News
CAMM moves to national status
Husky to exit large tonnage business
Certifying green products
Direct digital manufacturing takes on moulding
Quality systems novel looks to the far future
Changes
Movers and shakers in the Plastics industry
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Coming Soon From Plastics In Canada Magazine - October
From Plastics in Canada
News
CAMM moves to national status
The Canadian Association of Mold Makers (CAMM) is expanding its membership base and strengthening its position as a national association. As the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) restructures, and essentially drops mouldmaking from sectors it covers, CAMM is stepping in to fill the vacant role.
Dan Moynahan, president of CAMM says, “CAMM is open now to accepting mouldmakers as members from any part of the country, not just from close to its home in Windsor, Ont. It has been focusing on international marketing much more, and on promoting Canadian-built tools as quality engineered products in export markets.”
Cy McGrath, chairman of the Canadian Machine Tool, Die and Mould Federation, and general manager for Progressive Components Canada Ltd., adds, “this is a positive move for mouldmakers and the plastics industry as a whole.”
CAMM, he points out, still has a small organizational structure, but it has been expanding its reach over the past year. For example, its redesigned trade show booth visited various shows in Mexico and the US over the past year, and as a result of ongoing lobbying, it recently received six-figure provincial government grants to support investigation of new types of software, as well as to promote Canadian tooling shops at the Moldmakers Trade Fair in Windsor in November.
It has also begun moving beyond its traditional affiliation with the automotive industry, to encompass mouldmaking for transportation, material handling, electronics and other end-use markets.
Tom Meisels, president of FGL Precision Works Ltd. (Toronto), observes, “CAMM will be recognized as the one and only voice for mouldmakers in Canada, so its influence will strengthen.” Meisels' company has been a long-term CPIA member, but it also joined CAMM earlier this year, and he says it found significant benefits from membership.
CAMM remains an integral part of the Canadian Machine Tool, Die & Mould Federation, which in addition to CPIA includes the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association as well as the Canadian Pattern Makers Association. Although its long-term relationship to the plastics industry as a whole is still being determined, some form of strategic alignment with CPIA is currently in the works.
www.camm.ca
Left to right: CAMM chairman Dan Moynahan, president of Platinum Tool Technologies (Oldcastle, Ont.); CPIA president Serge Lavoie; and CMTDMF chairman Cy McGrath, after discussing the new set-up for mouldmakers in Canada.
Husky to exit large tonnage business
Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. (Bolton, Ont.) is getting out of the large-tonnage machine business. While it will continue to provide machines over 1,000 tons to existing automotive customers and other large-press users, it will not longer promote its big machines in the marketplace.
The company is also selling its Novi, Mich. technical centre, which has a focus on automotive. The 115,000-sq ft building has been on the market for three months, with an asking price of $13-million. There will be a smaller sales and service facility in the Detroit area.
Sean Weir, Husky's general manager, global machines, says, “We have decided to focus our machine manufacturing activities on our rapidly growing core markets and will be de-emphasising our large tonnage machines business. We will continue to offer our standard range of Hylectric machines (H90 – H1000), our complete PET product line (HyPET90 – HyPET650), our metals line (HyMET500 – HyMET1000) and repeat orders in the large tonnage range (Q1350 – Q4000).
“We will also continue to offer repeat systems to existing customers. As well, we are committed to supporting our existing large tonnage machine customers by continuing to offer the exceptional service and support they have come to expect from Husky.”
In essence, the company is re-grouping around its long-term core markets, PET preforms and packaging, plus its extensive, and still successful, hot-runner systems, and its Thixomolding metals moulding technology.
Husky was bought last year by Toronto equity firm Onex Corp. It is putting its investment dollars into the Asian market at present, and plans to open a plant in Chennai, India, by 2010. Initially, this will make hot runners. It is also expanding its Shanghai factory by the middle of 2009.
And in July it announced an expanded customer technical centre that will open in Minami Machida, Japan by this autumn. This is two kilometres from Husky's existing Yokohama centre and will focus on PET sales and support and mould refurbishing; hot-runner assembly, maintenance and sales support; machine and technology demonstrations; and customer training.
www.husky.ca
Certifying green products
ISO-14000 is the environmental standard for manufacturers, and ISO-14021 is the particular standard that governs products claiming ‘green' status. To assist companies seeking such certification for their products, the Canadian Plastics Industry Association's Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC), in collaboration with the Canadian Standards Association and the federal Competition Bureau, has developed a half-day seminar.
