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Avient has extended its reSound REC recycled content thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) portfolio with new AF 7210 grades specifically developed for automotive interior applications such as mats, grips, and console trays. This supports new targets proposed by the European Commission as part of the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive. More than 80% of automotive plastics end in landfills or incinerators. Over 80% of the plastic parts used in automotive applications are estimated…

Say goodnight to plastic air pillows from Amazon. The company has already replaced 95% of the plastic pillows from delivery packaging in North America with paper filler and is working toward full removal by the end of the year. It’s the next big step away from plastic since last October when it replaced plastic shipping materials at a facility in Ohio. That conversion included heat-sealable paper, paper fill, and lightweight…

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. These include pouches, bags, films, and other types of flexible packaging sourced from supplier breakthroughs, brand launches, and other advances of interest. The content is selected from Tweets by stakeholders in the flexible packaging supply chain supplemented by content…

A robust group of environmentally conscious brands, together with a trio of seaweed-based-film producers, is making significant strides toward scaling up seaweed-based packaging for consumer goods such as swimwear, men’s wear, and surf boards. The three film companies — Sway, Notpla, and Zerocircle — have been working on supply chain trials and consumer-facing pilots of their films in the past year as participants in the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Accelerator.…

On the heels of holding its first NPE in six years, the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has unveiled its new National Plastics Conference to be held Oct. 14 to 17, 2024, in Houston. The event, designed “by industry, for industry,” will bring together “the entire plastics supply chain for industry-driven education, collaboration, and progress,” PLASTICS said.  Tailored for current and future plastics industry leaders and advocates, the four-day agenda includes…

Tupperware is permanently shutting down its last standing US production plant in Hemingway, SC. A total of 148 workers will be laid off in waves starting September 28, 2024, through Jan. 14, 2025, the company disclosed in its Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed on June 11. Production will shift to a Tupperware plant in Lerma, Mexico, which already produces most of the products for the US and Canadian…

Covestro introduced a new range of products based on polycarbonate (PC) copolymers at the recent Chinaplas show in Shanghai. These plastics are characterized by enhanced properties and functionalities compared to standard products and are suitable for an even wider range of applications in important industrial sectors. Thanks to a new production process, plastics based on PC copolymers can be launched on the market more quickly and produced on an industrial…

Looking for a larger stand-up pouch? Consider the patented Fres-co EzHandle introduced by Fres-co System USA. This innovative flexible packaging offers an alternative to traditional 2- or 3-gallon plastic pails or buckets. “The Fres-co EzHandle is a game-changer,” enthuses Fidan Labbe, the supplier’s business director. “We’ve combined the strength and functionality of a bucket with the convenience and sustainability of a flexible pouch, creating a truly unique and versatile packaging…

Plastec South, part of the IME South event alongside the medical manufacturing, packaging, automation, and design and engineering trade shows, came to Charlotte, NC, on June 4 to 6. One of the exhibitors was Accumold, a supplier of micro-molding services to the medical device sector. PlasticsToday featured the company in a pre-show article, focusing notably on innovations in thin-wall cannula molding. Paul Runyan, vice-president of sales and marketing, calls the…