Industry Watch 20348

DELCAM ACQUIRES FEATURECAM PARENT
Delcam has acquired Engineering Geometry Systems (EGS), supplier of FeatureCAM, with an eye toward increasing market share and geographic coverage for both product lines.

Delcam’s managing director, Hugh Humphreys, notes that both companies posted sales records in 2004, so it makes sense to continue strengthening both product lines and market both worldwide. He says that all EGS management and staff are staying with the company. It is expected that FeatureCAM’s North American market penetration will help Delcam gain users there, while Delcam’s presence in 60 countries will give EGS a fuller global presence. Besides North America, FeatureCAM currently has markets in Italy, Japan, and the U.K.

The company feels the product lines are complementary. FeatureCAM, says Delcam, is strong in automated and feature-based production machining, while Delcam’s PowerMill machining software is strong in the complex shapes common in moldmaking.—RN

GLOBAL FRONT-END ALLIANCE
A cooperative agreement has been forged between screw and barrel supplier Westland Corp. (Wichita, KS) and a premier supplier to the European and Asian bimetallic barrel business, Reiloy, a division of Reifenhauser Group (Troisdorf, Germany). Using Reiloy’s cast barrel blanks, Westland is now manufacturing wear-resistant bimetallic barrels for timely and cost-effective Stateside distribution. Reiloy has a reputation for supplying high-quality barrel blanks that reportedly are said to be free from distortion. This obviates the need for straightening operations and stress-relief annealing. Though popular elsewhere, U.S. molders have, until now, faced difficulties sourcing Reiloy barrel blanks.

“The cooperative effort between Westland and Reiloy will provide an avenue for domestic processors to obtain the same high level of efficiency being experienced by foreign molders processing with the Reiloy cast bimetallic barrels,” says Dave Larson, president of Westland Corp.—CK

PLASTICS VISIONARIES
BASF received more than 200 submissions to its “Tell us Your Dreams” contest launched at K 2004 in Germany last October. Everyone was invited to submit ideas and wishes in the realm of plastics. Thomas Fritzsche, contest mentor and head of sales for electrical applications of BASF’s engineering plastics, says the entries range from technically sophisticated with business potential to socially beneficial to extraordinary flights of fancy.Almost half came from Germany, the rest from Europe and beyond. First prize, worth e5000 ($6580), went to a pair of German women for a portable food warmer with a reusable heating module. In second place was a plastic that acts as a reactive sponge to pick up air or water pollutants. Third place was an all-plastic, corrosion-proof exhaust system that BASF says is ahead of its time, but feasible in the not-too-distant future. Fourth place went to Luke Hogan of Littleover, England, who submitted five ideas, including a jacket that can be inflated for winter and could contain sensors for tracking lost skiers and climbers. In all, 20 prizes were awarded, and BASF is evaluating some of them as potential research projects or active projects in its business units. Visit www.basf.de/plasticdreams for more details.—RN

WHAT CHINESE HONEYMOON?The honeymoon in China, if there was one, is over, according to Johannes Wyrwoll of Volkswagen Group China. He spoke at a joint session of ECMSA (European Chemical Marketing & Strategy Assn.) and CWD (Chemical World Database) in Brussels on March 15, 2005 called, “Pros, Cons, and Experiences of the China Investment Boom.” He said recent events point to a slowing in China’s growth, and that its economy is showing signs of becoming cyclical. But more specifically for auto suppliers, he said overcapacity in the auto sector is leading to falling prices for car manufacturers. He then noted that cost pressures are being passed back down the value chain. We doubt that surprises anyone in the molding business.—RN

EMPOWERING BRAINPOWER
In exchange for the use of their laboratory facilities as training and technical resources, Demag Plastics Group (Strongsville, OH) has agreed to support plastics programs at two U.S. colleges.DPG reportedly was the first machine builder to supply a press to Pennsylvania State University at Erie, the Behrend College (Erie, PA), when its plastics engineering program started in 1988. That 200-tonner’s still being used in PSU Erie’s 7200-sq-ft lab. With the new agreement, DPG has contributed a 50-ton model of its Multi series of multimolding machines to the school. DPG also has contributed a 110-ton IntElect all-electric to the West Georgia Technical College (LaGrange, GA). WGTC is a member of a training partnership between Georgia’s plastics industry, Georgia Quick Start, and the Georgia Dept. of Technical & Adult Education. In 2004, WGTC graduated 11 students in plastics-related courses, according to college officials. PSU Erie Behrend is said to have graduated 45 students with degrees in plastics engineering technology during its 2003-2004 academic year. About 20% went on to grad school. The rest are project, design, and process engineers now working in industry.—CK

