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A. Routsis Associates has just introduced a free on-line assessment test for injection molders. The test is designed to instantly evaluate the knowledge of  personnel in the following areas: injection molding safety; the injection press; processing; materials; tooling and moldmaking; process controls; quality and economics.  Once the test is completed, the results—along with detailed training recommendations—are immediately sent via email. A. Routsis is a division of RJG.

You’ve probably heard of Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that contains more than 7 million articles. Well now there’s Testlopedia, a free on-line encyclopedia detailing almost every major test required by the plastics industry.  Developed by Plastics Technology Laboratories, Testlopedia  provides users with a path to solve problems and become one-page experts on nearly every test required by the industry, PTL says.   Testlopedia includes videos of tests performed to standards and protocols defined by industry organizations like ASTM and ISO and often required by large end users of plastic.

Commodities specialists

I was as astonished as anyone to learn that Saudi Basic Industries would buy GE Plastics in an $11.6-billion deal that was completed Aug. 31. But once I sat down and thought about it, I could see why this historic acquisition made sense. On the one hand, GE is a corporation with notoriously high standards of profitability. Its engineering plastics had been slipping gradually into the commodity zone—first ABS, then PBT and PPO-based resins, and finally PC. SABIC, on the other hand, is comfortable with commodities. It started with oil and gas, then moved up a notch into more profitable commodity petrochemicals and plastics. SABIC is making a specialty of commodities—if you’ll pardon the paradox. They are aggressively building or buying capacity in materials susceptible to chronically thin profit margins and cutthroat competition. Their idea seems to be that to survive in commodities, you’ve got to be very big. So you may be buying higher-volume resins from fewer, bigger, and more back-integrated suppliers. That may mean less competition, but probably also smaller swings in the inevitable price cycles. And you’ll have the added security of buying commodities from companies that actually want to be in that business.

Injection, extrusion take a dip

The Plastics Technology Injection Molding Business Index declined 5% last month compared to the same period of a year ago. The index, prepared by Bill Wood of Mountaintop Economics, has been in a cyclical mode for most of this year. But Wood projects business for molders to pick up in the fourth quarter and continue in an upward direction throughout 2008.  The economist expects the index to finish the year 2% above 2006 numbers. Molders serving the medical, computer and packaging markets will likely do a bit better.

Meantime, the Plastics Technology Extrusion Business Index dropped by 2% last month compared to the corresponding period of 2006. Again, though, Wood believes the business will pick up later this year and continue in an upward direction next. Film processors experienced a 5% increase in business last month, and the economist projects that business in this extrusion segment will continue to expand as resin prices moderate.

October Cover Story:
Vinyl Extruders Adjust to the Times

The future of vinyl siding may be more expensive, more wood-like, and painted. That prediction goes against the grain, so to speak, of what have been two of PVC’s main selling points—low cost and paint-free integral color. But under competitive pressure from more wood-like fiber cement siding, vinyl siding extruders are being forced to change their thinking. Senior Editor Jan Schut has the details here.

Learn how bottle makers manage their ‘fourth utility'

Many PET bottle makers have started to view compressed air as the “fourth utility,” along with gas, water, and electricity.  So large processors like Ball Corp., Broomfield, Colo., and Southeastern Container Inc., Enka, N.C., are seeking the best approach to reduce compressed-air usage, slash energy costs, and sometimes even earn lucrative utility rebates on electric power usage.  And they’ve turned to an innovative air-recovery system that recycles compressed air and significantly cuts energy costs.

New Technology Spotlight:

K’07 to showcase hot runner developments, robots
New materials for profile extrusions
Gravimetric inventory control for pellets
Novel air cooler doubles film-bubble size
Tougher date inserts