This will be held on Tuesday September 9, at the Centre for Health & Safety Innovation (Mississauga, Ont.) Registration costs $149 per person, or $248 for two from the same CPIA or Sustaining CSA member company. Non-member fees are $159, or $268 for two participants.
Key managers from the Fair Business Practices Branch of the Competition Bureau will attend, including assistant deputy commissioner Larry Bryenton, and Aaron Bown, lead project officer, environmental claims guidelines.
For further information, contact Graham Knowles at CPIA, at 905-678-7405 ext 232, or gknowles@cpia.ca.
Direct digital manufacturing takes on moulding
Stratasys (Minneapolis, Minn.) has begun commercial shipment of its new FDM 900mc direct digital manufacturing (DDM) machine. The company says it has taken a record number of orders for its large-format machines.
“We presold 17 units – much more than expected,” says FDM product manager, Patrick Robb. “We underestimated early demand for a system used in DDM applications.”
Historically, Stratasys additive fabrication machines were used strictly for rapid prototyping, but the 900mc is designed to serve a growing trend in low-volume manufacturing, especially in the automotive, aerospace, consumer product, and heavy industry markets. All 17 units will be used in direct digital manufacturing applications for either end-use parts or fabrication and assembly tools, while some will double in high-end functional prototyping applications.
“This rivals injection moulding for accuracy and repeatability,” says Robb. “For low-volume production, it's a more cost-effective technique than traditional manufacturing.”
www.stratasys.com
Stratasys new FDM 900mc direct digital manufacturing (DDM) machine.
Quality systems novel looks to the far future
Quality certification systems like ISO, QS-9000 and Lean Manufacturing are a dry topic, and the endless meetings and approvals of documentation they entail are a major deterrent to many people from getting involved. Now John Guderian and Timothy Renaud, two Ontario engineers with solid backgrounds in the certification field, have published a science fiction novel about the ISO-9001 and Lean processes. Their book Lean 9001: Battle for the Arctic Rose has just been published by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
Guderian is a certified quality engineer as well as a licensed professional engineer, and has worked with ISO, Six Sygma and Lean, while Renaud, also a professional engineer, also consults in quality certification processes. He wrote an earlier book, The Three Biggest Mistakes People Make With ISO-9001.
A key component of the intended readership is company officials daunted by the seemingly endless charts and manuals of quality systems, and who can't envisage the end results. Guderian and Renaud have fun with the idea of two giant corporations battling on distant planets – literally – to gain control of forests with a valuable kind of tree, the Arctic Rose of the title.
Most manufacturing firms are used to counting their losses in missed sales or plants that have to close, but in this case the losses include battle casualties and exploding space-ships. While literary purists might find the book's characters two-dimensional (the exception could be a ruthless, self-serving consultant oblivious to his own stupidity, who resembles a type most large companies have encountered), the authors manage to pass along their message of the effectiveness of ISO and Lean procedures in an original way.
The book doesn't stint on providing key information about these quality systems, and explaining how the novel's good-guys use them in their efforts to foil their opponents.
Copies are available from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at 313-425-3000, ext. 4500, or www.sme.org
The cover of Guderian and Renaud's ISO novel.
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Changes
Mark Kloster has joined Wittmann Canada to provide service to Battenfeld injection moulding machines. He has had 18 years with Battenfeld, which was bought by Wittmann earlier this year.
www.wittmann-canada.com
Mark Kloster
Husky Injection Molding Systems (Bolton, Ont.) has named Carmen Lowe its new vice-president, service and sales, North America. He succeeds Mike Diletti, who has left the company. Since joining Husky in 1987, Lowe has served as a general manager within the North American service and sales organisation.
www.husky.ca
Carmen Lowe
Vanguard Plastics Ltd. (Surrey, BC) has bought Primex Manufacturing Ltd. (Langley, BC). Terms were not disclosed. Both companies perform injection moulding.
www.vanguard-plastics.com
Eastman Chemical Co.'s Tritan copolyester has received a favorable opinion for use in contact with food from the Food Directorate of Health Canada. Tritan is used in a broad range of applications, including housewares and appliances.
www.eastman.com/tritan.
D-M-E Co. Madison Heights, Mich. has appointed Kathleen ‘Kelly' Roney to the position of global director of human resources. Prior to this position, she held key roles with Kelly Services, Computer Services Corp., and HTC Global Services.
www.dme.net
Lubrizol Corp. (Cleveland, Ohio) will close its Niagara Falls, Ont.-based facility by June 2009. The Lubrizol Additives blending, packaging and warehouse site will be divested following a company review of operations.
