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A new low-friction grade of polyacetal will be one of the focal points of a European exhibit of DuPont's polymer line for the healthcare field.

Delrin SC699 polyacetal was specifically developed for parts requiring precision molding in the healthcare industry and is compliant with regulations from the  U.S. Food and Drug Adminsitration (FDA) and European Union.

Metabolix Inc. has appointed Celeste Beeks Mastin to its board of directors. Mastin has more than 20 years of experience in the global chemicals and performance materials sector. Mastin recently served as CEO of building materials company MMI Products Inc.. Prior to MMI Products, she spent 17 years in the chemical industry, including stints with Ferro Corp. and Shell Chemical. Richard P.

Eastman Chemical Co. has acquired Solutia Inc. in a $4.7 billion transaction that Eastman says will broaden its geographic reach into emerging economies and expand its sustainable product offerings. Solutia, which supplies specialty films and additives into the automotive, building and construction, and renewable energy markets, formerly offered polyamide, before it sold that business to private equity firm SK Capital in 2009.

Most mold manufacturers are innovative, creative people and often develop products that prove to be a better "mouse trap" for solving complex molding solutions. Wade Clark, president and CEO of Electroform Inc., an injection mold manufacturer specializing in product development, automation and injection molding, is no exception.

Thermoplastic elastomer supplier Kraiburg TPE (Waldkraiburg, Germany) and toolmaker/molder Mues Products & Moulds GmbH (Kolbermoor, Germany), have joined forces to debut a new type of removable badge plate for engine covers in the automotive sector molded using a two-shot process.

A new gauge illustrates the increasing precision of medical processing in the United States.

Direct Flow Medical (Santa Rosa, CA) is now using an OptiGauge to design and perfect advanced catheter and balloon products for a minimally invasive implant used to treat patients with heart valve disease.

Everything heard on the street about what a good year 2011 was for mold manufacturers seems to be rolling over in 2012 according to the latest results from the American Mold Builders Assn.'s Winter 2012 Business Forecast Survey. Excellent current business conditions jumped 10 percentage points to 25% for survey respondents, from 15% for the same period a year ago. Current business conditions are good for 60% of the survey respondents, up 4 percentage points from a year ago, and fair for 15% -- down 5% from the Winter 2011 survey.

Specialty chemical company Rhodia, a member of the Solvay Group, and Dutch research and technology company Avantium announced today that they have entered into a partnership to jointly develop a range of new biobased polyamides.

This partnership expands and completes the previously announced development agreement in the field of bio-based engineering plastics between Solvay and Avantium.

The market for solar installations based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film panels will nearly double in size to $2.35 billion in 2015, as manufacturers signaled a breakout year in 2011 by taking advantage of falling production costs, improving module conversion efficiencies and increasing adoption in commercial rooftops. This according to a Lux Research (Boston, MA) report titled Sorting through the Maze of CIGS Technologies: Who Will Cash in on the Breakout Year?.

As February fast approaches, we're taking a look back at January's top stories on PlasticsToday for the plastic caps and closures segment.