Anniversary at K: To mark its 75th anniversary, DORNIER presents technical innovations, plant modernisation and new service offers

One focus for DORNIER at this year's K (motto: “The Power of Plastics! Green – Smart – Responsible”) is the modernisation of existing film lines through upgrades and conversions. This includes, for example, the conversion of double-flap to mono-flap clips in existing lines in order to increase the line speed and expand the thickness range. Also on display is the patented heat recovery system which uses special heat exchangers to utilise exhaust air to warm up the preheating zones of the longitudinal and transverse stretching machines. This increases energy efficiency and reduces operating costs. “The technical upgrades increase the performance and flexibility of existing lines and ensure our customers’ competitiveness”, says Tobias Throner, responsible for conversions at DORNIER. “At the same time, they contribute to more sustainability in film production.” Modernisation also allows lines that have been in production for decades to be specifically adapted to new market requirements and improve their economic efficiency.

Innovations for modern film production
In line with the circular economy, DORNIER is also presenting its latest developments for film recycling. These include a new vacuum system for single- and twin-screw extruders, which will be presented in Düsseldorf for the first time and is patent pending. It ensures more efficient degassing directly in the film process by separating moisture, air and residues. “The recycling of plastics, especially polyester, produces large amounts of contaminants”, explains Bernhard Wandinger, Head of Product Line Film Stretching Lines. “Since conventional vacuum systems often reach their limits here, we have developed a vacuum system that is particularly suitable for film processes with high levels of contamination.” The new vacuum system also eliminates the need for pre-treatment such as drying the granulate, while an optimised cleaning cycle reduces maintenance requirements. This allows us to reduce maintenance requirements for clean recyclates and keep maintenance to a minimum even with heavily contaminated material. We are therefore ideally equipped for increased recycling in film production. Another innovation is the newly developed air foil shutter. In film lines, it prevents exhaust air coming from the transverse stretching machine from entering the take-up transfer (TUT) in an uncontrolled manner. Due do this, it forms a stabilising air cushion below the film, ensuring uniform and precise film guidance. “This means that significantly less heat and particles enter the subsequent production area”, says Wandinger. The consistently low temperature in the TUT also reduces susceptibility to faults, increases both plant availability and film quality and saves energy.

Closer to customers: New service centre in China
The expansion of the film service business in Asia will also be a topic in Düsseldorf. In order to provide faster and more efficient support to customers in the Asian region in the future, DORNIER opened a service branch in the eastern Chinese metropolis of Huzhou at the end of September 2025. In future, the new service centre will primarily handle commissioning and clip overhauls. Since the up to 2,800 clips in DORNIER's film stretching lines, some of which are 150 meters long, run continuously, they must be overhauled regularly. “Our local employees are trained by experienced DORNIER technicians to ensure the usual DORNIER quality on site”, says Robert Heger, who is responsible for the Huzhou location. The local clip overhaul is intended to significantly reduce the downtime of film lines in Asia and increase their production output. This does not only save time and money but also conserves resources as existing parts can continue to be used. “After maintenance, the clips are of the same quality as new original parts”, says Heger.

Digitalisation and state-of-the-art Composite technology
DORNIER will also be presenting the latest news from the Composite Systems division. These include recent developments in the PROTOS® TP and PROTOS® TW composite systems, which can be used to process different fibre and polymer materials into impregnated reinforcement tapes and weave them into fabric structures as standard. The myDoX® customer portal will also play a central role at the K exhibition. The SAP HANA-based service portal allows all new technical developments in the film sector to be demonstrated online.

75 years of DORNIER: From textile dryers to technology leader for film production lines
For DORNIER, the K 2025 is a special exhibition as the family-owned company founded in 1950 is celebrating its 75th anniversary. After weaving machines and textile drying systems, DORNIER early started to develop components for film production and presented its first film stretching machine in 1956. In the following decades, the machine and plant manufacturer, known to date for its high level of in-house production depth, has become a worldwide leading manufacturer of key components in film production. After starting with the production of complete plants in the 1990s, around three quarters of customers nowadays order complete film production lines to manufacture amongst others film for food and pharmaceutical packaging, smartphones, batteries, solar cells and capacitors. Today, DORNIER is technology leader for biaxially oriented polyester films (BOPET) and accounts for around one third BOPET lines installed worldwide. „At its 75th anniversary, DORNIER is presenting game-changing film technology at K and, together with its customers, is looking back on a successful past and forward to an innovative future," says Florian Boch, Head of Central Marketing and Communications.