December 2007 Issue
December 2007
Features
Featured articles from the latest issue of Plastics Technology
Your Business In Brief - December 2007
PolyOne to Buy GLSSpecialty compounder PolyOne Corp., Cleveland, announced a major expansion of its TPE business with the signing last month of a definitive agreement to acquire GLS Corp., McHenry, Ill.
Read MoreOn the Cutting Edge in Structural Foam
In structural foam, as in any area of plastics, keeping abreast of the latest technology is a key to competitiveness.
Read MoreYour Business Outlook - December 2007
After expanding by 5% to 6% in 2006, U.S. production of wire and cable products experienced a 1% to 2% decline in 2007.
Read More‘Bio’ Was the Buzz at K
What was the star attraction at the recent K 2007 show in Dusseldorf?
Read MoreYour Business Pricing Update - December 2007
Rising monomer prices and strong export demand helped lift prices of all commodity resins as well as some engineering, thermoset, and foam materials. PE prices upPolyethylene prices moved up last month as suppliers pushed to implement Nov. 1 increases of 5¢/lb.
Read MoreFoiling Flow Imbalances In Multi-Cavity Tools
In multi-cavity molding, attaining uniform and balanced flow of material to each cavity is a frequent challenge.
Read MoreInjection Molding Wood-Plastic Composites
Injection molders are just becoming acquainted with this new class of molding materials. It pays to learn some basic processing guidelines before jumping in.
Read MoreDishwasher Safe: New Clear Copolyester Is Tougher, More Heat-Resistant, and Processes Easier, Too
In consumer goods markets, there are countless applications for clear plastics such as copolyesters, acrylic, SAN, amorphous nylon, and polycarbonate.
Read MorePolyurethanes: Bio-Based Materials Capture Attention
The hot topic at this year’s PUR conference was rigid and flexible foams with increased biobased content. There was also news in one-component cast elastomers, surfactants, and TPUs.
Read MoreYour Business Recycle Pricing - December 2007
Recycled products are in hot demand as virgin resin prices continue to escalate. As a result, recycled PS prices have gone up 3¢ to 8¢ over the past year, and recycled PVC in some markets has risen up to 10¢/lb. Still, recycled material remains more affordable than virgin, but it is getting tougher and tougher to find. However, the outlook for recycled pricing and demand 2008 is as uncertain as the future state of the U.S. economy.
Read MoreHot-Fill Packaging: OPP and 'Panel-Less' PET Bottles Grab the Spotlight
Improved clarity and cost competitiveness, added to its inherent heat resistance, are reviving OPP’s prospects in hot-fill barrier containers. But hot-fill PET containers are raising the bar with higher productivity and ‘panel-less’ bottle designs.
Read MoreFoamed PLA Shows Promise In Biodegradable Meat Trays
Foamed food trays made of polylactic acid (PLA) resin, the corn-based biopolymer, have a commercial toehold in Europe and are undergoing market tests here.
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