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Invista (Wichita, KS) has signed an exclusive, long-term agreement with Petrochemical Conversion Company Ltd. (PCC; Jubail, Saudi Arabia)  to purchase and market polyamide 66 engineering resin manufactured at PCC's new world-scale PA 66 plant in Al-Jubail.

São Paulo—Vemax, a Brazilian supplier of specialty winding technology, is looking to open its first office outside of Brazil in the U.S. later this year, hoping to reinvigorate an export business that formerly constituted 70% of sales.

Since purchasing Gauge-Rite Inc. in September of 2011, Unique Tool & Gauge Inc., a mold manufacturer located in Windsor, ON has seen substantial growth in Gauge-Rite’s business. According to Darcy King, VP of Sales and Engineering for Unique Tool (www.unique-tool.com), taking on a new business is always a challenge – even if that business is complementary to the moldmaking business.

São Paulo—The Brazilian printing and inspection market is growing in size and technological clout, with local suppliers offering increasingly high-tech equipment. Altec, which began 30 years ago in the paper market, now sells web tension controllers, film inspection, and vision systems into a variety of spaces, including plastics.

Sales of new and refurbished pallets will expand 3.5% per year through 2017 to 1.3 billion units, valued at $16.9 billion, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry market research firm. Block pallets are expected to make up a larger share of the market total, and growing numbers of manufacturers will replace their existing stringer pallets with new block units.

São Paulo—Process temperature equipment supplier Mecalor is growing as rapidly as the Brazilian and Latin American plastics processing market it serves, while still maintaining its family ties. Speaking with PlasticsToday at the recent Feiplastic 2013 event, sales manager Flavio Pereira noted that the third generation of the founding family began employment at the company during the fair.

I recently came across an interesting article on The Guardian. No, this one was not about Edward Snowden and the NSA, but rather about a recent investment trend in Silicon Valley, which may provide a business opportunity for those in packaging. 

According to The Guardian, one of the "hottest" trends enticing Silicon Valley investors is centered on food, or more specifically, the future of our food. 

An alternative technology for lightweight carbon composite compressed natural gas and hydrogen fuel tanks that utilizes selective fiber placement leads to significant reduction in weight and cost - demonstrating more than 20% reduction in material utilization according to its developer Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (Lake Forest, CA).

Technologies to attack hospital infections are continuing to advance, including one that will be on display next week at MD&M East in Philadelphia

Infinity Compounding Corp. (Logan Township, NJ), is launching a new line of antimicrobial concentrates and compounds at MD&M East. The new Inhibit antimicrobial additives are based on silver functionalized clay and prevent growth of bacteria, fungus and other microorganisms in a variety of applications.

Reifenhäuser Group has acquired Nuova Protex, an Italian manufacturer of take-up winding systems for synthetic fibers including monofilaments, multifilaments, raffia, flat tape and strapping tape as well as supplementary components. The company, which had collaborated with Reifenhäuser for more than 25 years, will become part of Reifenhäuser's Reimotech subsidiary.