Press release submitted on behalf of MAPP.
The Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors (MAPP) has officially announced the 2023 MAPP Innovation Award winners focused on Automated Manufacturing Solutions at the recent 2023 Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference. There were two subcategories for this year’s awards: Smart Manufacturing Solutions (ex. Lights Out, IoT, Industry 4.0, Remote Monitoring, etc.) and Labor Solutions (Projects that have impacted the labor shortage or allowed for redeployment of labor).
Smart Manufacturing Solutions:
- Beaumont Advanced Processing
- Natech Plastics
- Noble Plastics
Labor Solutions:
- Texas Injection Molding
- Beacon Engineered Solutions
- Falcon Plastics
This is the ninth year for the MAPP Innovation Award, which was established to recognize innovative solutions to common issues. This award allows MAPP members to benchmark best practices by reviewing all member submissions, which are then shared in the 2023 Best Practices Book.
Smart Manufacturing Solutions winner, Beaumont Advanced Processing, is headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Beaumont Advanced Processing team understood that many manufacturing roles require 24-hour operations. However, they did not have the workload to justify the hiring of the staff necessary for third shift or weekend operations. So, they needed a way for their processing staff to inexpensively monitor off-shift hours and keep the presses running if an issue occurred.
To resolve this issue cost-effectively, Beaumont utilized a home security system to monitor the presses. The home security system had an app to notify all processors’ phones in the event of a press alarm or if the heats were turned off.
For the labor solutions category, Houston-based Texas Injection Molding wanted to find a method to eliminate extra costs, manpower reduction, improve quality in installation, and standardize the inspection of O-Rings.
Scott Kelly, president, said of Texas Injection Molding’s win, “It is quite an honor to receive an award for innovation from an organization such as MAPP. The team at MAPP knows our business and to not only be selected as a nominee, but to win first place, means the world to Texas Injection Molding.”
To showcase some of these innovative solutions from the Innovation Award winners, and to reiterate the automation focus for the MAPP association, an Automation Hall was a brand-new feature for the Benchmarking Conference. This Automation Hall was where MAPP’s thought leaders in automation exhibited their technological advancements and automated achievements. Attendees experienced the newest innovations and proven industrial automation solutions used in best-in-class facilities across the country. Attendees were able to find the industrial technologies to optimize their operation from the ground up.
A special thank you to AMCO Polymers for sponsoring the 2023 Innovation Award.
For more information on the winners and the award, please visit www.mappinc.com.