News

Newsletter frequency increases to weekly service.
From now on, you'll be receiving this enewsletter weekly. As part of our expanded program for 2008, the enewsletter will be coming out every Wednesday. In addition, it will be posted simultaneously to our website, www.plasticsincanada.com.

Engel ends Canadian machine building
Engel North America is ending operations at its plant in Guelph, Ont., after more than three decades of building injection moulding machines. It will continue to offer sales, service, spare parts, training and technology services from a smaller facility, where its automation group will continue to produce moulding cell automation systems. Machine construction in Guelph will end by this May.
At the same time, the company is expanding its manufacturing in York, Pa., where it previously built only machines over 500 tons. This plant will now produce small and medium-tonnage presses, as well as robots. In addition, the company plans to open several new technical centres located throughout North America over the coming 18 months.
"The North American market has been changing and is more dynamic than ever," said Steve Braig, Engel North America president and CEO. "This realignment focuses heavily on increasing proximity to our customers and expanding our leading process technology consultation and product offerings. We believe that consolidation of manufacturing in one location is a cost-effective way to serve our entire North American market."
He added, "We have been operating in Canada for more than 30 years. Our commitment to our Canadian customers remains absolute, and we continue to provide the highest levels of access, expertise and service on a local basis."
At its peak, the Guelph plant employed more than 500 staff. Currently, it has 258 workers, of whom between 30 and 40 will be retained.
www.engelglobal.com/na

Engel's plant in Guelph, Ont., begun producing injection presses in the 1970s.

SABIC IP opens innovation centre
SABIC Innovative Plastics, the resin supplier that was formerly GE Plastics, has opened its Centre for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), a state-of-the-art research laboratory, at its Cobourg, Ont. manufacturing facility. The CMI, which was funded with $700,000 matching funds from the Province of Ontario's Rural Economic Development Program, will work collaboratively with area universities and colleges to expand plastics manufacturing knowledge and expertise. The knowledge network development initiative was supported in cooperation with the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corp.
"Eastern Ontario is home to some of Ontario's top research talent," said John Wilkinson, Ontario's Minister of Research & Innovation at the opening. "The Centre for Manufacturing Innovation provides an important opportunity for Ontario's top researchers to join manufacturers in Northumberland in pursuit of innovative products and services that can be marketed to the world."
The CMI will be available to students and faculty from institutions such as the University of Waterloo, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), and others pursuing plastics research and manufacturing projects. Staff members from the Cobourg facility will oversee and assist the academic researchers. Two projects are already underway.
One new project focuses on colour reproducibility. Dr. Mike Szarka and Dr. Ghaus Rizvi from the UOIT are working to increase the percentage of successful colour matching on the first pass through the extruder, as well as minimise the need for subsequent colour adjustments, with the goal of reducing cycle times.
The other key project, headed by Dr. Costas Tzoganakis of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Waterloo, is studying X-based control to determine whether physical characteristics such as melt-flow and impact strength can be determined from monitoring extruder characteristics.
Research areas will include online precision colour monitoring and control, online materials characterisation, and productivity improvements. The ultimate goals of the centre are driving economic development through manufacturing excellence, and establishing best practices for the plastics industry.
www.sabic-ip.com

Quebec group may start new association
A group of plastics executives in Quebec is aiming to start a new industry association. Bernard Poitras, head of Plastique Micron (Ste-Claire, Que.) has asked current members of CPIA in Quebec to join a new association, to be formed later this month. This, according to a letter emailed out by Poitras, follows the dismissal of former Quebec regional director Pierre Fillion in December, and the refusal of CPIA's national board to accept a Quebec proposal for more complete control over affairs in the province.
The current, non-elected board of CPIA Quebec has resigned. It is unclear how many other members of CPIA in Quebec may be disaffected. CPIA president Serge Lavoie says if such a group does start up, it will not affect the Expoplast show this October.
"Some people are leaving, but we are also getting renewals," he said. "In terms of committee members for the show, we still have the same capabilities for Expoplast that we had before. Preparations for the show seem to be moving in the right direction."
A key issue for Quebec members is autonomy, and a number have argued for more independence for CPIA Quebec. This included more control over funds, while some were pushing for a Quebec and an English-Canadian stand at every trade show the association was involved with.
Against this, Lavoie says, "There's a long line of companies that are more in line with the national way of thinking. The industry is becoming very North American in its perspective, and while some people in Quebec have a different view, most realise this is what we need to be looking towards. We see this as an opportunity to restart from scratch in Quebec."
www.cpia.ca

