Is Your Record Really Made of Vinyl? - molding polystyrene/Is Your Record Really Made of Vinyl?

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Is Your Record Really Made of Vinyl? - molding polystyrene

Author：gly Date: 2024-09-30

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.

At the start of 2021, as it does every year, Plastics Technology asked injection molders to look back on the year prior and take stock of their operations. The only difference this time: COVID-19.

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.

Allegheny Performance Plastics specializes in molding parts from high-temperature resins for demanding applications as part of its mission to take on jobs ‘no one else does.’

True to the adjective in its name, Dynamic Group has been characterized by constant change, activity and progress over its nearly five decades as a medical molder and moldmaker.

Now in its fifth year, this benchmarking survey of injection molders queries participants on demographic data, performance indicators, and business and process strategies. A selection of those performance metrics are then scored, with the highest scoring companies named Top Shops for 2021 based on their 2020 operations. The Top Shops display some stark contrasts with all other entrants, but in many ways they are quite similar.

US Merchants’ Ontario, California, injection molding facility features 46 1,200-ton LS Mtron injection molding machines. Photo Credit: US Merchants

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.

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

In fact, average plant-floor employee age, plastics/manufacturing experience, turnover rate and hourly wages were nearly identical for all survey participants—41/40 yrs; 17/16 yrs; 17/16% ; and $17/$16—for Top Shops/Others in all those categories, respectively.

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.

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

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

The 2019 Plastics Technology Top Shops Survey shows that for its highest-rated respondents, injection molding is just one element in a growing suite of services and capabilities offered to customers.

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

Fully 70% of Top Shops perform regular, formal business reviews, compared with 54% of others, with 83% of Top Shops applying business-metric goal setting vs. 42% of others. And 87% of Top Shops have regular management meetings, compared with just 63% of others.

In June 2023, US Merchants opened a facility in Glendale, Arizona, covering nearly 640,000 square feet, which will have 69 LS Mtron presses when fully commissioned, including 2,500-ton and all-electric machines. A second facility is coming to Houston, and the company will be opening its first international molding facilities in Montreal and the U.K. The molding operation we tour in Ontario, which was purchased in 2017, has 46 1,200-ton LS Mtron presses divided into three rows.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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

In terms of physical space, individual employees and machine fleet, the two groups in this year’s benchmarking survey were virtually indistinguishable. The average floor space of a Top Shops entrant was 88,184 ft2, with the rest averaging 79,614 ft2. Total employees at Top Shops averaged 95 vs. 98 at other entrants, with workers directly involved in plant-floor operations coming in at 73 for Top Shops and 78 at all others.

Where the gap between the groups widens further is the volume of resins processed, with Top Shops nearly doubling the other entrants’ poundage, running an average of 22.3 million lb of material in 2020 vs. 12.5 million lb average for the others. In addition to more material, our honorees processed more kinds of resins. Top Shops ran an average of 43 different material categories, compared to 18 for the remaining survey participants.

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.

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

Now the owner of hundreds of injection molding machines, Jeff Green speaks frankly about his company’s molding knowledge when he acquired his first presses in 2014. “We didn’t know anything about injection molding,” Green says. “I knew as much about injection molding as you know about flying a 747 airplane.”

Beyond Plastic and partners have created a certified biodegradable PHA compound that can be injection molded into 38-mm closures in a sub 6-second cycle from a multicavity hot runner tool.

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

Working closely with Steve Gwon and his machinery distribution company E Solution Inc., Hirate and US Merchants soon switched over to LS Mtron injection molding machines. Eventually, Gwon and Hirate would help US Merchants not only source machines but molds, hot runner controllers, auxiliaries, robots, chillers, material handling systems, gantry cranes, mold tilters and more. Beyond sourcing, they also gave the rookie molder advice on everything from part design and employee recruiting to laying out and commissioning new plants.

“We listen to each others’ ideas to make the best choices and become closer as a team,” IEMSA’s Salazar says. “We also allow doubts and mistakes to happen—we let the learning process be part of our daily life—always taking care of the situation and solving the issues.”

