This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Like a stress test on steroids, the pandemic took full measure of Plastics Technology’s Top Shops as it exacerbated or revealed preexisting conditions around labor, the supply chain and more.

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

In a world of rising costs and uncertain market conditions, the ability to wring maximum profits from existing business was truly the mark of a Top Shop in 2022.

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

At Pioneer Plastics, the goal of “focused growth” is achieved through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). “This system has guided us to be focused on our niche and not chase rainbows,” Aretz says.

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

Looking at value-added services, Top Shops were more likely to provide additive manufacturing, contract manufacturing and inventory stocking/logistics, but less likely to offer customers product design, product testing and shipping/packaging/labeling than the other survey takers.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

In total, 17 companies were honored as Top Shops for 2023, hailing from 11 states, five countries and three continents, with winners’ locations ranging from Australia to Canada, Europe to the U.S. and down into Mexico.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

Workers at Plastikos Medical position one of its latest molding machines on its new cleanroom floor. Photo Credit: Plastikos Medical

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

The Action Box project apparently came out of the COVID-19 lockdown, when the two hobbyists spent their “leisure time building some crazy machines for the home shop.” They decided to document their builds and, through their videos, hope to “spark ideas in other young and innovative entrepreneurs.”

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

Step-by-step instructions for building the desktop DIY injection molding machine are on the Action Box channel on YouTube.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

“At Core Technology we view our supplier customer relationship as a long-term strategic partnership,” Frederick says. “Not everybody gets it right on the first try, but with sustainability and continual improvement, we are able to find and keep our long-term partnerships.”

“Our team is continually on the lookout for opportunities to identify alternative raw materials that may yield some savings,” Plastikos’ Katen says. “Our engineering team will collaborate with our strategic customers to sample and qualify those alternative raw materials via a formal, engineering continuous-improvement project.” One such project recently netted one of Plastikos’ global medical device customers $1 million in annual savings per production line, of which the company has five, resulting in $5 million in total savings per year.

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

Top Shops, on average, molded more parts (82 million vs. 36 million) from more active tools (248 vs. 197), but did so with a similar number of machines (26 at Top Shops, 32 for the rest), which averaged roughly the same age — 10 years for honorees versus 12 for the rest. Where the groups diverged with regard to their presses was in machine size and utilization of hybrid units, with top shops deploying combination electric/hydraulic machines at a rate almost double that of other facilities.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Noting that profits are only trumped by people and safety in terms of prioritization at Core Technology Molding Corp., Greensboro, North Carolina, Brandon Frederick says maintaining margins is fundamental for the newly named Top Shop. “Our strategy to protect margins starts with clearly identifying the cost of goods sold (CoGS),” Frederick says. “Negotiating with suppliers to find out how we both can win, continuously training our staff and maximizing the use of our ERP system are keys.”

Today, more than ever, granulation is an important step in the total production process. Our expert explains a few of the many common traps to avoid when thinking about granulators

While the leaders of Plastics Technology’s annual benchmarking survey generated 69% more total revenue, 87% greater gross sales per machine and 59% higher gross sales per employee than the rest of the study’s participants, it was the yawning gap in profit margin between the two groups of molders — 16% vs. 1% — that delineated the best from the rest in 2022.

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

An average of 76% of Top Shops reported running machines up to 100 tons in clamp force compared to just 56% for others. Although roughly three quarters of all survey participants utilized machines from 101-500 tons, only 6% of Top Shops have machines in the 501-1,000 ton range in their facilities, compared to 43% for others, and just 12% of Top Shops run anything above 1,000 tons, compared to 26% of other facilities.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

While few Top Shops served the aerospace/commercial (23%) and aerospace/general aviation (29%) markets, this participation greatly outstripped the participation of the rest of the survey in those sectors, with just 8% winning business in each among the rest of the survey takers. Elsewhere, both saw pluralities in medical (53% for Top Shops and 54% for others), while fewer honorees worked in automotive (41% to 50%).

