Plastics Engineering articles from July 2007

Plastics Engineering archives from July 2007

ANTEC[TM] 2007 Wrapup.(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... Welcome to our ANTEC[TM] 2007 Wrapup Issue. This year's collaboration with Plastics News' Plastics Encounter trade show was a success for SPE and Plastics News; we look forward to continuing the partnership in 2008. I want to thank the...

Strong polymer demand from Russia: growing demand for thermoplastics in Russia opens new opportunities for foreign investment.(GLOBAL NEWS: EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... Demand for thermoplastics in 'Russia reached nearly 3.3m tonnes in 2006 according to a recently published report from AMl. The market last year grew by over 15% compared with 2005, and since 2000 demand for thermoplastics has more than doubled....

Two major acquisitions have been announced by the UK-based chemicals company INEOS.(ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Two major acquisitions have been announced by the UK-based chemicals company INEOS. Norsk Hydro has agreed to sell its Kerling polymers businesses to Ineos for approximately 679[euro]m, while Borealis is selling its petrochemical business in...

Coperion Group is getting a new owner.(ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Coperion Group is getting a new owner. Private equity firm Deutsche Beteiligungs, Frankfurt will buy a 100% share in Coperion from the British associated company Lyceum Capital. Contracts have been signed ahead of final approval from the cartel...

Rohm and Haas is to sell its manufacturing site in Strullendorf, Germany to Mader Group, the French manufacturer of industrial paints and coatings.(ACQUISITIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Rohm and Haas is to sell its manufacturing site in Strullendorf, Germany to Mader Group, the French manufacturer of industrial paints and coatings. The sale encompasses the whole of Rohm and Haas's European automotive coatings business, which...

Cyclics Europe GmbH has entered into a European distribution agreement for its CBT resin products with IMCD Deutschland (formerly Interorgana).(DISTRIBUTION)
July 1, 2007... Cyclics Europe GmbH has entered into a European distribution agreement for its CBT resin products with IMCD Deutschland (formerly Interorgana). CBT resins are used as additives or carriers for compounding and masterbatch applications.

Saint-Gobain Vetrotex.(EXPANSIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Saint-Gobain Vetrotex has increased production capacity of Twintex composite by 25% at its Chambery plant in France. The company says increasing demand across Europe from various industries prompted the expansion. Twintex is a thermoplastic...

SABIC Europe.(EXPANSIONS)(SABIC EuroPetrochemicals B.V.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... SABIC Europe has announced plans to include metallocenes within its portofolio by 2009. Although penetration of metallocene PE has not developed as rapidly as some early participants in the market expected, it is now starting to fulfil a...

BASF.(EXPANSIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... BASF has completed capacity expansion for the speciality plasticiser Hexamoll DINCH from 25,000 to 100,000 tpa at its Ludwigshafen site. In past years its focus of use has been toys and medical devices. However, following positive decisions...

Colines.(GOOD AS NEW)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Colines, the Italian extrusion equipment manufacturer, has created a 'Used as New' service. The company says that all pre-owned lines are completely revamped and restored to their original production condition after passing rigorous control and...

The first compostable mulch film based on PLA blends has been launched by FKuR Kunststoff GmbH in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT.(GREEN ISSUES)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The first compostable mulch film based on PLA blends has been launched by FKuR Kunststoff GmbH in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. In comparison to other biodegradable mulch films, the Bio-Flex product is understood to degrade...

DuPont.(INSTALLATIONS)(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... DuPont has extended the range of extrusion processes available to its customers with the inauguration of a new multilayer and corrugation extrusion line at its European Technical Center (ETC) in Geneva. As a result ETC becomes the company's new...

Maillefer.(INSTALLATIONS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The adjustable Maillefer line includes a three-layer crosshead for multilayer tubing applications, while a corrugator enables production of flexible, corrugated monolayer or multilayer tubes for piping applications, predominantly for the...

Krauss-Maffei has teamed up with Galvanoform to perfect an inline process that combines LFI (long fibre injection) with in-mould graining (IMG).(PROCESSING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Krauss-Maffei has teamed up with Galvanoform to perfect an inline process that combines LFI (long fibre injection) with in-mould graining (IMG). The new technology makes it possible to produce glass fibre reinforced PUR parts with finely...