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Jeff Green, president and CEO of US Merchants, grew his business alongside the warehouse club stores that emerged in the ‘80s. Photo Credit: US Merchants

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.

Automation is a must-have for molders of pipettes. Make sure your supplier provides assurances of throughput and output, manpower utilization, floor space consumption and payback period.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

On the equipment side, the average fleet size for Top Shops and the other respondents registered at 21 and 20 injection molding machines, respectively. So, we are looking at basically the same amount of workers utilizing the same amount of machines in the same amount of space for the two groups, but there are also some key differences.

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.

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

“I don’t say I have the best standard in the world, but we live or die by what our standard is, so we don’t cut corners. That doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes — we make mistakes like everybody else. We try to learn from our mistakes and not let them happen a second time, but we don’t make mistakes because we’re trying to cut corners to make a larger margin. If I give you a better price, it’s coming out of my margin, never out of the quality of the product.”

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.

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.

“My personal belief is quality stands the test of time,” Green says, “and so we as a company don’t cut any corners. I believe that making the highest quality product in the industry, you have the longest staying power.” With its molded products, that ethos extends to the removal of any flash and, if need be, to avoid warp and produce a tote that closes cleanly and securely off the press, longer cycle times.

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.

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

In terms of sustainability measures, monomaterial structures are already making good headway and will evolve even further.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Specifically, Green and US Merchants credit Shingo Hirate, president of equipment distributor Hirate America Inc., Anaheim, California, with helping the company understand what would be needed to get started in injection molding. Green and Larry Khemlani, US Merchants VP of Operations, met Hirate while walking a plastics trade show, and Hirate’s willingness to get into the nuts and bolts of starting a molding business from scratch won him a new and prodigious customer. US Merchants would order four full molding machine cells from Hirate shortly thereafter and then another three in quick succession.

In the hallway leading to the conference room, the walls are decorated with two of Green’s formidable collections: sports memorabilia and patents for his packaging and product display concepts that are now ubiquitous at retailers, including the warehouse club stores that he grew alongside starting in the 1980s.

The new industrial event from the publisher of Plastics Technology will feature data, sourcing and technology updates for manufacturing businesses, including injection molders.

Materials run by our survey entrants largely tracked along similar lines, with other shops running slightly more polyolefins than Top Shops (63% to 52%), while Top Shops processed more engineering resins (87% to 76%). Only in LSR and bioplastics was the gap noticeably wide, with 9% of Top Shops running LSR and 17% bioplastics, compared with 2% and 7%, respectively, for other plants.

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.

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

Start by picking a target melt temperature, and double-check data sheets for the resin supplier’s recommendations. Now for the rest...

As US Merchants’ business has grown, so has its capabilities, driven by Green’s intense interest in maximum control over everything that can impact his business. “You could say I’m something of a very controlling individual,” Green says. “I always felt that we need to control our own destiny. When you have to farm things out to third parties, you’re only asking for issues with delivery and excuses why something can’t be done.”

A nearly identical number of all survey participants said their facilities featured an in-house tool room (78% of Top Shops and 77% of all others), with both groups utilizing them in equal measure for mold building (rather than just repairs)—44% of Top Shops and 41% of other entrants. While 36% of Top Shops’ molds featured hot runners, only 22% of tools at the other facilities applied this technology. Only 9% of the Top Shops’ tools and 8% of the other entrants’ molds had more than 16 cavities.

“We are very open and honest with our employees and communicate frequently on the state of our business and outlook,” Murphy says. “We have always had a great culture at PRD where everyone feels like family. For some it is just a job, but many feel ownership and accountability for our success. We try to provide clear production goals, learn from our mistakes and celebrate our successes.”

Another guiding principle for Green and his wife, Marie, who is also his business partner since the tennis shop, is to use that reputation for attention to detail and quality to secure order commitments prior to taking on new jobs or new markets. “Our formula, my wife and mine, has not changed since we started our business with our little tennis store,” Green says. “We don’t really do anything unless we have a commitment. Typically, a customer of ours will come to us and say, ‘Can you make…?’”

