By Sujit Sheth, monitoring business manager, Progressive Components Molds are a molder’s most critical asset. When a mold is not running, – bad things happen – including parts are not being produced, labor is underutilized, revenue is not generated, supply chains are delayed and customer relations can be strained. Despite these ramifications, many molders’ toolrooms are … [Read more...] about Maintaining Increased Profitability
2024 Issue 3
Plastics Executives Report Increased Wages in 2024 with Inflation as the Primary Driver
By Andrew Carlsgaard, analytics director, MAPP The 2024 MAPP Wage and Salary Report continues to reflect the impact of heightened inflation on wages and salaries across the US workforce. The survey results of 211 plastics processors representing over 35,000 employees show an increasingly prevalent upward trend, as 57 of the 70 industry job categories (81%) tracked … [Read more...] about Plastics Executives Report Increased Wages in 2024 with Inflation as the Primary Driver
Technology Focus: Material Additives
Material Additives A look at material additives that are added to the primary resin during the manufacturing process to improve the polymer’s properties, performance and characteristics when molded and put into action. Material additives used in plastics manufacturing include colorants, lubricants, fillers, stabilizers, plasticizers, pigments, flame retardants and more. … [Read more...] about Technology Focus: Material Additives
What Actually is Driving the Economy These Days?
By Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence Given all the data, where does the economy stand? It is a bit of a broken record, but the old phrase for economists still is true: ‟It depends.” What economists know for certain is that some of the drivers of last year’s economy have faded and one has all but vanished. At the start of 2023, there were a lot of … [Read more...] about What Actually is Driving the Economy These Days?
MAPP Innovation Award Winners Put the “Smart” in Smart Manufacturing
By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Business What if? Outside-of-the-box thinkers use a “what if?” mentality to tackle plant operation challenges. Plastics processors are an innovative bunch and it’s a good thing. Keeping a multi-service or multi-line injection molding operation humming along – with its varied work cells, machinery, processes and tasks – takes skill and … [Read more...] about MAPP Innovation Award Winners Put the “Smart” in Smart Manufacturing