Production cutbacks leading to better market balance
In October, European standard thermoplastics prices presented a mixed picture, both between the various product types and within the same product class.
Still Time (Just Not Much) to Register for Extrusion 2022
The clock is ticking. Sand is filling the bottom of the hour glass. So if you have not checked out Plastics Technology’s upcoming Extrusion 2022 Conference, best get a move on. Extrusion 2022 is going to be held Dec. 6-8 in Charlotte, N.C. at the Omni Charlotte Hotel in the downtown section of the city. This two-and-a-half day event, which Plastics Technology has held on a yearly basis since 2015, is packed with…
The Global Landscape of Plastics Bans and Regulations
When the United Nations’ (UN) historic plastics pollution resolution to address the full lifecycle of plastics won overwhelming endorsement from member nations in March, the stage was set to begin negotiations for a global plastics treaty. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee is currently meeting in Uruguay through Dec. 2 as a first step in laying the groundwork for this treaty. According to Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), more than 60 nations…
Brenntag-Univar deal would have some impact on plastics
The two largest chemical distribution firms in the world may be on a path to becoming one company. While the proposed deal has plastics implications, that’s a relatively minor factor. Essen, Germany-based Brenntag SE on Nov. 25 confirmed it is in preliminary discussions to buy Univar Solutions Inc. “These discussions are ongoing and there are no concrete results or agreements yet,” it said. Accordingly, Brenntag said that it was not…
Plastic Ingenuity: Insights on Polymers, Pressing Issues, and What’s New
Remember the buzz when Starbucks’ at-store cold drinks went straw-less in 2019? The company behind the cups’ cleverly designed thermoformed polypropylene lid, which enabled the iconic coffee brand to eliminate one billion straws yearly, was Plastic Ingenuity. As one of the largest custom thermoformers in North America, Plastic Ingenuity creates packaging solutions for food, beverage, healthcare, and consumer products. Clients include Merit Medical Systems, Starbucks, Tyson, and others. Headquartered in…
Plastics in Politics Live – December 2022
Join us December 13 at 2PM EST for a Plastics In Politics Livestream. It’s busy as always in the plastics policy arena. In December, we can preview the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, and look at the Biden administration getting an earful on whether it should require government agencies to buy fewer single-use plastics. In the states, we’ll discuss California lawmakers passing – and Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoing – a bill that…
To Attach or Not to Attach Thy Cap, That Is the Sustainable Question
Forsooth! The Bard of Boulder has a few words for thee! Heinz recently announced that it has developed a monomaterial ketchup cap that’s recyclable. Company packaging engineers spent 185,000 hours and $1.2 million figuring out how to remove a flexible silicone valve to ensure that the cap was produced solely from food grade polypropylene. After 9 years and 45 iterations, the cap is now being rolled out in the UK.…
‘Get the Right Information to the Right People at the Right Time’
Noble Plastics’ employees are used to working with tablets to record downtime, production lots and QC checks. An in-house project would give them access to personal dashboards providing realtime analysis of whether their job’s production at the current rate is likely to meet the output goal for the shift. The cloud-based system allows operators to seek immediate technical assistance if needed. (Photo: Noble Plastics) As Scott Rogers sees it, most…
This week’s digital edition is out now | Nov. 28, 2022
We hope you had a swell Thanksgiving! This week’s issue features our 2022 North American Compounders directory. Compounders are facing a slowing demand as the global economy also slows down. Frank Esposito examines what we saw in 2022 and what compounders are expecting for 2023. He also wrote several stories on hand at the AMI Compounding World Expo. Speaking of the economy, we hear from PN‘s economics editor Bill Wood…
Debunking Misconceptions About the Section 179 Tax Deduction
Section 179 is one of the more misunderstood parts of the US tax code. While many companies take advantage of the tax deduction for equipment purchases, a surprising number of US businesses do not. Data is hard to come by, but according to a 2016 report by the US Department of the Treasury, the Section 179 allowance was used generally in the 70 to 80% range for C and S…