The new 'fortwo' from Smart features the largest ever roof module for a production line vehicle made of polycarbonate.(PROCESSING)(smat forttwo developed by Smart GmbH made from polycarbonate)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The new 'fortwo' from Smart features the largest ever roof module for a production line vehicle made of polycarbonate. Produced from Bayer Makrolon AG2677, it covers an area of 1.2sqm. The module is manufactured by Webasto in Germany using...

ENGEL, together with fellow Austrian company ifw mould tec, has developed a process for the damagefree integration of RFID chips in injection mouldings.(PROCESSING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... ENGEL, together with fellow Austrian company ifw mould tec, has developed a process for the damagefree integration of RFID chips in injection mouldings. With this new procedure, plastic products such as pallets, transit containers, bottle...

The Plastics Recycling Council has recently become an affiliate member of the British Plastics Federation.(recycling)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Plastics Recycling Council has recently become an affiliate member of the British Plastics Federation. The arrangement will allow the Recycling Council to benefit from a package of BPF services including provision of the Council's...

Perrite.(RESEARCH)(engineering thermoplastic compounding technology)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Perrite, the engineering thermoplastic compounding division of Vita Compounding, has embarked on a two-year polymer nanocomposite research programme with Queen's University, Belfast and the University of Bradford. Perrite's support of the...

Metabolix, Australian group agree to sweet deal.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Australia's Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation Through Biotechnology)(agreements)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Bioscience company Metabolix, Inc., of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, has signed a collaborative agreement with Australia's Cooperative Research Centre for Sugar Industry Innovation Through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB), based at the University of...

SPE Automotive Division posts conference papers.(www.speautomotive.com/comp.htm.)(Society of Plastics Engineers)(Website overview)
July 1, 2007... The Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) announces that it is posting five years' worth of papers and presentations from the SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) on its website, ...

Nucon Wittmann becomes Wittmann Canada.(changing the name of the company)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Nucon Wittmann announces that it is changing its name to Wittmann Canada, Inc. While "in no way affecting product offering or service... the name change brings better identification of our products and improved recognition of our global...

GE sells plastics unit to SABIC for $11.6 billion.(General Electric Co.)(Saudi Basic Industries Corp. )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... General Electric Co. (Fairfield, Connecticut, USA) chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) vice chairman and CEO Mohamed AIMady have announced that SABIC will acquire GE Plastics for USS 11.6 billion. The...

TricorBraun, Ryco join forces.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Ryco Packaging Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. firms TricorBraun (St. Louis, Missouri) and Ryco Packaging Corp. (Omaha, Nebraska) announce the joining of their rigid-packaging operations: TricorBraun, with 30 coast-to-coast locations and reported annual revenue of US$740 million, has...

Monosol buys land for another plant.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Monosol LLC.'s planning)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Monosol LLC, headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana, USA, has purchased a 15-acre site in La Porte, Indiana, for additional manufacturing capacity to meet expected worldwide demand for its polymer-based film products. Monosol has manufacturing...

Conair and Sepro form joint venture.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
July 1, 2007... French firm Sepro Robotique (La Roche sur Yon) and U.S.-based Conair are forming a joint-venture company, Sepro America, to market robots and automation solutions in the United States and Canada. Each will hold 50% ownership of the new company,...

Huntsman completes facility in Singapore.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
July 1, 2007... Huntsman Corp. (The Woodlands, Texas, USA) has announced completion of its first Asia-Pacific polyetheramines plant, with commercial production of its Jeffamine line to commence by third-quarter 2007. Based at Jurong Island, Singapore, the...

Saudi Aramco taps Dow for joint venture.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)
July 1, 2007... The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Michigan, USA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with global petroleum enterprise Saudi Aramco (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia) to form a joint-venture company in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. Named the Ras...