Beginning in retail himself in 1979 with a tennis store in Beverly Hills dubbed with the pun-intended name — The Merchants of Tennis — Green grew into the wholesale business at a time in the early ‘80s when warehouse club chains were just getting started. One of Green’s patents is for the Pallet Program he devised as a means for those retailers to turn pallets of shrink-wrapped and boxed-up goods into ready-to-go, point-of-purchase displays with nothing more than a box cutter.

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

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.

Back in 2014, one of those manufacturers requested something that wasn’t on the menu, asking US Merchants if it could make it a better 27-gallon storage container. “I do have engineers in my packaging and machine area that understand what injection molding is and they said to me, ‘Jeff, this product requires different equipment than what we currently have,’ and so I said, ‘Will you look into it and let me know what the cost is,’ and I went back the very next day to the customer and said, ‘If you give me a commitment…’ — because we don't do anything unless we have a firm commitment — and that customer gave me a commitment, sight unseen. I guaranteed that the product would be better than what they were currently selling. I went ahead and I bought some equipment, and that’s how I got into the injection molding business.”

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.

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

Markets served for both groups largely mirror each other, except for two sectors: medical/healthcare and building/construction. While 74% of the other respondents serve the building/construction market, only 35% of Top Shops generate business from it. And 74% of Top Shops have medical customers, vs. 54% of other survey respondents.

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

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.

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

US Merchants’ newest Glendale, Arizona, facility covers nearly 640,000 square feet and will have 69 LS Mtron presses when fully commissioned.

Over the years and owing in part to Green’s desire for maximum control, US Merchants vertically integrated everything from graphic and package design to thermoforming and thermoform die manufacturing to shipping and logistics with his own fleet of trucks. “Our business started to grow, and not just in packaging,” Green says, “but now we offer a nice menu of items that a manufacturer or retailer can select from, be it packaging or logistics or transportation or buying the product and reselling it, which a lot of manufacturers like. We’re really a turnkey solution for them.”

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

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.

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.

At the end of the three rows of machines at the Ontario injection molding facility, some totes and other molded products are marked NCM (nonconforming materials) and will be scrapped. Khemlani notes NCM represents less than 1% of the company’s output, with the parts in question not meeting US Merchants rigid and rigorous standards, which are another core tenet of Green’s business philosophy.

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.

Because of the wrinkle of the global pandemic, or perhaps in spite of it, Plastics Technology’s annual Top Shops survey received its best-ever response as injection molders seemed anxious to take a deep dive into operations that stayed open as essential businesses, while other segments of the broader economy faltered.

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

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.

Nowadays, many of those new requests make use of the company’s now extensive injection molding capabilities, including new sizes of totes and a line of molded plastic glassware. “If you ask me: have I ever made a drinking glass before — the answer would be no. Do I feel that the drinking glasses that we’re going to be coming out with are going to be exceptionally good and very well received? Absolutely.”

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

Meetings may be the bane of many in the business world, and certainly the running butt of a slew of jokes, but the communication, goal setting and goal measuring that well-designed and organized meetings facilitate are very much a part of Top Shops’ winning strategies.

While this is technically a survey of injection molders, in reality, nearly all of its participants are more accurately described as contract manufacturers. A purchase order for molding a single component dropped from the cavity with nothing else done to it—inspection, decoration, assembly, packaging—is most definitely not the business model for today’s molders. Fully 78% of Top Shops and 81% of other shops provide assembly for customers, with 70% of Top Shops and 60% of the remaining survey respondents offering customers collaborative design services. Where Top Shops go even further is in shipping/packaging/labeling, with 87% of our honorees providing those services, compared with 66% of others.

“The biggest challenge was the unknown,” explains Mark Murphy, president of molder and moldmaker PRD Inc. in Springville, Ind.—one of PT’s 23 newest Top Shops. “We had gone for so many years with growing sales and a growing economy. We knew this could probably be the event that brought it all to a halt.”

