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Krones, a manufacturer of filling and packaging equipment, including stretch blow molding machines, has acquired mold and hot runner supplier MHT Holding AG (MHT), which specializes in equipment for PET preforms. Based in Hochheim, Germany, MHT reportedly generates annual revenue of €25 million ($28.5 million) and has 125 employees. In a release, Krones said the acquisition extends the company’s PET value chain upstream into preform manufacture, noting that “customers increasingly demand such integrated solutions.”

Krones said MHT’s headquarter will remain in Hochheim, and the current management will be retained to run the ´óÏó´«Ã½. In a previous expansion of its PET offerings, Krones acquired 70% of Swiss firm Integrated Plastics Systems AG in April 2018. Integrated Plastics Systems provides turnkey PET injection molding solutions for the beverage industry, including preform and bottle design.

In addition to Germany, MHT has locations in the U.S. (Peachtree City, Ga., founded in 2006) and Brazil (Sao Paulo). The company designs and builds PET preforms systems ranging from 48 to 192 cavities. Since the company was founded in 1996, MHT says it has exported more than 1500 molds to over 100 countries. Krones joins Italy’s SIPA as a supplier of forming and filling equipment, including blow molding machinery, that also offers PET preform tooling and hot runners.