Rhodia mounts Omnexus platform.(Rhodia Polyamide)(partnerhip with engineering community)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Rhodia Polyamide's Engineering Plastics (EP) business and SpecialChem have announced their new partnership on the Omnexus (www.omnexus.com) platform serving the plastics and elastomers engineering community. The collaboration enables Rhodia EP...

Perlos, Serigraph sign MOU.(Perlos Corp.)(Serigraph, Inc.)(memorandum of understanding)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Perlos Corp., a Helsinki, Finland-based molder for cell phones, and Serigraph, Inc., a product-decorating company based in West Bend, Wisconsin, USA, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) calling for Serigraph to establish a...

Bayer opens Design Center.(Bayer MaterialScience LLC)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Bayer MaterialScience LLC (BMS) (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) has added a Design Center to the Color Competence Center at its Newark, Ohio, compounding plant. Offering customers a hands-on approach to color selection, the Design Center will...

Victrex relocates HQ.(GLOBAL NEWS: NORTH AMERICA)(Victrex USA Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Victrex USA, Inc., the American subsidiary of UK-based Victrex plc, announces the relocation of corporate headquarters from Greenville, South Carolina, to West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. The new location affords easier transportation to both...

Dow VP receives AIChE Award.(Dow Chemical Co.-Kurt W. Swogger, vice president)(American Institute of Chemical Engineers)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Kurt W. Swogger, vice president of business development for The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Michigan, USA) has received the 2007 Management Division Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). "Swogger's speedbased R&D...

Flame retardants: is the customer always right? Brominated additives are a bete noire for OEMs trying for a green image, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. What then is the future for halogen-based flame retardants?(Original equipment manufacturers)
July 1, 2007... Big names like Apple and Deli have gone public in recent months with commitments to stop using brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the plastics they use. Some types have turned up in the environment and in breast milk, which in most people's...

ANTEC[TM] 2007 wrapup: well-attended conference explores emerging technologies.(NORTH AMERICA)(Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers)(Cover story)
July 1, 2007... Plastics-industry professionals thronged to the Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers, ANTEC[TM] 2007, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 6-10. The conference was co-located for the first time with the Plastics...

SPE International Award recipients are honored at ANTEC[TM] 2007.(ANTEC[TM] 2007 WRAPUP)
July 1, 2007... Dr. William J. MacKnight International Award Dr. MacKnight is the Wilmer D. Barrett Distinguished Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has a BS in chemistry from the University of Rochester, and an MA in chemistry and...

Europeans in China: it seems commonplace now for European companies to open manufacturing facilities in China. But what are the logistics and potential pitfalls, and how are things changing? Plastics Engineering visited Rosti's brand new facility in Suzhou to find out more.(Europe)(Rosti A/S)
July 1, 2007... Suzhou (pronounced Sue-Joe) is two hours west of Chings most populated city, Shanghai. The drive takes you across the flat landscape of Jiangsu Province with signs of China's industrial might everywhere--huge new factories, new workers' homes...

Small is big: structures and interactions at the smallest scale reveal much about a material's performance.(NORTH AMERICA)(polyme)
July 1, 2007... Behind all the attention on nanotechnology in plastics are the efforts to explain the many relationships involving polymer, additive, and structure at the micron or submicron scale. These efforts are helping transform more of plastics...

Testing-equipment suppliers are out in force at plastics encounter at ANTEC[TM] 2007.(PLASTICS ENCOUNTER @ ANTEC[TM] 2007)
July 1, 2007... Suppliers of technical testing equipment and services were out in force at Plastics Encounter in Cincinnati in May, no doubt at least in part because of the co-location with ANTEC[TM] 2007, which attracted highly qualified technical personnel...

Wood-plastic composites need protection, too.(NORTH AMERICA)
July 1, 2007... The primary advantage of wood-plastic composites (WPC) as a replacement for wood in outdoor applications like decking and railing is their low maintenance and relative weather-resistance. While in the early days of WPC decking, expectations...

Ken Braney's monthly look at SPE's European activities.(SPE NEWS ROUNDUP: EUROPE)(Society of Plastics Engineers)
July 1, 2007... At the recent ANTEC[TM] conference in Cincinnati, a presentation was made to the Rapid Design, Engineering and Mouldmaking Special Interest Group. This newly reformed SIG was presented a cheque by SPE's Mold Making & Mold Design division to...