Manufacturers ask Flaherty for relief
The Canadian Manufacturing Coalition has again petitioned federal finance minister Jim Flaherty to use his next budget implement recommendations agreed by all parties in the report on manufacturing competitiveness tabled last year by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology. The coalition, chaired by Jayson Myers, president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, and including two dozen groups including the Canadian Plastics Industry Association,
"We recognize that the onus is on each and every business to compete and win," the coalition letter says. "But, governments also have a critical role to play in ensuring a business environment that enables Canadian industry to retain and attract investment. We must make the crucial improvements required to remain competitive, grow in global markets, and retain high value jobs in Canada."
While the last measures from Ottawa helped, it notes that the Canadian dollar has continued to rise in value, the economy of the US is in serious difficulty, and global competitors in China, India and Brazil are putting the manufacturing sector's survival at risk with the support of their governments.
Specifically, it asks Flaherty to:

• Extend the two-year write-off for investments in manufacturing and processing machinery and equipment for at least another five years.
• Improve the scientific research and experimental development tax credit system to make the tax credits refundable and improve the consistency of SR&ED administration.
• Introduce an employers' training tax credit, creditable against Employment Insurance premiums, to encourage businesses to increase investments in maintaining and upgrading the skills and capabilities of their workforce; and
• Raise the capital cost allowance rate for rolling stock, locomotives and inter-modal equipment to 30 per cent using the declining-balance depreciation method. This would help to modernise Canadian logistics systems, resulting in long-term environmental benefits as well.

Alliance offers diplomas for working technologists
McMaster University and Mohawk College plan to build on the success of their McMaster-Mohawk Bachelor of Technology Partnership. Launched in May 2006, the partnership is the first in Canada to offer an accelerated path for working technologists, internationally trained professionals and high school graduates to earn both a college diploma and university degree in technology.
The McMaster-Mohawk Bachelor of Technology Partnership offers three study options. The University Degree-Completion Program meets the needs of college diploma graduates and internationally educated professionals who require Canadian credentials and experience. The four-year diploma/degree program is designed for entry directly from high school. The certificate/diploma program is for engineers, technologists and internationally educated professionals working in industry.
http://btech.mcmastermohawk.ca.

TOP

Recent results There are moves to ban plastic bags in the US, China, Australia and of course parts of Canada. Do you personally Think this issue is unimportant 6% Use plastic bags as little as possible 17% Re-use them for walking the dog or as kitchen catchers 77%

Changes

Patton Plastics Inc. has been appointed as the representative, distributor and after-sales service provider for Universal Dynamics (Unadyn) in Ontario. Patton Plastics, headed by Tony Rodrigues, is at 3309 Grechen Rd., Mississauga Ont., L5C 1X8, 289-232-5275; www.pattonplastics.com

Judith Steward is now a customer service representative with plastics welding equipment supplier STANMECH Technologies Inc. (Burlington, Ont.) Fully bilingual in English and French, she will handle sales for Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.
www.stanmech.com

Judith Steward

Frigel North America (Lake Zurich, Ill.) has named Aziz Khoshnood has joined the company as area sales manager for Canada and New England. Khoshnood comes to Frigel with six years of sales and engineering experience in the plastics industry. Starting with Berg Chilling Company, he custom designed chillers for a variety of industrial applications and was responsible for a 10-state territory as sales engineer. He also served as sales engineer for Numtemp Co., a rental chiller supplier and most recently held the position of sales engineer for extruder manufacturer, CLD Co.
www.frigel.com

Aziz Khoshnood

Phil Lem is now account manager with PolyOne Distribution Canada, Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.) He was formerly with KraussMaffei. He can be reached at 905-271-8402 or Phil.Lem@PolyOne.com.

Phil Lem

Husky Injection Molding Systems (Bolton, Ont.) has named Volker Neuber vice-president, service and sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa. He was previously responsible for growing customer relationships in western Europe as vice-president, service and sales in the region. He assumes these responsibilities from Mike Diletti, who will now focus exclusively on Husky's business in the Americas as vice-president, service and sales.

Machinery distributor En-Plas Inc. (Scarborough, Ont.) has celebrated 30 years in the business. The company represents a range of primary and auxiliary equipment, including Nissei injection moulding machines, Yushin robots, Mokon temperature control systems and Thoreson McCosh dryers.
www.en-plasinc.com

Keith Carlton, vice-president, hot-runners and moulds, and an executive team member since 2005, has assumed leadership for all Husky operations globally. He will drive the company's tooling, machines, systems, parts and service and supply chain strategies as chief operating officer. Mike Evitts, previously vice-president, machines, has left the company.
www.husky.ca

