By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Business Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, again. The discipline began in the 1950s but fell out of favor in the 1970s. In the 1980s, AI became popular again, with expert systems that contained comprehensive knowledge in fields like law and medicine. Once more, however, AI fell out of favor. Now in its third incarnation, begun in the … [Read more...] about Top 5 Thoughts on Implementing AI in Manufacturing
Business Planning
Four Process Commits to a New Era of Growth
By Lindsey Munson, editor, Plastics Business Celebrating a 50-year milestone in April 2024, Four Process Ltd., now located in Valley Park, Missouri, has built its business foundation on three key characteristics: it is veteran-founded, woman-owned and a third-generation family endeavor. As a custom precision plastics injection molder, Four Process recently expanded into … [Read more...] about Four Process Commits to a New Era of Growth
The Evolving Landscape of the Modern Sales Process
By Keith Bradt, owner and business development director, Kallan Sales Development Manufacturers today are in a period of rapid innovation relative to how many of their organizational groups operate. They are leveraging advancements in technologies to influence their manufacturing strategies – driving more efficient methods and allowing them to remain competitive in the … [Read more...] about The Evolving Landscape of the Modern Sales Process
Plastics Industry Leaders’ Forecast Improved for 2025 in Spite of Challenges to End 2024
By Andrew Carlsgaard, benchmarking and analytics director, MAPP At the beginning of 2025, the United States plastics manufacturing industry is signaling recovery and growth. After several years of new economic challenges since the onset of the pandemic, including inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions, optimism is on the horizon as the US manufacturing industry … [Read more...] about Plastics Industry Leaders’ Forecast Improved for 2025 in Spite of Challenges to End 2024
ERP and MES: The Importance of Data-Driven Software in Plastics
By Lindsey Munson, editor, Plastics Business For plastics processors, data evaluation is crucial to the functioning properties across the entire company, and with that, there are several prominent options in data management and monitoring systems. For this article, the focus is on enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution system (MES) software, and how, … [Read more...] about ERP and MES: The Importance of Data-Driven Software in Plastics