SPE in Europe.(EUROPE)
July 1, 2007... SPE Europe Yetty Pauwels +32 3 541 77 55 spe.europe@skynet.be www.speeurope.org SPE Europe Board Chairman Bernhard Peters +49 2392 960966 peters.neuenrade@t-online.de SPE Executive Committee...

Syntactic polyurea foams.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,199,168 (April 3, 2007), "Process for Making Cellular Composites Using Polymeric Isocyanates as Binders for Hollow Filler Particles," Kieth G. Spider, David D. Steppan, and Howard S. Duff (Bayer MaterialScience LLC, Pittsburgh,...

Electroluminescent polymers.(industry PATENTS)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,199,167 (April 3, 2007), "Light Emitting Polymer," Mary O'Neill, Stephen Malcolm Kelly, Adam Edward Alexander, and Gary James Richards (University of Hull, North Humberside, Great Britain). Mobile phones and handheld...

Carbon nanotube-reinforced polymers.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,198,745 (April 3, 2007), "Method for Forming a Fibers/Composite Material Having an Anisotropic Structure," Gerhard K. Newman, Robert L. Shambaugh, and Jeffrey H. Harwell (University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA). Carbon...

Heat-resistant breathable materials.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,202,322 (April 10, 2007), "Heat-Resistant, High-Moisture-Vapor-Transmission Thermoplastic Polyurethane," Ravi Ram Vedula and Kimberly Lynn Young (Noveon, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, USA). One of the deficiencies of thermo-plastic...

Crosslinking agents.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,202,309 (April 10, 2007), "Process for Crosslinking Thermoplastic Polymers With Silanes Employing Peroxide Blends and the Resulting Crosslinked Thermoplastic Polymers," Willy Furrer, Abdellatif Abderraziq, and Louis Boogh...

Enzyme catalysis.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,205,373 (April 17, 2007), "Enzyme Catalyzed Organosilicon Esters and Amides," Kurt Friedrich Brandstadt, Thomas Howard Lane, and Richard A. Gross (Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Michigan, USA, and Polytechnic University, Brooklyn,...

Controlled crosslinking.(industry PATENTS)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,205,339 (April 17, 2007), "Selective Controlled Manipulation of Polymers," Orhun K. Muratoglu (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, usa). Major improvements in the wear resistance of orthopedic implants have...

Sensors in projectiles.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,207,274 (April 24, 2007), "Sticky Polymer Lethal Agent Tracer," Tara Y. Plew and Leslie D. Kramer (Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Maryland, USA). It is difficult to detect explosives or drugs in remote structures such as...

Injection-molding nozzles.(industry PATENTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... U.S. Patent 7,211,213 (May 1, 2007), "Injection-Molding Nozzle System for Injection-Molding Systems for Plastic Materials, Injection-Molding Tool, and Method for Producing Injection-Molded Parts," Kurt Manigatter, Christian Reslhuber, Paul...

Weigh-batching system.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Flexicon Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A weigh-batching system from Flexicon discharges material from bulk bags, delumps the product, and gravimetrically feeds it into rigid bins. The unloader's bulk-bag-to-hopper interface consists of a manual "Spout-Lock" clamp ring at the top of...

High-speed pad printer.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Pad Print Machinery of Vermont Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Featuring an all-mechanical servo-motor-driven cam system, the Elektra XE one-color or two-color machine from Pad Print Machinery of Vermont is reported to be ideal for production-line printing and automated handling systems. With a one-color...

Impactor reduces large parts.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Stedman Machine Co. introduced Grand Slam Model 3030H Impactor)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Stedman Machine Co. has introduced the Grand Slam Model 3030H Impactor that efficiently reduces large pieces of rejected plastic molded parts to an ideal feed size for granulators-a job previously done by hand with a band saw. After...

Dust-free bagging system.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Form-Fill-Seal division of Windmoller and Holscher)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... When powdery products are filled into open-mouth bags or valve packers, heavy dust unavoidably develops. The Opal, introduced by the FFS (Form-Fill-Seal) Division of Windmoller & Holscher KG, is designed to achieve dust-free bagging of even the...