DSM DOUBLING CHINESE CAPACITY
DSM is relocating production facilities from its current site in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province in China to the Jiangyin Hitech Development Zone. DSM plans to add new compounding lines for its Stanyl PA46, Akulon PA6, and Arnite polyesters, and its relocated production equipment will receive an upgrade. The facility will double DSM’s Chinese capacity when it opens in early 2006. The company’s Asia-Pacific regional development center, also in Jiangyin, will expand its capabilities and move into the new facility. DSM says the investment—tens of millions of U.S. dollars—will include leading-edge compounding technology and environmental and safety systems.—RN

WANTED: HALL OF FAME NOMINEES
Induction of living individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the plastics industry into the Plastics Hall of Fame will occur in a lavish ceremony on Tuesday, June 19, 2006, during NPE 2006 in Chicago. You’ve got until Dec. 16, 2005 to nominate someone you feel deserves induction.

According to John R. Kretzschmar, chairman of the Plastics Academy, which acts as the administrator of the Plastics Hall of Fame, “Nominations may come from any interested party. Our recently adopted procedures have streamlined the nominating process and increased our ability to identify and honor those who have made the industry great.”

Nomination forms can be obtained by writing to the Plastics Academy at 210 Lancaster St., Leominster, MA 01453 (phone (978) 537-9529); by e-mailing [email protected]; or at www.plasticshalloffame.com. All nominees will be screened by a Plastics Academy officers’ committee, which will recommend up to 12 individuals for final consideration by Plastics Hall of Fame living members. Up to nine people will be selected for induction at the dinner and ceremony at NPE 2006.—CK

SHORT SHOTS
SMC Ltd. Molding & Mfg., a supplier to medical device markets, has opened a new 100,000-sq-ft molding and contract manufacturing facility in Amery, WI, which contains 80,000 sq ft for manufacturing, including Class 10,000 cleanroom precision molding and assembly and a 20,000-sq-ft warehouse. The new lean facility reportedly contains focused workcell modules with project-specific machine placements. Lot control, validations, certification, and record retention are managed by thoroughly integrated quality systems. Multimolding is a company specialty, as are decorating, EMI/RFI shielding, and supply chain management. Call (715) 247-3500 for more information.

As of April 1, hot runner systems supplier Mastip Technology Ltd. (Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand) began direct U.S. sales through its regional support office in Menomonee Falls, WI. The office also will continue to support Mastip distributors in Canada and Mexico, and additional technical experts and marketing staff will be brought on board to facilitate the company’s growth in the Nafta region.

The American Mold Builders Assn. (Roselle, IL) has named William Kushmaul, founder and president of Tech Mold Inc. (Tempe, AZ), as the recipient of the 2005 AMBA Mold Builder of the Year Award, which was presented to him at its annual convention in Key West, FL. “It’s the highest honor anyone can receive when your peers recognize you with something like this,” Kushmaul said. “I’m thrilled and honored.”

Husky IMS Ltd. (Bolton, ON) has named Michael Evitts as VP of machines. Evitts joins Husky after more than 30 years of service with John Deere. Most recently he was GM of John Deere’s $1.3 billion tractor operations in Georgia, where he led the introduction of lean manufacturing practices, which he’s expected to do at Husky in addition to being responsible for Husky’s Hylectric, Quadloc, and HyPET presses.

It’s that time of year again. The Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. (Washington, DC) is seeking feedback from you for its 43rd annual Financial & Operating Ratios Survey, which SPI sources say is designed to “take the pulse” of the plastics processing industry to help you manage your business. Survey participants can gauge their company’s confidential ranking in more than 100 key business metrics. A list of survey participants, a copy of the original questionnaire, and formulas for ratios are included in the surveys, which are provided free to participating companies. They can also be purchased from SPI by nonparticipants for a fee. You can complete the survey online by clicking on the link under “What’s New” at www.socplas.org. For more information contact the SPI’s Tommy Southall at (202) 974-5257.

ASQ Quality Press has just published the second edition of The Quality Toolbox. Updated and expanded, this edition contains a comprehensive reference of 148 quality tools and variations, with step-by-step instructions and examples quality pros can use. ASQ Quality Press is a subsidiary of The American Society for Quality (Milwaukee, WI), which is the sole administrator of the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.

Moog Inc. (East Aurora, NY) has acquired ProControl AG (Flawil, Switzerland), a provider of motion control technology for injection molding machines, including multiaxis drivers, motion control software, and servomotors.

Fast Heat Inc. (Elmhurst, IL), a manufacturer of hot runner systems and electric heating elements, has opened a new sales, tech service, and manufacturing center in Shanghai, China. It also operates a facility in Singapore to serve the Asian marketplace.