Adhesives & Sealants Industry articles from May 2002

Adhesives & Sealants Industry archives from May 2002

Higher R&D funding forecast with reservations. (Editor's Memo).(research and development)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Each year at this time, I look forward to the annual Battelle-R&D Magazine research and development forecast. This year, total R&D expenditures in the United States are expected to increase about 3.5 percent to $285.6 billion in 2002....

3M/Dyneon plant honored for outstanding pollution prevention. (Applause).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) awarded 3M's and Dyneon's Decatur, Ala., manufacturing plant with its Director's Award in Pollution Prevention for superior performance in controlling and preventing environmental...

2002 TAPPI Hot Melt Symposium to cover a variety of topics. (Industry News).
May 1, 2002... ATLANTA -- Attendees at the 2002 TAPPI Hot Melt Symposium will have the opportunity to learn about the latest technological developments in the hot melt industry and get their questions answered by industry experts. The symposium will be held...

2002 Summer Leadership Conference offers chance for professional development. (Industry News).
May 1, 2002... BETHESDA, Md. -- The Adhesive and Sealant Council, Inc. (ASC) will hold its 2002 Summer Leadership Conference (SLC) June 23-26, 2002, at the Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Cape Cod, Mass. Attended exclusively by industry leaders (including...

MD&M East -- world's largest medical manufacturing event. (Industry News).
May 1, 2002... LOS ANGELES -- The Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East Exposition and Conference will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, June 3-6, 2002. The conference is the world's largest medical manufacturing event and an...

Call for papers for Second International Symposium on Adhesives. (Industry News).
May 1, 2002... HOPEWELL JUNCTION, N.Y. -- The Second International Symposium on Adhesives: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications will be held December 11-13, 2002, at the Grosvenor Resort Hotel in Orlando, Fla. The symposium is organized under the...

Rohm and Hoas breaks ground for new plant in India. (Industry News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PHILADELPHIA -- Rohm and Haas Co. is investing approximately US $20 million to build a facility in Mumbai, India. This plant will produce polyurethane- and polyester-based adhesives, adhesive formulations for flexible-packaging applications,...

BASF to build fastest PSA coating facility in the world. (Industry News).(pressure sensitive adhesives)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany -- Together with Pagendarm BTT GmbH, BASF is building a technical center facility for aqueous pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) that is designed to operate at a maximum speed of 1,500 meters per minute, making it the...

Nordson supports academic wood products research. (Industry News).(at Georgia Institute of Technology)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... DULUTH, Georgia--Nordson Corp. is supporting the College of Architecture of the Georgia Institute of Technology and its Advanced Wood Products Laboratory (AWPL). With the AWPL mission "to move the production of finished products in the United...

Web sites. (Industry News).
May 1, 2002... WEB SITES Company Products Air Products Polymers, L.P., Emulsions Lehigh Valley, Pa. Cogent Regulatory Science, Inc., Environmental compliance Denver ...

Acquisitions and expansions.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... ACQUISITIONS AND EXPANSIONS Company Products Location ConProTec Inc., Adhesive-dispensing Salem, N.H. Salem, N.H. systems and static mixers ...

Plasticolors, Inc. (People Going Places).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Plasticolors, Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio, a leading supplier of pigment and chemical dispersions to the composite plastics, paint, coatings, caulk and sealant industries, recently announced that Gary Benecke has joined the company and will serve as...

Michael D. Brown. (People Going Places). (promoted to VP, ChemQuest Group Inc.).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The ChemQuest Group, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, announces the promotion of Michael D. Brown to the position of vice president. Brown continues to be located in Wilmington, Del. He joined ChemQuest in 1999 after 17 years with DuPont Performance...

Martin Feldman. (People Going Places). (joins S.P. Morell and Co.).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Martin Feldman has joined S.P. Morell and Co., Armonk, N.Y. Feldman was most recently vice president of Elementis Specialties' colorants business, and previously directed marketing of Daniel Products Co.'s colorants and additives for coatings...

Pacer Technology. (People Going Places).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Pacer Technology, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has named Ronald Gravette vice president of sales, and Glen Clark director of customer financial services. Cravette will be responsible for creating sales programs and launching new products, as well...

Bernard Guerini has been named president, Air Products Europe. (People Going Places).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Bernard Guerini has been named president, Air Products Europe. He replaces Ron Sullam, who has retired after 37 years with the company. John (Mike) McNallen replaces Guerini as vice president, North America Gases. McNallen, formerly vice...