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

“Plastikos is very targeted and strategic in our custom selection to identify and work with those customers that strategically fit with our unique company culture, business vision, internal operation and related processes,” Katen says. In addition to how it seeks new customers, the same strategic thinking applies to winnowing out customers, jobs and molds that are no longer a fit, a process Katen calls “pruning.”

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

Now in its seventh year, the annual, free and anonymous Top Shops benchmarking survey of injection molders gathers up and analyzes demographic data, performance indicators, and business and process strategies. The Intelligence unit of Plastics Technology’s publisher, Gardner Business Media, scores a selection of performance metrics from the questionnaire, and the highest scoring companies were named Top Shops for 2023 based on their 2022 operations.

Determining the source of streaking or contamination in your molded parts is a critical step in perfecting your purging procedures ultimately saving you time and money.

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

Fully 88% of Top Shops access and use customer forecasts (with 81% of others also doing so), and 71% of 2023 honorees utilize customer surveys to guide their business compared to 39% of the remaining respondents.

Alex Aretz (right) and Ben Aretz inspect a mold at Pioneer Plastics. Family-run businesses were prevalent throughout 2023 Top Shops. Photo Credit: Pioneer Plastics

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda:  Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

In addition to locking in resin pricing where possible, Top Shops also help their customers settle on a material, or switch to a new one, based on extensive consultation. “Our customers are looking for PlastiCert to be their material and molding expert,” Porter says, “and they recognize the added value of our expertise. With new customers, we work closely with them on mold design in conjunction with component design for molding, as well as resin selection and order-volume optimization.”

If you’re the type who likes to bring their work home with them, that can be problematic when you’re in the injection molding field. Those machines won’t easily fit into your average home workshop, let alone through your front door. A couple of hobbyists in Canada have a solution — a DIY injection molding machine that can fit on almost any desktop.

Such close customer collaboration dictates that Tops Shops are selective in the companies they seek to work with and the jobs they take on. When it comes to active customers (41 vs. 200), monthly quotes (11 vs. 45), and customer-retention rate (99% vs. 87%), Top Shops overall sought less business from fewer clients but with better outcomes and greater loyalty.

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

“Our team is continually on the lookout for opportunities to identify alternative raw materials that may yield some savings.”

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

Communications with suppliers and customers can enable bulk buys. “Utilizing bulk purchase orders with release dates helps both Pioneer and our supplier know when and what materials we need,” Aretz says.

“Pioneer Plastics is a family business,” Aretz says, “and one of our core values is to be dependable to all by treating everyone as your customer. If we want our employees to treat everyone like a customer, we had better treat our customer with the highest respect.”

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

All the Top Shops were custom molders, while 8% of the rest of the survey takers represented a captive operation. Both groups came with an average of more than three decades in business (31 years for Top Shops and 33 for the rest), with Top Shops occupying slightly less space on average (62,000 ft2 vs. 79,000 ft2).

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

Plastics Technology’s 2020 Top Shops benchmarking survey reveals that the most effective molders are, not surprisingly, the most efficient, accomplishing more than their peers from a smaller manufacturing footprint.

PlastiCert’s business model is focused on low-to-medium volume jobs for complex components that utilize engineering resins. Photo Credit: PlastiCert

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

Maintaining margins directly relates to managing costs, and the biggest cost for nearly all molders is resin. While 65% of Top Shops reported that average resin prices increased in 2022, with a combined 35% saying costs decreased or stayed the same, fully 85% of other survey participants said resin prices increased with just 15% noting that they decreased or stayed the same.

