A strong year for materials firms in 2021
Materials firms post strong sales in 2021 and expect growth in 2022 but remain concerned about the impact of supply chain disruptions and virus surges that could impact consumer demand globally.
Summit Plastics expands north
Mississippi-based Summit Plastics Inc. is acquiring Clear View Bag Co. Inc. in a deal that not only expands the company’s geographic presence but also broadens its product line.
Japanese Firms Develop Innovative Bonding Processes for Plastics
Japanese engineering plastics supplier Polyplastics has introduced an innovative plastics bonding technology that is said to be unlike traditional joining methods such as welding or adhesion. AKI-Lock technology uses the glass fibers in composite materials as a physical anchor for bonding and has few restrictions on the materials that can be combined. It forms strong, airtight bonds with combinations of different materials for which bonding previously had been difficult. “AKI-Lock…
TV Ad Sells Anti-Manufacturing Bias?
This popular WWII poster celebrated women’s contribution to the strength of American manufacturing. (Image: KingWu/Getty Images) I saw a clever ad on TV recently for the online University of Phoenix. Actually, I’ve seen it several times, which prompted me to think about its message, playing upon twin themes of feminism and workforce development. In case you haven’t seen it, this is a 30-second short story told in anime-style animation. First…
A surprising jump in prices for one resin while others dip
Supply tightness, high feedstock costs, and freight and logistics challenges play a part in pricing changes.
Sumitomo Chemical Expands LCP Capacity
Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has decided to build additional production lines for its liquid crystal polymer (LCP) Sumikasuper at its Ehime Works (Niihama City, Ehime, Japan). In the Sumitomo Chemical Group, LCP is produced at Sumitomo Chemical’s Ehime Works and the Harima Works of the company’s subsidiary Taoka Chemical Co. Ltd. (Harima, Kako-gun, Hyogo, Japan). This expansion will increase the group’s production capacity by approximately 30%. The new production lines are…
Graham Partners company Teamvantage buys MMD Medical
Located in a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, MMD Medical’s capabilities include injection molding, precision machining and tooling, a Jan. 24 news release said.
PepsiCo Invests $35 Million in Local Recycling
New York-based investment firm Closed Loop Partners has launched the Closed Loop Local Recycling Fund, a circular economy program to develop recycling systems in underserved US communities. Funding the project’s launch on January 20, 2022, is a $35 million investment from PepsiCo Beverages North America. Closed Loop Partners will use the capital to deploy small-scale, modular recycling systems in rural areas and small cities lacking recycling access because of geographic…
Plastic Bank Stops 2 Billion Plastic Bottles from Entering the Ocean
Plastic Bank, a social enterprise focused on the global supply chain for recycled ocean-bound plastic, announced it has stopped 2 billion plastic bottles from entering the ocean. The group has partnered with more than 200 global companies on this initiative. This huge milestone was achieved through Plastic Bank’s recycling ecosystems in eight months, and is 12 times faster than the first billion stopped. In reaching this milestone, the social enterprise worked with more than…
New Plasticizer Combines Low-Temperature Flexibility and UV Resistance
A new plasticizer developed by Evonik is characterized by low-temperature flexibility and UV resistance, imparting weather resistance and durability to end-use products. ELATUR DINCD is easy to process because of its low viscosity and is suited for demanding exterior and interior applications, such as textile fabrics, roofing membranes, floor coverings, adhesives and sealants, as well as paints and coatings. “In developing the new isononanol-based plasticizer, we were able to draw…