Injection Molding

A revived and growing automotive industry along with an overall strengthening in manufacturing made 2011 a banner year for robotics sales in North America. New statistics released by the Robotics Industries Assn. (RIA) last week (Feb. 2), showed a total of 19,337 robots valued at $1.7 billion were sold to companies in North America, beating the previous record of 18,228 robots sold in 2005.

Phillips Plastics Corp. announced that it has started the process of changing its name to Phillips-Medisize Corp., reflecting the acquisition of Medisize, Inc. last August.

It's not easy being a family-owned business competing in a global marketplace, and often the rules, regulations, laws and tax-codes of both the state and federal government do not make it any easier. In fact, for many family-owned business all of this adds a level of complexity that can be very detrimental in a number of ways.

The Center for Automotive Research (Ann Arbor, MI) has launched the Coalition of Automotive Lightweighting Materials (CALM) to support efforts by auto manufacturers to aggressively down-weight vehicles to improve performance, fuel economy and safety. Founding members include including Trexel, 3M, BASF, Plastic Omnium, Altair, EWI, Material Sciences Corp., Michelin, PPG Industries, and Shiloh Industries.

Tessy Plastics is investing $4.8 million to expand its plant in Lynchburg, VA, to target the medical disposables market.

The expansion will create 60 new jobs, according to an announcement by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

"As the second injection molding company expansion announcement in Virginia in the last 45 days, this project is testament to this important plastics processing sector," said McDonnell.

Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo) concluded a technical partnership agreement with Gordon Murray Design Limited (GMD; Shalford, U.K.) on the side-lines of the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011 aimed at promoting GMD's iStream hybrid production process in vehicle manufacture and other industrial sectors.

Schick has launched the first disposable razor to use 100% recycled plastic in the production of its handle.

Industrial Molds Group announced the addition of a Makino F-5 CNC high-speed machining center that will complete the company's robotics cell, which also has an S56 Makino high-speed machining center. Industrial Molds (Rockford, IL) is a manufacturer of injection molds specializing in complex part tools for Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers, industrial equipment, commercial appliance OEMs, medical and consumer packaging markets, building molds up to 1500 tons.

Japanese resin supplier Kaneka (Osaka) is claiming an industry first with development of a flame-retardant, glass fiber-reinforced PET grade that employs a non-halogenated flame retardant and can be utilized in environments exposed to temperatures of up to 150ºC.

Retirement brings with it a lot of major decisions, especially for company owners who've grown a successful business over many decades like James Dow, founder, President and CEO of Diversified Plastics Inc. While there are many options, the one that Dow chose to continue the success of his 35-year-old company was to sell to the employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).