by Mike Uhrain, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, and Nick Sotos iD Additives Part lightweighting has become a major trend in plastics. Brand owners are embracing sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives and want to reduce the carbon footprint of their end products. Molders are striving to achieve these goals for their customers by producing lower-weight parts using less plastic, … [Read more...] about Foaming Agents: Impact on Production Efficiency of Custom Closures
2018 Issue 3
Health and Safety in the Plastics Industry: Processors in the Spotlight with Best Practices
by Lara Copeland, contributing editor Plastics Business Creating a safe work environment takes the effort of every person in a plastics processing facility, whether in the front office or on the production line. Training and awareness are key to keeping safety procedures at the top of the priority list, and the companies profiled in this article have implemented best … [Read more...] about Health and Safety in the Plastics Industry: Processors in the Spotlight with Best Practices
Hearing Conservation in the Plastics Industry
by Katy Ibsen, contributing writer Plastics Business Over the past two decades, more attention has been given to the effects of increased noise within the manufacturing environment, which can lead to hearing loss. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasive occupational health … [Read more...] about Hearing Conservation in the Plastics Industry
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
by Chris Kuehl, managing director Armada Corporate Intelligence Somehow, I've always wanted to connect my musical past to economics. Well, maybe I just decided this minute to make that link, but it seems appropriate to reference this when talking about an economic issue we have not faced in a long time. A cloud has been on the horizon for quite a while, but of late it has … [Read more...] about Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
How Digital Strategies are Driving Plastics Manufacturers’ Growth
by Louis Columbus, principal IQMS Plastics manufacturing is increasingly becoming a digitally driven business in which analytics, mobile apps, quality management and real-time monitoring are pivotal technologies in enabling faster growth. This evolution was highlighted in a survey of 151 North American manufacturers conducted by IQMS and TechValidate in May 2018, which … [Read more...] about How Digital Strategies are Driving Plastics Manufacturers’ Growth