Plastopedia

The drive to reduce medical costs in the United States is triggering more patient care in their homes, where costs are lower and there are reduced risks to acquire potentially deadly infections, such as MRSA and other penicillin-resistant bacteria.

Gurit (SWX Swiss Exchange: GUR), a leading global manufacturer and supplier of composite materials, engineering, tooling, parts and systems, is pleased to announce a new tolling arrangement with composite kit manufacturer Mahogany Company of Mays Landing ( New Jersey), for the fabrication of Gurit’s B³ SmartPac™ solution.

RPC Containers in the UK has produced custom moulded tester pots for AkzoNobel’s Cuprinol Garden Shades range of paints, containing a high proportion of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics.

MILTON — Ever been mildly amazed at how easily and cleanly the perforated top seal on a plastic pouch of cough drops tears away? There's a science to that.

To increase production at its Minas Oil Field in Province Riau, Indonesia, Chevron turned to global engineering firm Technip to construct a system that maximises oil recovery. The system injects a low-cost, 'surfactant' fluid into designated wells. As fluid from the 'injector' wells floods the underground reservoir, oil is pushed towards a 'producer' well where pressure is increased to more easily extract the remaining oil.

One challenge facing users of industrial air tools is that it's sometimes necessary to have a number of separate tools to do just one job.

But a new all-in-one welding system from US supplier Urethane Supply Company looks to change that by consolidating a number of applications into one single device.

Researchers at the University of Warwick are developing new materials that could enable engineers to create custom-designed personal electronics in the future.

The scientists from the School of Engineering created a simple and inexpensive conductive plastic composite which allows users to set down electronic tracks and sensors as part of a 3D printed structure.

The idea of making monomers and polymers from sustainable sources is rapidly becoming reality with many companies targeting R&D funds and investment in this field.  The drivers are to save the planet, reduce carbon footprint and to develop a long-term viable business. The market for greener materials will be affected by the discovery and exploitation of shale gas, which supplies a cheap source of ethylene precursors, however higher carbons are not found in this resource and there is a shortage arising, which is a further factor pushing the search for new sources of monomers. AMI provides an international forum to debate the latest market developments and technology trends at Green Polymer Chemistry 2013, which takes place from 19th to 21st March 2013 at the Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany.

Davis-Standard’s presence has expanded throughout the region with several film and sheet line installations over the past few years. The company will promote key product lines including technologies for blown film, cast film, extrusion coating, sheet, foam board and medical tubing.“The Middle East has a large market for mono-layer and three-layer blown film lines as well as sheet systems because of growing demand for packaging and disposable products in the region. We continue to see a lot of success in this area as our customers continue to expand their business,” said Adnan Bdour, Davis-Standard’s regional sales manager. “I’m proud to say our customers in the region praise our service and support. We look forward to further building our reputation during the show.”

Indian major, Larsen & Toubro is set to divest from plastic machinery business, selling their entire stake in L&T Plastics Machinery Limited (LTPML) to Toshiba Machine Co. Ltd. (TMC) of Japan.

The move is in line with the L&T’s strategic

 Auto supplier Faurecia SA is developing a system to injection mold using natural fibers, potentially replacing existing compression molded parts.

Faurecia’s natural fibers for injection process -- NAFI -- uses in-line compounding to add fibers such as hemp or kenaf to polypropylene to reinforce parts in place of heavier glass.

Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE:EMN) today announced it has completed the retrofit and startup of its non-phthalate plasticizer manufacturing facility in Texas City, Texas.

Eastman purchased the former Sterling Chemicals, Inc. plant in mid-2011.

Recycled polymers by their nature have variations in their properties depending on the feedstock which has been used to produce them. Yet the end user requires a material which has constant and repeatable processing characteristics.

Plastic Technology Services, based in Dumfries, Scotland, have been producing high quality recycled polymers for more than 25 years and recognise this requirement. Previously they achieved this through batch harmonisation of their finished polymer using a 6000 kg capacity fountain blender.

GreenCentre Canada, based in Kingston, Ontario, has announced that it has received an investment that will allow the company to develop a technology for recycling polystyrene and contaminated plastics.

"The unique technology being developed by GreenCentre, in partnership with Switchable Solutions Inc., will increase competitiveness for the plastic and recycling industries in southern Ontario, diversify the economy and create jobs," says Daryl Kramp, a member of Canada’s Parliament for Prince Edward Island. "Our government is proud to support such an innovative project that will transform waste into products that can be re-used."

Mazda Motor Corp. (Hiroshima, Japan) and Japan Polypropylene (Tokyo) have commercialized a technology enabling 20% weight savings in polypropylene (PP) bumpers with a halving of cycle time to boot. The technology will be applied in the front and rear bumpers of the Mazda CX-5 SUV set to debut this spring as well as other upcoming new models.

Leading cable manufacturers and suppliers in the UAE and Middle East participated at the launching ceremony of Borouge and Borealis' inaugural Wire & Cable Academy in the Middle East that was held in Dubai on February 8, 2012.

The event themed "Bringing energy all around" provided an opportunity for the participants to share experience and knowledge and seek areas of collaboration with Borouge for the further development of the regional industry.

Toray Medical will manufacture a polysulfone membrane dialysis device, which it calls an artificial kidney, in a plant under construction in Qingdao, China.

In the dialysis process, solutions from a patient suffering kidney failure are diffused across a semipermeable membrane such as polysulfone film while circulating outside of the body. Urea and other waste products, potassium, and phosphate diffuse into the dialysis solution. Polysulfone dialysis membranes are well known to have excellent biocompatibility in clinical use.

Thermoformer Paragon Plastics Inc. plans to add 10,000 square feet of space to an adjacent building in Cocoa to provide more warehouse space and to expand its overall complex to 35,000 square feet.

“We’ll be breaking ground next month,” said David Trout, Paragon founder and president, in a telephone interview. He said the company is expanding a nearby 5,400 square foot building that it already owns, and that he hopes to have it completed by August.

As part of the change, the company has already added its second 3-station rotary thermoforming machine, and he plans to add another once the addition is completed. Paragon also has four single station machines.

Sabic's Innovative Plastics strategic business unit has expanded its technology and creative efforts at it's Mt. Vernon site. There was a ribbon cutting to launch the facility Monday.

Sabic's Innovative Plastics is an engineering thermoplastics firm that is working on solutions to enable safer, more durable products. Sanjay Mishra is the technology director for the company.

He says that this new state of the art pilot facility bridges the gap between the lab and the manufacturing plant.

FMCG giant Unilever UK has recently formed a new partnership with Torbay Council by providing additional financial support for the council’s mixed plastic recycling collections.   Share From early December, Torbay’s 60,000 households will be recycling mixed plastics,

adding them to their weekly combined kerbside collection to be sorted in transit. Materials that can now be included which previously went to landfill such as margarine and ice cream tubs and noodle pots. Unilever will offer support for the council’s operational and communications activities.