Injection-molding machine.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Absolute Haitian Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Absolute Haitian Corp. debuted the HTFW Model 130-160 (147 U.S. ton) injection-molding machine at Plastics Encounter/ANTEC[TM] 2007 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The HTFW Series machine combines the Haitian hydraulic toggle-clamp design with increased...

Inspection sensors.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Cognex Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Cognex Corp.'s new Checker 200 Series of inspection sensors is as simple to set up as the Checker 101, but it is more capable and small enough to fit "almost anywhere," says the company. The 200 Series does not require complicated wiring or...

Tabletop cleanroom robot.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Kuka Robotics Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Kuka Robotics Corp. recently introduced the KR5 Sixx CR six-axis cleanroom and splash-proof robot. The tabletop model, combined with Kuka Robotics' PC-based control platform, is capable of excellent acceleration and maximum working...

High-speed labeling.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Sidel Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Alfa Rollquattro roll-fed labelers, from Sidel's Alfa Division, apply wraparound paper or plastic labels onto glass, plastic, or metal at up to 72,000 containers/hr. The Rollquattro "Evolution" promises superior-quality labeling and help in...

Steel belts for film casting.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Sandvik Process Systems LLC)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Polished steel belts have been used for several years in the manufacture of photo and packaging films by the film-casting process, in which raw material solidifies on a steel belt as a thin film. Inherent benefits of this method are consistent...

See-through vacuum loader.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A vacuum loading system described by Novatec, Inc., as a completely new design provides a full view of resin loading and consumption, flawless discharge, easy access for draining and cleanout, and simplified installation. The GlassVu Loading...

Vacuum pumps.(NORTH AMERICA: MACHINERY)(Anver Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Mr-Miser MSP-AM Series, a line of compact, multistage venturi vacuum pumps that need only 45 psi (3.1 Bar) air pressure--but provide the same holding capacity as conventional pumps requiring 80 to 100 psi--is offered by Anver Corp. in five...

New functional polyolefins from Dow.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Dow (Midland, Michigan, USA) has added Amplify IO polymers to its family of Functional Polyolefins. The new ethylene acrylic acid copolymers combine ease of processing with properties suiting a range of applications from food and medical...

High-performance PPs.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Basell is launching polypropylene resins.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Basell (The Netherlands) is launching the Stretchene range of polypropylene (PP) resins to meet the specialized requirements of injection stretch blow molding for applications ranging from packaging for food and household chemicals to hot-fill...

Recyclable substrates for automotive components.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Polymer Group Inc)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Based in the United States, Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI), has developed new substrates from recyclable materials for moldable automotive components. Made from recyclable polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the high-strength,...

Soft TPV bonds to ETPs.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(ExxonMobil Chemical )(engineering thermoplastics)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... ExxonMobil Chemical (Houston, Texas, USA) has introduced a softer version of Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs), which bonds with engineering thermoplastics (ETPs), including polycarbonate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene,...

Foam resin promotes sustainable packaging.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Nova Chemicals Corp. )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... An advanced foam resin called Arcel has been developed by Nova Chemicals (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) to help brand owners reduce package size without sacrificing the protective qualities found in traditional foam packaging. Smaller package...

Vitamin E-stabilized XLPE for joint replacements.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Biomet Orthopedics recieved permission from U.S. Food & Drug Administration )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Biomet Orthopedics (Warsaw, Indiana, USA) has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to market acetabular (referring to the socket) hip liners manufactured from E-Poly Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene. According to...

Soft TPV bonds to ETPs.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)
July 1, 2007... This softer version retains its performance properties in a range of environments including hot air, oil, and aqueous solutions. Properties include long-term sealability and high bond strength; a durable, slip-resistant soft-touch feel;...

Nucleating agents enhance PE.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Milliken & Co.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Milliken & Co. (Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA) has launched a nucleating agent for polyethylene (PE) designed to improve clarity, physical properties, and barrier and seal performance in various film and packaging applications. Hyperform...