Thermoplastics compounder Alloy Polymers, Inc. (Richmond, Va.), has appointed Charles M. Chiappone as chief executive officer. He joined the company in September 2006 as president and chief operating officer.
www.alloypolymers.com
Hasco America, Inc. (Arden, NC) is restructuring its US operations. It will phase out US manufacturing, and focus on sales and distribution. Hasco America president Heike Zimmermann said, “Our parent organisation has been engaged in a worldwide strategic review of operations. As a result of this review, Hasco decided to concentrate its US operations on distribution rather than domestic manufacturing.”
www.hasco.com
NDC Infrared Engineering (Irwindale, Cal.) has named Vince Tabone director of customer care in the Americas. His responsibilities involve establishment of a world class training centre, as well as directing the technical support and call centre functions.
www.ndcinfrared.com
Plasticolors, Inc. (Ashtabula, Ohio) a manufacturer of custom colourant and chemical dispersions for the thermoset plastics and paint and coatings industries, has appointed Elizabeth Campbell as thermoset plastics sales manager. Prior to this, Campbell was business development manager where she was responsible for managing business involving new technologies.
www.plasticolors.com
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Coming Events
2008
August 28: Canadian Plastics Industry Association's annual golf classic, at Cardinal Golf Club, Kettleby, Ont. (Contact Erin Cimino at 905-678-7748 or ecimino@cpia.ca).
September 4: Canadian Plastics Pioneers Eighth Annual Golf Tournament, at Richmond Hill Golf Club, Richmond Hill, Ont. (Contact: Peter Stephen at 905-940-5577 or pstephen@stephensales.com)
September 23-25: Canadian Manufacturing Week, at the International Centre, Mississauga, Ont. (Contact: 888-322-7333 or www.sme.org)
September 30-October 2: Interplas 2008, Britain's national plastics show, at the Birmingham NEC, UK. (Contact: Graham Earl at 020-8910-7890 or graham.earl@reedexpo.co.uk).
October 7-10: Ausplas 2008, Australia 's leading plastics show. At Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. (Contact: Robert Damcevski, 61-3-9699-4699 or rob@exhibitionmanagement.com).
October 20-21: Expoplast 2008, Quebec's triennial plastics show, at the Palais des Congres in Montreal. (Contact: Tom Sockett at 905-678-7748 or tsockett@cpia.ca)
October 22: APAC international business development conference, at the Palais des Congres in Montreal. (Contact: Tom Sockett at 905-678-7748 or tsockett@cpia.ca)
October 22-23: Rotoplas '08, the international rotational moulding show and conference, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill. (Contact: Maria at 630-942-6589, or mariap@cmservnet.com)
November 5: The Basics of Plastics introductory seminar on industry practices and processes. With Paul Waller of The Plastics Touchpoint Group. At the World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax. (Contact: Nick Passingham at 416-764-1527 or npassingham@plastics.rogers.com). November 5-6: Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo. At the International Centre, Mississauga, Ont. (Contact: Arnie Gess, 403-638-4410 or arnie.gess@cwre.ca).
November 18: One-day seminar on Blown and Cast Film Optimisation and Troubleshooting, sponsored by SPE Ontario and featuring Paul Waller of The Plastics Touchpoint Group. At the Delta Toronto Airport West Hotel. (Contact: Penny Perdis at 416-802-9565 or pennyperdis@sympatico.ca).
November 18-19: Canadian Association of Mold Makers’ Trade Fair, at Caesar’s Windsor. (Contact Diane Deslippe at 519-255-7863, or info@camm.ca).
February 4-9 2009: Plastindia 2009, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This show features 1,300 exhibitors, and draws 80,000 visitors. (Contact: Stefan Egge at 416-598-1524, or messduesseldorf@germanchamber.ca).
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Coming Soon From Plastics In Canada Magazine - October issue:
Plastics in automotive safety systems
The evolving world of hot-runners
Product Spotlight on Mould releases, purge compounds and lubricants
Extrusion report – Producing extruded pipe
Raw materials report – Innovations in resin technology, fillers and additives
Troubleshooting – Our regular look at what can go wrong, and how to be sure it doesn't
Processor profile – A visit to an innovative moulder, extruder or other manufacturer of finished plastic items
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