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

Fully 83% of Top Shops and 80% of other shops experienced a skills gap in 2020, with all participants looking to address the issue, just in different ways. On the people side, Top Shops outstripped other respondents in flexible schedules, mentor programs, and outreach at local schools by 18, eight and 26 percentage points, respectively. As for partnering with area schools for open houses or staff recruitment, 64% of Top Shops took that step, while only 28% of the other respondents did so.

When Plastics Technology visited US Merchants’ original Ontario facility where those first seven injection molding machines are still molding totes, the packaging/logistics side of the operation was packing up everything from skateboards and boots to batteries and bags, with finished pallets marked for delivery to New Zealand, Japan, China and destinations beyond. Forklifts navigated a towering maze of shrink-wrapped pallets ready to be loaded onto trucks, including Green’s own. The full scope of the operations is a bit overwhelming, but it all makes sense to Green. “To an outside person,” Green says, “it looks very convoluted, but the truth of the matter is it’s like a jigsaw puzzle — everything fits into place.”

“We think our coworkers have a feel for how our operation is doing and strive to maintain a high level of engagement in operational efficiency and quality,” Porter says, noting that PlastiCert has a monthly “all coworker” meeting, which has become two meetings an hour apart as the business grows. In these meetings, leadership communicates revenue trends, areas of operational interest, new internal developments, and items of interest in the surrounding community. “We also pick a customer to tell workers more about how what we do for that customer contributes to its mission,” Porter says.

“I can give a customer a delivery date,” Green says, “and I know that I can meet that date. Why? Because we control the entire process. We do all that in-house and we control it, so I know that if I give somebody a promise, I’m going to be able to deliver because we do everything in-house.”

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.

Examining other key metrics more closely, we see that Top Shops had more active molds (398 vs. 219) that molded more total parts (73 million vs. 32 million) for more active customers (102 vs. 56). Ultimately, it is that ability to wring maximum production from every person, every square foot, every tool and every machine that is part of what characterizes a Top Shop.

On the non-people or robotic side, 52% of Top Shops increased automation in 2020, compared with 35% of the rest of the shops surveyed. Those investments add to an already sizable fleet of robots for top shops, fully 96% of whom said their facilities used automation, compared with 68% of others.

In the foreground, rows of shrink-wrapped pallets ready for delivery. In the background, US Merchants in-house thermoforming lines. Photo Credit: Plastics Technology

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

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 biggest challenges were maintaining operations, assuring customers that we were taking steps to sustain their order flow, and keeping our coworkers safe,” says Craig Porter, president and owner of another Top Shop, PlastiCert in Lewiston, Minn. “As a small manufacturer, keeping track of COVID legislation, mandates and programs around finances for the company and our employees was a full-time job for people that typically already wear multiple hats.”

Those challenges, just like the virus, didn’t stop at the border. Aida Cecilia Mercado Salazar of Mexican Top Shop molder and moldmaker IEMSA in San Luis Potosi, said her company had to adapt to and embrace how the pandemic changed day-to-day life and work. “The first big challenge was to get used to the new normal,” Salazar says, citing the two most recognizable aspects of the pandemic: masks and uncertainty. “In the beginning, we were scared because we didn’t know how safe we actually were.” Ultimately, IEMSA, like so many of the molders we surveyed, never halted operations and came through the crisis even stronger. “We became a closer team, and because of that trust it was easier to overcome the challenges in the way.”

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

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.

“When you have to farm things out to third parties, you’re only asking for issues with delivery and excuses why something can’t be done.”

Today, US Merchants operates seven facilities in California, with additional sites in Virginia, Texas, Canada and Arizona, as well as a planned expansion into the U.K. The company has standardized on LS Mtron injection molding machines, and it credits the Korean press maker and several other vendors with helping it transition from a molding newbie to an old plastics hand.