Robert Moore. (People Going Place). (appointed global business manager, Dyneon L.L.C.).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Dyneon LLC, Oakdale, Minn., a 3M company, has appointed Robert Moore to global business manager, Dyneon Specialty Additives. In his new role, Moore provides business direction designed to achieve the financial objectives of the Specialty...

Reichhold, Research Triangle Park. (People Going Places).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Reichhold, Research Triangle Park, N.C., has named Gary Krall president and CEO, and announced the retirement of current Chairman and CEO Yoshi Kawashima. Krall was Reichhold's president and chief operating officer, and was formerly senior vice...

Jeff Robertson. (People Going Place). (promoted to sales development manager, Adhesives Research Inc.).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Adhesives Research, Inc., Glen Rock, Pa., has promoted Jeff Robertson to specialty sales development manager for the Splicing Business Unit where he will be responsible for generating sales revenue from new customers throughout North America.

Kim Roetenberg. (People Going Place). (appointed regional manager, Premier Mill).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Premier Mill, a Lightnin Company, Reading, Pa., has appointed Kim Roetenberg to the position of Midwestern regional manager. With over seven years of experience in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, she will enhance Premier's...

Steven L. Voeks. (People Going Place). (promoted to VP, CCP).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Steven L. Voeks has been promoted to vice president, technology, of CCP, Kansas City, Mo. During his tenure at CCP, Voeks has been assigned to both research and plant management, and has most recently held the position of technical director for...

Avery Dennison Corp. (Company News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Avery Dennison Corp., Pasadena, Calif., announced that commercialization has begun on its newest pressure sensitive coater in Greenfield, Ind. The new wide-web coating line represents a part of the company's $35-million investment in its...

Eastman Chemical Co. (Company News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn., has announced plans for an expansion of its crude tall oil fractionation unit in Franklin, Va., and the shutdown of the company's fractionation and rosin ester units in Savannah, Ga. The expansion of the...

Hockmeyer Equipment Corp. (Company News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Hockmeyer Equipment Corp., Harrison, N.J., has named Abernathy-Thomas Engineering Co., Kingsport, Tenn., as a representative of its milling, mixing and dispersing equipment. Territorial responsibilities include Tennessee, South Carolina and the...

Plasticolors Inc. (Company News).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Plasticolors Inc., Ashtabula, Ohio, a supplier of pigment and chemical dispersions to the paint, coatings, caulk, sealant and plastics industries, has selected Chemroy Canada Inc. to promote and distribute its products in Canada.

PVA. (Company News).(Precision Valve and Automation got award from Technology Forecasters and Circuit's Assembly magazine)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PVA (formerly known as Precision Valve and Automation), Halfmoon, N.Y., has been awarded its second consecutive Service Excellence Award from Technology Forecasters and Circuit's Assembly magazine. This award recognizes PVA's performance in the...

Superior Materials Inc. (Company News).(got Degussa Fumed Silica Distributor Award)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Superior Materials Inc., Garden City, N.Y., has been awarded the Degussa Fumed Silica Distributor Award for outstanding sales performance in 2000 and 2001. Superior Materials has represented Degussa since 1989.

Class is in session: pressure sensitive manufacturers have a competitive edge when employees are industry Savvy. (Corporate Strategies).
May 1, 2002... Steven Shane gladly accepted the position of senior process engineer of fabrication at Graftech Inc. in Cleveland. Graftech's Cleveland facility manufactures pressure sensitive products for its eGRAF product line, electronic thermal-management...

U.S. demand for electronic polymer products to expand 6.4% annually through 2005. (Market Trends).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Demand for electronic polymer products is forecast to expand 6.4 percent per year to $3.5 billion in 2005. This will require 485 million pounds of resin valued at $1.6 billion. Growth in electronic polymer products has lagged gains in...

Web-based platform designed to halve time/costs of ISO 9000 implementation. (Quality Quotient).
May 1, 2002... Prism eSolutions, LLC, Blue Bell, Pa., has introduced equationASP 2002.1[TM], the latest enhanced version of its hosted ISO 9000 Web-based platform designed to cut ISO 9000 implementation time and costs in half. Once ISO implementation is...

