively even in smaller spaces, which is particularly important for articles subject to significant price pressure. Thanks to the large clamping surface, there is often no need for a larger machine, saving space, energy costs, and capital investment.

Miraplast turned a natural disaster that threatened its very existence into an opportunity through decisive action, a clear technological strategy, and a close partnership with ENGEL. The new machines and automated production cells not only enable safe and efficient production but also give the company the flexibility to respond quickly to market developments.

Markus Brunnthaler looks to the future with confidence: “The investments made were not a short-term crisis response, but the consistent implementation of a long-term strategy that would have been carried out even without the flooding. Thanks to ENGEL, we have managed to become better, more flexible, and even more sustainable.”

The tie-barless ENGEL victory machines, combined with digital process integration and automated workflows, make Miraplast more robust, efficient, and more competitive than ever. The aim remains clear: high quality, on-time delivery, and flexibility—regardless of external factors.