As for their fleets’ clamp-force ranges, Top Shops and other entrants tracked closely in the 0-100, 101-500, and 501-1000-ton ranges, but only 9% of Top Shops utilized machines over 1000 tons, vs. 15% of other entrants. Top Shops also offered more specialty injection molding technologies, outstripping other entrants in providing two-shot, gas/water-assist, in-mold label and insert molding.

Looking more deeply into the numbers, while the Top Shops and the other respondents were very close in average fleet size, the presses on Top Shops’ floors had considerably less miles on them, boasting an average age of nine years compared with 14. The Top Shops ran horizontal machines exclusively, while 9% of the other facilities also had vertical presses in their plants. Top Shops operated slightly fewer hydraulic machines (62% vs. 71%) than other survey entrants; and far more all-electric presses (65% vs. 50%) and hybrid (50% vs. 26%) machines.

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

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.

On the injection side, this firm deploys all-electric presses with integrated parts-handling robots and machine-monitoring systems that can run unattended. “We also mounted cameras strategically throughout our facility so remote operators can log in from their phones.”

In less than a decade in injection molding, US Merchants has acquired hundreds of machines spread across facilities in California, Texas, Virginia and Arizona, with even more growth coming.

Jim Goerges, president of Precision Tool Technologies Inc. (PTT) in Brainerd, Minn., another Top Shops honoree, says that even before the pandemic, the company had a goal of unattended machining through all 168 hr in a work week, investing in lights-out capable machines over the years to get there. “Our investment in the right automated machining technologies put us in a strong position to navigate the issues related to increased social distancing during the pandemic,” Goerges says.

“We don’t make mistakes because we’re trying to cut corners to make a larger margin. If I give you a better price, it’s coming out of my margin, never out of the quality of the product.”

You need to pay attention to the inherent characteristics of biopolymers PHA/PLA materials when setting process parameters to realize better and more consistent outcomes.

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

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.

PRD’s Murphy says his company has thrown people and automation at the skills gap, which is “by far the biggest challenge. We have implemented automation where possible, increased wages, and gone out of our way to ensure our employees know how much we appreciate them,” including discretionary bonuses. “Unfortunately, I don’t hear anyone with a good answer to the predicament we find ourselves in. Everyone talks about the end of extra unemployment benefits, and while they do not help the situation, I am not convinced this well be the solution.”

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.

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.

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

A showroom displays just some of the totes, containers and shelving US Merchants produces at molding facilities across the U.S. Photo Credit: Plastics Technology

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

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.

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

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

The resulting vertical integration propelled by this mindset extends into some unexpected areas. To wit, the company’s original 245,000-square-foot facility in Ontario, California, includes a carpentry shop that designs, builds and installs all the office furniture for all of US Merchants’ facilities. Outside the shop, an “Arizona Project ‘22” poster hangs, marking its recent work to fully furnish the company’s newest outpost. US Merchants sent its own carpenters to the new facility where they took measurements for all its furnishings before coming back to California to build all the desks, shelving and more, and then return to Arizona to install it. When it’s not building furniture for the company, the carpentry shop also designs and constructs trade show booths for US Merchants, as well as store point-of-purchase displays.

PlastiCert’s Porter says his company’s location in a small, rural farming community in Minnesota situated between two large cities equates to a shallow talent pool. Its answer to that geographic challenge: “First and foremost, we have created a desirable and accommodating workplace environment, resulting in turnover being practically negligible,” Porter says. The company has also sought to raise its visibility in the community and to partner with a nearby state university for a stream of interns.

“This is where companies like LS Mtron and E Solution have really made a difference,” Green says, “because these people are professionals and experts, and we’ve kind of put ourselves in their hands to help us and direct us in the right direction.”

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

In a second-story conference room at US Merchant’s Beverly Hills, California, corporate headquarters, I’m seated across from Green at a glass-top table. I’ve just met the president and CEO of US Merchants, but his assessment of my aviation abilities is accurate. Nowadays, Green does know injection molding, and what he’s always known is retail, from sourcing, packaging and merchandising to shipping and logistics.