Considering and comparing sealant options: a variety of cost-effective solutions; polymers, elastomers and two-component foams seal, reduce noise vibration and harshness, reduce vehicle weight, and provide easy application.
May 1, 2002... As the automotive industry evolved through the end of the 20th century, vehicle manufacturers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) began looking for products that: * Address issues of noise vibration and harshness (NVH); *...

The future of pressure sensitive adhesives -- UV technology.(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Despite the proven performance advantages of ultraviolet (UV)-cure pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), formulators have often been forced to seek alternative solutions due to the limited range of raw materials available and comparatively high...

Second-generation repulpable PSAs for Benign USPS postage stamps.(pressure-sensitive adhesives)(Technical)
May 1, 2002... A "Stickie" Situation A wide variety of pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) products, such as stamps, stickers, tapes and labels, have increased in popularity since they offer important performance benefits for consumers, industry and...

Auto adhesive extrusion systems: achieve higher quality with sensor system.(Precitec Inc. develops new technology for automotive adhesive stations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... For years, extrusion and sealant-dispensing companies have integrated their equipment into new automotive programs with their own unique metering systems, pumps, glue heads, nozzles, etc. None of the systems in the past had the capability of...

Dispersants. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... POLACRYL, INC. This company has introduced a line of synthetic dispersing additives designed for waterborne systems and inorganic pigment slurries. Consisting of eight sodium- and ammonium-neutralized polyacrylate dispersants, these...

Waterborne polyurethanes. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... MACE CO. This company announces its line of Macekote[TM] waterbome polyurethanes. The line includes co-solvent-free polymers, products with abrasion and chemical resistance, hydrolytic stability, adhesion, gloss, clarity, flexibility,...

Emulsion. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... AIR PRODUCTS POLYMERS, LP. Airflex[R] EP17 emulsion offers a combination of high PVC adhesion, high heat resistance and high plasticizer response. The product is a vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer stabilized with poly (vinyl alcohol). It...

Gasketing material. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... LOCTITE CORP. This company has introduced a polyether foam, cured-in-place gasketing material formulated for cost-effective automotive interior and exterior Buzz, Squeak & Rattle applications. The material adheres easily to a variety of...

Fumed silica. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... DEGUSSA CORP. This company offers Aerosil[R] R7200 structure-modified fumed silica specifically developed for improving scratch resistance in UV-curing coating systems. Depending on the binder used, the residual gloss of a coated surface...

Flushing solvents. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... DYNALOY INC. PUR-Flush products are engineered solvent blends that were developed for use in flushing urethane residues from various types of polyurethane-processing equipment. The unique chemistry provides a product with a high flash...

Nanotechnology. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... HANSE CHEMIE This company has developed a technology to manufacture nanocomposites consisting of monodisperse, nonagglomerated Si[O.sub.2] nanoparticles and liquid-reactive resins. The manufacturing process is very flexible and allows the...

Copolymer dispersions. (Materials & Supplies).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... MICHELMAN, INC. This company offers Michem[R] Prime EAA copolymer dispersions. The dispersions provide the functional advantages of solvent coating systems without the health, safety and environmental issues associated with solvent...

Stainless-steel adhesive. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... JODAN TECHNOLOGY, INC. This company has developed a one-part epoxide for bonding stainless steel. The system cures thermally within minutes at 275[degrees]F either in thin-film or bulk form. The product demonstrates superior toughness and...

Epoxy conformal coatings. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... ELECTRONIC MATERIALS INC. This company introduces EMCAST 1900 Series ultraviolet-light and thermally curable conformal coating and sealant materials. The family of materials contains a range of physical properties relevant to the coating...

Fire-retardant cloth tape. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... SCAPA NORTH AMERICA Scapa 165 is black, cotton, cloth tape that is single-coated with a natural-rubber pressure sensitive adhesive. It bonds well to most surfaces and is highly abrasion resistant. Ideal for heat-generating appliances, this...

Surface-mount adhesive. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... EMERSON & CUMING Emerson & Cuming D 125 F 5 is a one-component epoxy, surface-mount adhesive designed specifically for stencil printing very large components. The adhesive works well with all standard SMT stencil printers and has low...

Water-blocking sealant. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... CHASE CORP. Chase [BLH.sub.2]OCK[R] conductive sealant is a flexible, butyl-based water-blocking compound that can be formulated to customer requirements for use as a gasketing and shielding material in aerospace, automotive, electrical,...