XLPE for cable insulation.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Borealis )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Supercure LC8205, a crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) for insulating medium-voltage cables, has been designed by Borealis (Vienna, Austria) to provide superior electrical performance and network capability to the electricity-distribution...

Light-diffusion masterbatches.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Ampacet Corp. introduces Ampacet 603171-AY masterbatches )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Ampacet (Tarrytown, New York, USA) offers a line of light-diffusion masterbatches to help improve the efficiency and brightness of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in such applications as signage and illuminated knobs. Developed using a...

Colorants and additives for biodegradable polymers.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(PolyOne Corp. introduces OnColor BIO Colorants and OnCap BIO additives )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... PolyOne Corp. (Cleveland, Ohio, USA) introduces its new OnColor BIO Colorants and OnCap BIO additives for use with biodegradable polymers such as polylactide, polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate copolymer, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene...

Additives for FDA-compliant packaging.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. introduces Biomax Strong 120 polymer additives)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... DuPont (Wilmington, Delaware, USA) is expanding its Biomax Strong family of polymer additives to include a U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-compliant grade for food-contact applications. Biomax Strong 120 toughens biobased PLA (polylactic...

Industry events.(EUROPE)(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... AUGUST 5-10, Syntactic and Composite Foams, Site: Davos, Switzerland, www.engconfintl.org/7ay.html 14-15, Novel Trends in Rheology Conference, Site: Zlin, Czech Republic, http://noveltrends.utb.cz 26-30, Eurofillers, Site: Zalakaros,...

Industry events.(NORTH AMERICA)(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... SPE CONFERENCES Sept. 11-13. SPE's Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE). Site: MSU Management Education Center, Troy (Detroit), Michigan, USA. Sponsored by the Automotive and Composites Divisions. Contact: Dale...

KLA Industries: an executive search firm.(KLA Industries Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... An Executive Search Firm specializing in the Plastics Industry. KLA's focus serves Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing and Polymer Chemistry including a wide experience base in the various functions of injection molding, extrusion, compounding,...

SPE's consultants circle.(CONSULTING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... As the world's leading membership organization in the plastics industry, SPE is committed to providing a link between those seeking a specific resource and the providers of products and services. This is a NEW online resource to help you...

SPE's Foundation.(SCHOLARSHIPS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The SPE Foundation offers scholarships to students studying for a career in the plastics industry. Grants from The SPE Foundation are available every year, funds permitting, for programs/projects that will benefit the members of the Society of...

SPE's conference central.(EVENTS)
July 1, 2007... SPE Sections, Divisions and SIGs (Special Interest Groups) generally host approximately 15 TOPCONS in the U.S. and Canada annually. Additional TOPCONS are being launched in Europe and Asia as well. http://www.4spe.org/conf/

SPE store.(BOOKS/VIDEOS/CDs/DVDs)
July 1, 2007... The 2007 SPE Training & Education Catalog, your resource for the latest, most comprehensive and authoritative technical and professional information in the plastics industry today. http://www.4spe.org/training/products/

Online technical library.(TECHINICAL RESOURCES)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... This Library provides SPE Members with unlimited access to Technical Journal articles and technical papers presented at past conferences, including ANTEC, SPE's Annual Technical Conference. http://www.4spe.org/membercenter/library/index.php

SPE'S workshop & site seminars.(SEMINARS)
July 1, 2007... SPE Seminar Instructors are experts in their field, drawn from both industry and academia and bring many years of practical and theoretical experience to the SPE Seminar Program. http://www.4spe.org/training/seminars

SPE communities.(NETWORKING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... There is no better venue for networking with your colleagues and peers in the plastics industry than through SPE. Members have unparalleled opportunities to meet, work with, and share knowledge with other plastics professionals through...

Conductive resins facilitate powder coating.(NORTH AMERICA: MATERIALS)(Noryl GTX resins from GE Plastics)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Noryl GTX resins from GE Plastics (Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands) have been optimized for powder coating: they contain conductive fillers that eliminate the need to apply an electrostatic primer, which can emit harmful solvents and related...