50 years of partnership between ORA and motan - an established connection with a future

The Beginnings – ORA Machines on the Way to Industry Expertise

Founded in 1949 by Lambertus van Ballegooijen in Brussels, ORA Machines was created in a time of economic upheaval. The founder – a native of the Netherlands – recognized the great potential of the emerging plastics industry after the Second World War. ORA started selling machines for injection moulding technology in the 1950s and quickly established itself as a recognised partner for the Belgian market.

Even then, the focus was not only on the sale of machines, but also on technical service – an unusual and forward-looking step for the time. Until the 1960s, ORA was mainly active in the metalworking sector, but soon shifted its focus completely to plastics processing.

1975 – The beginning of the cooperation with Colortronic

In the 1970s, ORA was specifically looking for a strong partner in the field of peripherals. This search led to a decisive meeting with Colortronic in 1975 – the start of an intensive collaboration. The agreement to represent Colortronic in the Benelux laid the foundation for a long-term partnership.

At the same time, Diederik van Ballegooijen – son of the company's founder – joined the company. He took over the management in 1977 and consistently expanded ORA's portfolio: peripheral devices, project engineering, training and service increasingly became the focus. In the mid-1980s, the company moved to a newly built, modern company building in Heverlee, Belgium, which is still the company's headquarters today.

Expansion, specialization and new impulses

In the 1980s and 1990s, ORA Machines grew continuously. The expansion of distribution rights – including brands such as KrausMaffei, Rapid, and GWK (now technotrans) – strengthened the company's position as a system provider. The thermoforming sector and the packaging industry also came more into focus.

In 1997, the company building was expanded again: on more than 3,000 m², it now offers enough space for offices, a large warehouse, a modern workshop and a showroom. The motto "from the first sketch to the last screw" reflects the claim to deliver not only components, but also well-thought-out, ready-to-use complete solutions.

Pieter van Ballegooijen joined the company in 1996 and initially founded his own company in 2001 before returning to the ORA umbrella in 2006 with the opening of a branch in Amersfoort (NL). Since then, ORA has also been represented in the Netherlands with a full-fledged team and service location.

motan-colortronic – A milestone for both sides

2010 marks a turning point: the takeover of Colortronic by the motan Group leads to the founding of motan-colortronic gmbh. ORA Machines becomes the official and exclusive distributor for motan-colortronic in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. This meant not only the expansion of the portfolio, but also stronger technical integration and many new customer contacts.

Bringing together the existing customer bases and the close exchange on a technical and strategic level creates strong synergy effects. The combination of motan's and ORA's expertise makes the offer particularly attractive for plastics processors in the region.