About Industrial Heaters & Blowers
Industrial heaters and hot-air blowers cover the process-heating side of the plastics business — anything where you need controlled, high-volume hot air for a job other than a welded seam. This includes shrink-wrapping pallets, drying components, soft-heating plastic sheet for forming, packaging-line sealing, and pre-heating materials before welding.
The Plastic Welding Tools NZ range runs from compact 3.8 kW workshop tools to heavy-duty 17.4 kW three-phase blowers for production lines:
Techspan Compact 3.8 kW (230 V) — general workshop hot-air blower. Ideal for shrink-wrapping, drying, and pre-heating for welding.
Techspan Compact 4.7 kW (400 V three-phase) — higher output for production fabrication and packaging.
Techspan / Hoton XL92 series (8.5-17.4 kW) — industrial-scale hot-air blowers for shrink-tunnels, plastic forming, and continuous process heating.
Eron BL brushless blowers (2.3 kW) — long-life brushless motor design for high-cycle production environments.
Replacement heating elements — type 33, 38, 2A and others, for Techspan, Leister and equivalent blowers.
All blowers are temperature-controlled (most have stepless digital control) and rated for continuous duty. Three-phase 400 V models are available for New Zealand industrial power; 230 V models suit single-phase workshops. Heating elements and carbon brushes for the range are supported in New Zealand to minimise downtime.
If you’re choosing between a hand-held welder and a process blower, our guide how digital temperature control is changing plastic welding walks through the decision factors.
Process heating, not welding
Industrial heaters and hot-air blowers are the right tool when you need controlled, high-volume hot air for a job other than a welded seam — shrink-wrapping pallets, drying components, soft-heating plastic sheet for forming, packaging-line sealing, and pre-heating materials before welding.
Blower selection guide
| Model | Output | Power | Best for |
|---|
| Techspan Compact 3.8 kW | 3.8 kW | 230V single-phase | Workshop drying, shrink wrap, pre-heat for welding |
| Techspan Compact 4.7 kW | 4.7 kW | 400V three-phase | Production fabrication and packaging |
| Techspan / Hoton XL92 (8.5 kW) | 8.5 kW | 400V three-phase | Industrial shrink-tunnels, plastic forming |
| Techspan / Hoton XL92 (11.8 kW) | 11.8 kW | 400V three-phase | High-volume continuous process heating |
| Techspan / Hoton XL92 (17.4 kW) | 17.4 kW | 400V three-phase | Large industrial shrink-tunnels, big-format forming |
| Eron BL brushless 2.3 kW | 2.3 kW | 230V single-phase | High-cycle production where brush maintenance is a problem |
| Eron L62 9.1 kW | 9.1 kW | 400V three-phase | Industrial production heating |
Common applications
Shrink wrapping
Heat-shrink film on pallets, packs, products and electrical insulation. The Compact 3.8 kW is the most common workshop choice; production lines use the XL92.
Drying components
Drying assembled parts before paint, coating or packaging. Controlled temperature is essential — too hot will deform plastic substrate.
Plastic forming
Soft-heating plastic sheet for thermoforming, bending and shaping. The XL92 series delivers the wide, consistent air stream this needs.
Pre-heating for welding
Bringing thick plastic substrates up to temperature before welding — significantly improves weld quality on HDPE and PP tanks.
Packaging line sealing
Activating heat-seal adhesives and shrink film in food, pharma and consumer-goods packaging lines.
Defrosting and curing
Defrosting frozen plant, curing coatings, accelerating adhesive cure where controlled hot air is needed.
Replacement heating elements
Heating elements are a wear part. We carry the full range of type 33, 38, 2A, 32A and 38B5 elements for Techspan, Leister, Rion and Triac welders and blowers, in both 110V and 230V variants. Keep a spare on hand to avoid downtime.
Browse heating elements and carbon brushes →
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a hot-air blower and a hot-air welder?
A hot-air blower is designed for high-volume process heating — drying, shrink-wrapping, soft-heating plastic sheet, packaging line sealing. The air stream is wide and the duty cycle is built for hours of continuous use. A hot-air welder is a focused tool for guiding a welding rod into a joint, with a precision nozzle and lower air volume.
Can I use a blower as a welder?
Not effectively. Blowers lack the precision air stream and nozzle compatibility needed to direct heat onto a welding rod and substrate at the same time. Use a hot-air welder for welding and a hot-air blower for process heating.
How do I choose between 3.8 kW, 4.7 kW and the larger XL92 models?
It depends on the volume of air and the duty cycle of the job. The 3.8 kW Compact (230V) suits general workshop drying, shrink wrap, and pre-heat for welding. The 4.7 kW Compact (400V) gives more heat for production fabrication and packaging lines. The XL92 series (8.5-17.4 kW) is industrial-scale, for shrink-tunnels, plastic forming, and continuous process heating.
When should I replace the heating element?
Symptoms of a failing element: noticeably lower output air temperature at full setting, longer warm-up time, intermittent operation, or audible arcing. Heating elements are a wear part. With heavy daily commercial use, 6-12 months is typical; with light use, 18-24 months or longer.
Do hot-air blowers need three-phase power?
It depends on the output. Up to about 4 kW, 230V single-phase is the standard. Above 4 kW, 400V three-phase becomes the norm for the higher current draw. The Compact 3.8 kW is the most common 230V workshop choice; production blowers are usually three-phase.
What's a brushless blower and why does it matter?
A brushless motor (like the Eron BL series) has no carbon brushes to wear out. That means longer service life, fewer maintenance interruptions, and lower long-term operating cost — useful in high-cycle production environments where downtime is expensive. The trade-off is higher initial cost than a brushed equivalent.
Need help choosing the right industrial heater or blower?
Tell us about the job: the plastic you're working with, the wall thickness, and how often you'll use the tool. We'll recommend the right kit, welder or accessory for the application.
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