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On June 9, the management board of Grupa Azoty S.A. decided to discontinue its POM (polyacetal) business. The decision was prompted by the conclusion that the POM business would not be economically viable in the foreseeable future. The decision to exit the POM business will have no impact on any other operations of the company’s plastics segment, which includes polyamide 6 and a new investment in polypropylene that will start…

Hartsville, SC–based Novolex has launched a new US production line to manufacture industrially compostable beverage cups. Designed for cold drinks, the transparent cups are manufactured in Chattanooga, TN, using polylactic acid (PLA), a plant-based polymer. The new production line includes state-of-the-art thermoforming and extrusion equipment. The cups will be available from Eco-Products, a Novolex brand and Certified B Corporation that specializes in foodservice packaging made from renewable and recycled resources.…

Glen Mason, whose childhood memories include his dad using the kitchen stove to dry nylon he would subsequently mold in the garage, estimates that he made his first molded part at age 7. His dad would eventually found CF Plastics in Hillsboro, Ore., with Mason taking over in 1993. CF Plastics was acquired by DeMarino Sports in 1996, which itself was acquired by Wilson Sporting Goods in 2019. Mason stayed…

Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL) announced on June 14, 2021, completion of the acquisition of the assets of CarbonLite, a significant recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) producer, at a bankruptcy auction. IVL made the winning bid to acquire the rPET assets of CarbonLite Holdings LLC and its subsidiaries, according to a May 27, 2021, announcement. CarbonLite filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year, but had long-standing relationships with major brands.…

It’s coming up Sept. 21-23 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., near Chicago O’Hare Airport. The Extrusion 2021 Conference, the annual get-together of the industry’s leading minds in extrusion. Our yearly program was derailed last year due to the global pandemic but is back on track this fall as the state is in Phase 5—the final phase—of its Restore Illinois reopening plan, giving the green light…

We have previously reported on Dutch/Italian technology start-up Parx Materials and its patented Saniconcentrate antimicrobial based on elemental zinc which was first shown to allow plastics manufacturers to create self-sanitizing products with an antibacterial property of up to 99% within 24 hours, as determined according to ISO22196 with gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative Escherichia coli bacteria. Saniconcentrate was touted as a breakthrough option for antimicrobials without biocides for…

Your view of what’s most important in injection molding may depend on whether you come at it from the toolmaking side or the process engineering side. You’ll have ample opportunity to explore both sides at the Molding 2021 Conference, coming up Sept. 21-23 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., near Chicago O’Hare Airport. It’s one of your first chances in more than a year to interact…

Large format additive manufacturing (LFAM) is an exciting technology but there is plenty of room to grow when it comes to incorporating sustainability. Recently, SABIC and Local Motors completed a joint study on the feasibility of recycling scrap thermoplastic parts and shavings from the 3D printing process.  Currently, no established value chain exists for reclaiming post-production LFAM parts and scrap. According to the companies, the complex sequence of steps includes managing…