Lawmakers urge Washington to cut back on single-use plastics
Fifty-eight senators and members of Congress wrote President Joe Biden’s administration Sept. 22 to support cutting back on single-use plastics.
Engel, Kurz Partner to Revolutionize Auto Exteriors
When one considers the vehicle of tomorrow, we imagine futuristic exterior brand design, 3D lighting effects, and intelligent functions, even on the exterior. All of this is already possible today, as thin-film specialist Leonhard Kurz will soon demonstrate in cooperation with injection molding machine builder Engel. They have pooled their expertise and will present a future-proof design concept for vehicle rear areas at K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany, from Oct.…
Meet the Molding Moment
Plastics Technology recently completed its annual Top Shops benchmarking survey of injection molders (watch for the October issue for the full report), and in addition to revealing what currently qualifies as world-class molding, the survey and interviews with honorees laid bare all the pain points in plastics. The inflationary pressures omnipresent throughout the economy didn’t give molders a pass as the costs for material, labor, machinery and utilities all rose.…
Rubbermaid Commercial Products closing Texas plant
Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC has notified the Texas Workforce Commission that it will discontinue operations at its El Paso plant this year.
New Technology 3D Prints Ultra-Smooth Polyurethane Parts in Single Step
Smooth-Mode technology, developed by Chromatic 3D Materials, enables 3D printing of durable rubber parts with ultra-smooth surfaces at commercial volumes. High-quality polyurethane parts, such as seals, gaskets, grommets, and bladders, can now be 3D printed without post-processing requirements or surface finishing, said the company. Sealing requires a smooth surface, but 3D-printed parts typically have layer lines or roughness. “We have developed a way to easily and cost-effectively 3D print products…
TricorBraun adds Mark’s Barrel to its portfolio
West Jordan, Utah-based Mark’s Barrel Co. has specialized in reconditioning and recycling industrial containers such as plastic and metal drums and Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) for reuse for almost 30 years.
Resin Price Report: Producer Efforts to Reduce PE Output Start to Bear Fruit
Spot resin trading continued to improve last week, driven by late railcars requiring quick truckloads and processors restocking. Also a factor was solid reseller buying fueled by mismatched supply and demand, as some producers restricted spot sales at favorable pricing while others still had material to move and were willing to deal. Then on Sept. 15, market participants breathed a collective sigh of relief as railroads and unions reached a tentative…
Cling Wrap Made from Potato Waste
Photo Credit: Great Wrap News about novel bioplastics and resultant product applications appear to be emerging more rapidly these days. Last month, we were contacted by Alex Ota, senior account executive at ChicExecs Brand Strategy, a California-based PR firm representing Australian materials science company Great Wrap, in the U.S. Founded just two years ago by husband and wife team Jordy and Julia Kay, Great Wrap’s team of scientists, bio-designers and…
Arburg’s Luer Connectors Show What’s More in the Allrounder
Invented near the end of the 19th century by Hermann Luer, a German living in Paris at the time, Luer connectors are ubiquitous in the healthcare sector. The design ensures a leak-free seal, which explains its early adoption and continued widespread use in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. In a recently published news release, Arburg uses the venerable Luer connector to illustrate how a modern approach to integrating functions during…
Italian boat, RV furniture company adding North American operations
The project, which represents a $7.3 million investment, is Tecnoform’s first North American location, will add 130 jobs to the area, already home to several West Michigan furniture manufacturers.