Aggressive adhesive. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... MACTAC This COMPANY'S PermaFlex[R] family of rigid over-laminating films, including PermaFlex IP6000, IP6100 and IP6200, now features a new, very aggressive adhesive designed to eliminate tunneling on exhibit images. PermaFlex products...

Self-leveling silicone. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... ACCUMETRIC LLC This company has introduced BOSS[R] 325, a neutral-cure, self-leveling oxime silicone sealant that is free flowing and is low viscosity, which allows it to fill minute crevices and voids in potting and sealing applications....

Nanoscale conductive epoxies. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... TRANSENE CO. This company introduces a unique series of conductive silver epoxies ideal for use in nanoscale applications. Nanopoxy conductive epoxies contain a proprietary silver flake tailored for bonding nanotubes, nanowires and...

Nylon coating. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... THREE BOND INTERNATIONAL, INC. TB 2361 is a pre-coat-type nylon coating designed for locking and sealing small screws, such as those in eyewear hinges and cellular phones. It has high resistance to vibration and is unique in its ability to...

UV/heat-curable adhesive. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... MERECO TECHNOLOGIES GROUP COMPANIES MRC 03-1340 is part of a new class of Mereco UV/visible light/heat-curing UV adhesives designed to create very-high-strength bonds between glass, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, ceramic and some...

PSA for low-energy surfaces. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... NATIONAL STARCH & CHEMICAL CO. DURO-TAK[R] 80-115A is a modified, acrylic-solution, pressure sensitive adhesive designed for adhesion to low-energy surfaces. This one-part, self-crosslinking adhesive adheres well to polyolefin substrates...

Aqueous adhesive. (Adhesives & Sealants).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... ADM TRONICS UNLIMITED, INC. This company offers Unex Tri-Mode adhesive, a multi-purpose aqueous adhesive designed for the packaging, converting and graphic arts industries. The product is ideal for laminations of most films, foils, and...

Flood-cure unit. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... HONLE UV AMERICA, INC. This company presents its UVA Spot 400 flood-cure unit. The UVA Spot 400 offers users a complete range of spectra for any curing application and is available with multiple-lamp and filter options. The portability of...

Silicone coating equipment. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... LIQUID CONTROL CORP. This company has developed the SilCote line of silicone coating equipment. The SilCote SC unit allows for the continuous mixing of three- to four-component silicones. The unit offers precision, high-accuracy gear...

Ultrasonic level control. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... BINDICATOR This company's MS-2000 Series is ideal for continuous level measurement of difficult-to-measure materials such as slurries; sludges; and dry, abrasive materials. This non-contact, ultrasonic technology can be used in dusty bins,...

Chemical-resistant tubing. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTIC CORP. Tygon(R) 2075 ultra-chemical-resistant tubing is virtually unaffected by acids, bases, ketones, salts and alcohols. The tubing is entirely free of plasticizers. This eliminates concern of fluid...

Spot-curing system. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... EXFO PHOTONIC SOLUTIONS INC. The Novacure 2100 is a microprocessor-controlled, UV/visible spot-curing system. Ideal for use in automated or manual precision-assembly environments, the unit provides the user with completely automated...

LCD Recorders. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... DICKSON This company introduces its line of flat-panel LCD Recorders that monitor temperature and humidity, remote temperature and humidity, or remote high temperature. These recorders feature a large display that shows both current...

Meter/mix/dispense system. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... SEALANT EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING, INC. The Program-A-Shot 997 meter/mix/dispense system is ideal for high-volume, automated dispensing of precisely controlled shot sizes of a two-component silicone, epoxy or urethane for potting or...

Miniature temperature recorders. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... WAHL INSTRUMENTS, INC. Temp-Plate[R] irreversible temperature recorders provide a low-cost alternative to monitoring surface temperatures. These versatile, miniature, self-adhesive labels create a permanent record of overheat conditions;...

Progressing cavity pumps. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... MOYNA, INC. Moyno[R] L-Frame Progressing Cavity Pumps offer numerous performance-enhancing and cost-saving features, resulting in maximum operating efficiency. Standard flange models feature a modular design with a simple pin-type...

Visual flow indicators. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... L.J. STAR INC Designed to handle a variety of common corrosive chemicals, this company's visual flow indicators are offered in both Teflon[R] PFA and Tefzel[R] models. These flanged units provide clear viewing and dependable service even...

