By Lindsey Munson, managing editor, Plastics Business With the plastics industry shifting toward advanced equipment, automation and technologies in recent years, companies continue to recognize that their greatest asset and strongest advantage is their people. Recruiting and retaining skilled employees has become one of the industry’s toughest challenges – prompting … [Read more...] about Benefits That Matter: A Q&A on Redefining Employee Experience
Articles
Wages Normalize, Talent Stays Tight: MAPP’s 2026 Wage and Salary Report
By Andrew Carlsgaard, director of benchmarking and analytics, MAPP MAPP’s 2026 Wage and Salary Report reflects a labor market that has cooled from the extremes of the immediate post‑COVID period, yet continues to exert meaningful upward pressure on compensation for plastics processors. This year’s findings are based on responses from 190 manufacturing organizations … [Read more...] about Wages Normalize, Talent Stays Tight: MAPP’s 2026 Wage and Salary Report
A Westec Story: Leading Through the Unexpected
By Lindsey Munson, managing editor, Plastics Business “The biggest lesson I learned during this season is that I can’t do it all and must allow others to do their job – autonomous accountability,” said Tammy Barras, president of Westec Plastics. Since 1969, Westec Plastics, located in Livermore, California, has built a powerhouse in high-precision plastics injection … [Read more...] about A Westec Story: Leading Through the Unexpected
Mold Cleaning
A look at mold cleaning in plastics manufacturing as a maintenance process that removes resin residue, outgassing byproducts, carbon buildup and release agents from molding tools to prevent defects, keep vents clear and improve material flow during injection molding. Effective mold cleaning also helps extend tool life, reduce unplanned downtime and maintain consistent part … [Read more...] about Mold Cleaning
ADMO Shares the ABCs of Using AI in the Front Office
By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Business Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly is reshaping business operations across industries, and plastics processing is no exception. Companies increasingly are exploring AI tools to improve efficiency, streamline workflows and support decision-making throughout their organizations. ADMO, Inc., Elgin, Illinois, provides tooling and … [Read more...] about ADMO Shares the ABCs of Using AI in the Front Office