Core Technology, which is owned by Geoff and Tonya Foster, credits is family-like culture with keeping turnover at less than 2% during a “war for technical talent,” Frederick says. In addition to increased medical benefits, the company has taken its employees on all-expense-paid trips, visiting Cabo San Lucas this year, with trips to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Orlando in past years.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

The video on the Action Box channel on Youtube describes the step-by-step process for building the Injekto molding machine, with the operative word being simplicity. You won’t need a machine shop at home, and you can even build the mold itself using a DIY CNC machine. Instructions for building one also are on the Action Box channel.

In 2022, Core started Molding Kids for Success, focused on providing STEM education opportunities for underserved youth, aged 10-14. Photo Credit: Core Technology Molding

“Plastikos and Plastikos Medical are a private, closely-held family business,” Katen says, “and that business structure affords us with the ability to take a very long-term approach and view to our businesses … As a multigenerational family business, the leadership team evaluates key strategic decisions from a perspective spanning generations rather than through the much shorter time frame lens that a publicly-traded, private equity or outside investor lead company would employ.”

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics:  Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

Core Technology Molding quotes at least 75% of incoming jobs with advanced automation. Photo Credit: Core Technology Molding

At PlastiCert, Lewiston, Minnesota, Owner and President Craig Porter says the custom molder uses a combination of supplier and customer collaboration to achieve the best resin pricing possible. “Through use of our ERP system, our suppliers know that our order and forecast numbers are reliable, inspiring somewhat flexible terms and conditions,” Porter says. “Our customers work with us to provide blanket orders and reliable forecasts, allowing us to make firmer resin commitments.”

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

In terms of materials processed, Top Shops used more polyolefins, PVC, engineering resins and bioplastics than the full slate of survey takers, but both groups reported utilizing recycled resin: 59% for honorees and 58% for others. Top Shops processed a lower mass of material — 4.2 million lb compared to 5.8 million lb — but from a greater variety of materials with an average of 35 different resins processed compared to 23.

For Plastikos and Plastikos Medical (both Erie, Pennsylvania), healthy profit margins are “vital” to success, explains Philip Katen, president and general manager. “Our profitability serves as the lifeblood to support our internal purchases and investments, including investments in our team, our equipment, our facilities, our technology and numerous continuous improvement projects that are in the works at any given time,” Katen says.

“Our business model is centered around long-term contracts and protecting the customer at all costs,” Core’s Frederick says. “One of the risks is cost transparency and, more often than not, we have to revisit raw material costs, but the ability to accurately forecast and keeping the supplier informed has proved to be invaluable.”

Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

The survey found that 88% of Top Shops are family owned, compared to 75% of the rest of the respondents, a fact that some of the honorees view as a contributing factor to their high performance.

“Margins are key for any business,” explains Pete Aretz, owner of Top Shops honoree Pioneer Plastics Inc., Marinette, Wisconsin. “As a job shop, we focus on reducing waste, cycle time and labor where we can.” This effort includes a tactic as simple, but effective, as scheduling out runs of the same material to decrease purging and downtime between jobs.

Fully 94% of Top Shops, including PlastiCert pictured here, have an in-house toolroom with 94% of those used for mold repair. Photo Credit: PlastiCert

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

“We utilize larger order quantities/bulk buys, including collaborating and partnering with our OEM customers to leverage their buying power where possible,” Katen at Plastikos says. “They may have that power via a more holistic view of their larger supplier chain that includes multiple injection molding suppliers running the same grades of raw material for the OEM.”

Other DIY projects on the channel include a CNC router, spot welder, and — you guessed it — a Mandalorian-inspired flamethrower. I didn’t watch that Action Box video, but I would be deeply disappointed if at some point during the step-by-step instructions, one of the fellows didn’t say: “This is the way.”

Five industry pros with more than 200 years of combined molding experience provide step-by-step best practices on mounting a mold in a horizontal injection molding machine.

Higher costs for materials, wages, utilities and more, coupled with delivery difficulties for both incoming supplies and outgoing production, posed unique challenges to 2022’s class of Top Shops.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

When determining the best ejection option for a tool, molders must consider the ejector’s surface area, location and style.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.