Workers on strike at AdvanSix nylon feedstock plant in Virginia
More than 300 workers have gone on strike at a materials plant operated by AdvanSix Inc. in Hopewell, Va.
Biodegradable Bioplastic Straw Reportedly Outperforms Conventional Plastic Straws
The plastic straw is one of the casualties in the war on plastics that has even some ardent plastiphobes rethinking their all-or-nothing dogma. If you’ve ever tried to use a paper straw to enjoy your Frappuccino, you know why. Other alternatives, such as reusable metal straws, also have significant drawbacks. Now, researchers in South Korea claim to have found a solution: Biodegradable straws made from lignin and citric acid that…
Reshoring and FDI Jobs Increase a Record 53% at the End of 2022
The Reshoring Initiative’s quarterly report for 4Q 2022 reveals a massive increase in manufacturing jobs due to reshored production facilities in North America. That trend is bolstered by new facilities supported by government investment. 4Q job announcements were accelerated by the Chips and Infrastructure Acts and deglobalization trends. Industrial job announcements in 4Q 2022 were at the highest rate ever recorded, about 15% above Q1 2022, the previous record. 4Q…
Two Injection Molding Grades of Biobased Materials Enhance Sulapac’s Cosmetics Packaging Portfolio
Photo Credit: Sulapac Finnish eco-startup company Sulapac, that first came to our attention in 2019, has been making significant strides with its biobased, biodegradable products, particularly in the luxury cosmetics packaging arena, with leading brands such as Chanel, which was one of its first investors. Sulapac was founded by two female biochemists specializing in biomaterials–Suvi Haimi and Laura Tirkkonen-Rajasalo. Sulapac materials are made of responsibly sourced plant-based biopolymers and sustainable fillers…
Stratasys and CollPlant Partner to Bioprint Breast Implants
When it comes to 3D printing in healthcare, a long-term goal has been to print human tissue that can potentially be grown into new organs. While 3D printing a new heart for a patient isn’t currently a reality, a growing number of companies are developing their own methods of printing tissue that can be used in implants, and, they hope, eventually organs. Animal study demonstrates tissue regeneration In January 2023, Israel-based…
Used machinery supplier Arlington moves to larger site
Long lead times across the board for new equipment has driven the demand for used equipment.
Breaking News in Flexible Packaging April 2023
If you’re interested in an informative and fast read on the subject of flexible packaging, this is for you — an all-in-one location for a steady stream of curated news and developments in this dynamic market for the current month. You’ll find regularly updated news and developments in the ever-widening world of applications for pouches, bags, films, and other types of flexible packaging sourced from supplier breakthroughs, brand launches, and other advances…
Australian supermarkets get a year to solve soft plastics recycling
Australia’s antitrust regulator, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, has proposed granting the nation’s three major supermarket chains a year to resolve post-consumer soft plastic recycling.
Instant Polymer ID Verification Without a Lab?
Analysis and identification of polymers is essential to confirm not only the identity of an unknown polymer to verify that the proper material has been received prior to processing. Non-destructive analysis by Raman spectroscopy is an ideal solution; it allows you to perform quality checks on raw materials and products with no laboratory and chemistry required. It’s a method that can ensure quality and reduce risk for producers, further processors, and all who work…
X-Ray Vision Inside Parts Gets More Affordable for Processors
New Shimadzu XSeeker 8000 benchtop x-ray CT scanner costs about 20% as much as the company’s main floorstanding model. (Photo: Shimadzu Scientific Instruments) Last week, I invoked the theme of x-ray vision in a figurative sense, writing here about MES systems that use real-time production data to give processors an “inside view” of their operations. Today, I’m talking about actual x-ray vision inside plastic parts and even some metal components.…