Volume Resin Prices Keep Rising
Constrained supplies, higher feedstock costs, and continued strong demand fuel ongoing price hikes.
Lilli Manolis Sherman
Senior Editor
Small but Fast-Growing Distributor Unhindered by the Pandemic
With a focus on compounded and engineering resins, General Polymers aligns it market strategy to compliment the supplier and support the needs of processors.
Will You Be Ready for the Next Disruption?
Lessons learned from ongoing coronavirus pandemic should help business navigate through the next disruption.
20 Good Things to Come Out of 2020
In the year’s waning days, it’s not hard to index the many, many negative aspects of the pandemic and the last 365 days, but some good outcomes can also be cataloged.
Plastics Processors Waking Up to the Digital World
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic could force plastics processors to revisit technologies previously overlooked, many of which will be on display at May’s NPE2021 show. In part one of a series on emerging trends and technologies to explore during the triennial event, we look at digital manufacturing.
Protolabs Accelerates Development Time for Covid-19 Contract Tracing Device
Protolabs helped a contact tracing and social distancing system move from idea to finished product in six weeks, permitting its manufacturer to get back to work and make thousands more of the devices that have subsequently allowed other businesses to come back online.
Gearing Up for the Old Normal
With 2020 in a rear-view mirror, likely adorned with a face mask, it’s time to reflect on what we’ve learned and what’s in store.
20 Good Things to Come Out of 2020—Part 5
Additive manufacturing has emerged as the supply chain hero in many ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the recycling industry continues its push for a Circular Economy.
Heather Caliendo
Senior Editor, Plastics Technology
Antiviral Additive Reportedly Kills Coronavirus on Plastics in Auto Interiors
In response to COVID-19, automotive Tier 1 molder and compounder CpK has developed an antiviral additive for auto interiors and other applications.
Antifog PC Film for Visors, Lenses and Goggles
SABIC’s Lexan HP92AF film shown to have excellent performance in high-humidity frontline work environments.
Tolsa's Biocidal Additives Demonstrate Viricidal Activity
Tolsa’s Adins Protection additives are powerful biocides active against bacterial, algae and fungi with new viricide performance including Coronavirus types.
Prent to Open New Rigid Thermoform Medical Packaging Plant in New Mexico
Prent aims to start up new rigid thermoform facility by Fall 2021 in southern New Mexico.
Cadillac Products Debuts New Brand Line of Medical Gowns
As PPE demand rises, automotive supplier and packaging manufacturer Cadillac Products steps-up with new line of extruded medical gowns.
Despite COVID-19, ERP Software Keeps Molder Working—Even from Home
ERP platform’s remote access, real-time operations overview, and transparency into production output and customer demand help custom molder weather coronavirus.
20 Good Things to Come Out of 2020—Part 4
Good news was there if you knew where to look for it—in the pages of Plastics Technology magazine or right here on our website. Here’s a review of headlines you can feel good about.
Matthew Naitove
Executive Editor, Plastics Technology
'10 Things We’re Seeing in Machine Shops Right Now'
Metalworking shops and plastics plants make for interesting comparisons of their responses to the COVID-19 challenge.
Reports from PLASTICS, VDMA and Haitian Show Mixed Machinery Results
Second quarter North America sales grow, while over the first half of 2020, domestic sales were flat for Haitian in China, as German machinery makers saw sales fall 20% over same time.
Digital Manufacturing Network Offers ‘Radical Transparency’ Over Multiple Processes, Providers & Continents
Fictiv now offers complete visibility of complete value chain from design upload to production, quality, shipping and pricing for metal and plastic prototypes and production parts from a “Digital Ecosystem” of 250+ partners in the U.S. and Asia.
Melt Pumps Play Key Role in Nonwovens Production
Processors producing melt-blown nonwovens for face masks are finding that pumps provide needed precision and efficiency in the extrusion process.
SABIC Steps-Up Specialty Thermoplastic Resins Fulfillment to Expedite Production of Critical COVID-19 Equipment
Two Chinese manufacturers swiftly received SABIC’s specialty engineered resins for the manufacture of much needed medical equipment.
Molder Pairs With Non-Profit to Ramp Up Fast Production of Affordable Ventilators
PMC SMART Solutions and Venti-Now Non-Profit worked together to determine the optimum product design and best assembly and testing processes to make production of as many as 1000 units/week as efficient as possible.
20 Good Things to Come Out of 2020—Part 3
Processors and resin makers step up; biobased/renewable PP makes commercial strides; BOPE makes inroads as monolayer contender; and, performance PP for engineering applications & sustainability 'shines'.
Lilli Manolis Sherman
Senior Editor
GPS Online October 21–23: Pandemic Forces Changes in an Already Volatile Market
COVID-19’s adverse impact on a broad range of industries has dominated recent discussions of plastics. Against the backdrop of fragile economic conditions, ongoing trade tensions, and a lower merchandise trade forecast, what can the U.S. plastics industry expect in 2020 and beyond? Register for GPS Online to discover how you can turn these challenges into opportunities.
GM Using Stratasys 3D Printing Systems for Ventilator Tooling Production
GM’s director of additive manufacturing, Ron Daul, talks with Plastics Technology about the company’s investment in 3D printing technologies.
Novation Industries Ramps Up Unprecedented Production Volume for Face Masks
Molding parts every 18 to 28 seconds, filling a box every minute, and shipping an average three truckloads of product every day—Novation has risen to the coronavirus challenge.
Plaskolite Introduces Antimicrobial Safety Shields
Ccrylic and PC sheet is formulated with laboratory-tested silver ion antimicrobial technology.
Additive Manufacturing and Injection Molding Increasingly Complementary in Covid-19 Crisis
The coronavirus crisis has often simultaneously required the speed of additive manufacturing and the scale of injection molding.
Fakuma 2020 Cancelled
Show organizer P. E. Schall postpones Fakuma 2020 to October 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic.