UV-curing systems. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... UV PROCESS SUPPLY, INC This company has introduced two UV-curing systems for users who require production curing energy at an economical price. Designed to produce 1,600 watts of curing power, the CON-TROL-CURE[R] UV-5 and UV-10 curing...

Conical polyethylene tanks. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... ASSMANN CORP. This company's conical polyethylene tanks provide an economical means of storing bulk liquids. Engineered to provide complete discharge, the tanks ensure that contents are fully drained. The tanks are designed for storing a...

Caulk and dual-component applicators. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... NEWBORN BROTHERS CO. This company has been manufacturing caulking, adhesive and epoxy applicators since 1974. Featuring over 60 models, the company can offer tools ranging from promotional to professional. These include standard guns with...

Bag placer. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... AMERICAN-NEWLONG, INC. The low-cost Model 3CM-6KH semi-automatic bag placer bags up to 1,200 bags/hour using a vacuum generator to supply needed function instead of a motor. The unit costs about one third the price of fully automated...

Imaging system. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... SENSOR PRODUCTS INC. This company introduces the Topaq[R] Advanced Imaging System. Used in conjunction with Fuji Prescale/Pressurex stress-indicating films, the system provides a unique perspective of the distribution and actual magnitude...

Dust collectors. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... SLY, INC. PleatJet[TM] II dust collectors employ a horizontal-cartridge filter design for easy maintenance and filter changes. A specially engineered venturi pulse cleaning system has been incorporated as a standard feature. This...

Air/oil lift. (Equipment).(advertisement)
May 1, 2002... CHARLES ROSS AND SON CO. This company has announced the availability of a new air/oil lift design for use with the company's line of high-shear rotor-stator mixers. The optional line of lifts is designed for floor mounting. The lift...

Syringe-filling system. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... EFD INC The 8000BF-PW filling system loads cyanoacrylates, epoxies and other reactive fluids into 3-cc to 55-cc syringes without contamination, mess or cleanup. The unit is simple to operate and can be fed from drums, pails or cartridges....

Drum handlers. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... DRUM RUNNER Workplace mishaps associated with improper handling of storage drums can be easily avoided with this company's multi-function drum handlers. Available in numerous models, they offer patented features that ensure maximum...

Filters. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PARKER HANNIFIN CORP. Users of the new MegaFlow [TM] Series filtration products can save significant startup and operations costs in their high-flow-rate applications. Each 6"x40" pleated cartridge, available with absolute or nominal...

Pail and drum liners. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... HEDWIN CORP. This company's family of pail and drum liners have been designed and manufactured to meet a wide array of industrial and consumer applications. The plastic-liner products fit pails and drums, and come in an assortment of...

Hot melt cartridge applicators. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... PAM FASTENING TECHNOLOGY This company has introduced a new cartridge-applicator adhesive system for use with moisture-curing polyurethane adhesives where industrial-strength bonds are required. The PAM 500K and 500K Spray combined with the...

Disposable cartridges. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... FISHMAN CORP. This company introduces a line of low-cost, disposable plastic cartridges, nozzles, plungers and caps for dispensing a range of adhesives, epoxies, lubricants, solder pastes, urethanes and related products. The cartridges are...

[0] Filters. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... FILTERITE This company has added the Nexis C to its series of melt-blown depth filter product line. All filters feature the company's patented COLD(r) fiber technology, which integrates large-diameter fibers among the fine filtration fiber...

Granulator. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... NETZSCH-CONDUX The CS 500/1000 Z Series Fine Granulator Mill is used primarily for size reduction of cellulose and can be employed for any material that can be reduced by cutting. This mill features 16 rows of sectional rotor knives and up...

Flowmeter. (Equipment).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... AALIANT(TM) Niagara Oscillating Piston positive-displacement flowmeters are a low-cost, highly accurate and highly repeatable solution for process-fluid flow applications. The flowmeters feature accuracy of [+ or -]0.5% and repeatability...

Ask Dr. Dave.(using adhesives and sealants in manufacturing)(Brief Article)(Column)
May 1, 2002... Q We manufacture electronic water meters out of high-density polyethylene and need to fill a 1/2-inch-deep groove with a sealant. The meter is used outdoors, and the joint must be totally waterproof. What do you recommend? A Because the...