Mexico

Polyethylene (PE) spot prices rallied $0.005-$0.01/lb last week and overall spot supplies remain limited. Michael Greenberg, CEO of plastics spot-trading platform The Plastics Exchange (TPE), said producers successfully implemented a $0.08/lb price increase onto February contracts, and with ethylene monomer costs continuing to rise, they now have their sights set on enforcing a $0.06/lb increase for March. No respite in April, with a $0.05/lb increase announced.

Husky Injection Molding Systems (Bolton, ON) finished 2009 with a 19% decline in revenues, watching sales fall from $1.2 billion in 2008 to approximately $1 billion last year. According to the financial filings by the company's private equity owner, Onex Corp. (Toronto), revenues were down in all regions, except Latin America, where they rose 13%. Elsewhere, Asia (-3%), North America (-23%), and Europe (-31%) all experienced declines.

Silgan Plastics LLC has signed an agreement giving it exclusive rights to supply multilayer thin-wall containers utilizing Kortec (Ipswich, MA) technology throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Under terms of the agreement, Silgan has made purchase commitments and has agreed to promote Kortec multilayer technology in specific markets, including wet pet foods; fruit cups; and microwaveable cups, bowls, and trays for ready-to-eat soups, stews, and meals.

Machine tool supplier Makino (Mason, OH) has opened a new technology center in Querétaro, Mexico, offering local customers machine tool and part sales, local service, training and technology support, and application engineering services. Located in the Parque Industrial El Marqués, the 7816-ft² facility also houses a showroom with machines for high-speed milling applications and EDM.

Contract manufacturer Nypro (Clinton, MA) has sold its Chihuahua, Mexico operation to New York based private equity fund Monomoy Capital Partners LP, which will roll the business into its Fortis Plastics LLC unit, a injection molding and extrusion business that formed in late 2008 through acquisitions from Leggett & Platt Inc. and Atlantis Plastics Inc.

Compounder A. Schulman (Akron, OH) has expanded capacity for specialty engineered nylons, polyesters, and high-performance alloys at its San Luis Potosi, Mexico facility. The additional annual capacity of 5 million lb will target specific niche customers in Mexico, Latin America, and North America. Jennifer Beeman, director of corporate communications and investor relations at A.

The Mexican Supplier Report from Supplier Business (Stamford, UK) provides detailed analysis of the country's automotive industry, including industry growth drivers, automotive clusters and competitiveness, and emergence of other low-cost countries. Also included are detailed profiles of over 75 key suppliers in Mexico. The 380-page report is available in PDF format at $1615.

Although often the unsung heroes in a plastics processor’s compound recipe, additives’ pace of development is as swift or swifter than in any other corner of the industry. The benefits of these, too, are as far-reaching as with any other development: Improved mechanical properties, weight savings, energy savings, and improved efficiency are just some of the benefits additives can bring to a processor’s game.

Want to get your plastics-related technology in front of a most influential audience? The deadline for filing the abstract for a paper to be presented at the Society of Plastics Engineers ANTEC 2010 conference (Orlando, FL, May 16-20) is coming up on September 4, 2009. Don’t panic; you can make it!

Compounding extruder manufacturer Farrel Corp. (Ansonia, CT) has retained ABC Plasticos for representation to the plastics processing industry in Mexico. Farrel had a rep in that country until about 12 months ago.