Resin Technology Inc. (Fort Worth, Tex.) has created a polyethylene strategic business unit. This will be headed by Mike Burns who has been promoted from RTi managing partner to global business director. His experience includes more than 16 years with H. Muehlstein and Co. Inc., where he served as the extrusion polyethylene product manager for North America.
www.resinpros.com

Elastocon TPE Technologies, Inc. is the new name of Elastocon, Inc. (Rochester, Ill.), a TPE compound and concentrate company.
www.elastocontpe.com

La Seda de Barcelona SA has backed out of a deal to purchase Intercontinental Química SA (Interquisa), a subsidiary of Companía Española de Petróleos SA, another Spanish company. The Spanish PET supplier was to have paid about $860-million for the deal, which included a plant in Montreal making 1.3-billion lb of purified terephthalatic acid.
www.laseda.es 

Applied Precision Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.) has a new director of system sales, David Delves. His background, primarily in the advanced manufacturing field, includes more than 15 years' experience in machinery/process design, tooling development, CNC tube bending and process improvement. Applied Precision provides 3D digitising systems and services for new product development, quality inspection and CAD updating solutions to manufacturing industries.
www.appliedprecision.ca

Karlheinz Bourdon is the new managing director of the injection moulding machinery division of KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH (Munich, Germany). He worked most recently for Milacron, where he was president of global plastics machinery.
www.krauss-maffei.com

Karlheinz Bourdon

Justin Kowallek has joined Q-Lab Corp. as a sales representative serving the US and Canadian markets. He is based at the company's headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.
www.q-lab.com

Spell Capital Partners (Minneapolis, Minn.), which owns several plastics-related companies, has bought Brown Machine LLC and Epco MachineryLLC. Both the manufacturers being bought are based in Beaverton, Mich., and are part of Pacific Production Technologies which was purchased by Spell from Madison Capital Partners in January. Brown makes thermoforming machinery for continuous and cut-sheet processes, and Epco remanufactures plastics machinery. Financial details were not given out.
www.spellcapital.com

TOP

Classified Ads

Job Forum

Businesses For Sale

Miscellaneous

TOP

Coming Events

2008

February 12: Plastic Film Manufacturers Association of Canada's Triple M Technical Conference, with table top exhibits. At Bellvue manor, Vaughan, Ont. (Contact: Marilyne Berman at 905-678-7748 or mberman@cpia.ca).

February 21: Society of Plastics Engineers, Ontario section monthly dinner meeting, with Marion Axmith of the Vinyl Council of Canada, speaking on Green Building Products. At the Delta Toronto Airport West Hotel. (Contact: Joe DeRose at 416-410-2286 or jd@axispsi.com).

February 21: CTMA dinner meeting, at the ISCAR Technical Centre, Oakville, Ont., featuring technical presentations and demonstrations of the latest strategies for hard machining, high speed machining, tool holders, special machining and more. (Contact: 519-653-7265 or info@ctma.com).

March 12: Space draw for Expoplast 2008. (Contact: Tom Sockett at 905-678-7748 or tsockett@cpia.ca).

March 20: Society of Plastics Engineers, Ontario section, annual University Night. At McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. (Contact: Leonardo Simon at 519-888-4567 or lsimon@uwaterloo.ca).

April 6-9: The International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) Annual Expo will be held at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Fla. (Contact: Stacy Flint at 609-799-4900, ext. 62, or SFlint@icma.com).

April 8-11: Plastimagen 2008, Mexico's premier plastics show, at Centro Banamex, Mexico City (Contact: Guadalupe Olvera Arellano at 52-55-1087-1650 or golvera@ejkrause.com).

April 10: Basics of Plastics, an introduction to the elements of the plastics industry. At the Rogers campus in Brampton, Ont. (Contact: Edward Mason at 416-764-1514 or edward.mason@plastics.rogers.com)

May 22: The Plast-Ex Summit 2008 is a look at the urgent issues facing the plastics industry in Canada. Co-sponsored by Plastics in Canada magazine and the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. At the Rogers Center, Toronto. (Contact: Nick Passingham at 416-764-1527 or nick.passingham@plastics.rogers.com).

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 22-23: Rotoplas '08, the international rotational moulding event, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill. (Contact: Maria at 630-578-3266 x225, or mariap@cmservnet.com)

October 20-21: Expoplast 2008, Quebec's triennial plastics show, at the Palais de Congres in Montreal. (Contact: Tom Sockett at 905-678-7748 or tsockett@cpia.ca)

TOP

Focus section on Plant Automation
Plastics in transportation and non-passenger vehicles
Blow moulding report – Developments in PET equipment
Spotlight on Raw materials handling equipment
Raw materials report
Processor profile


Closing: March 12, 2008

Reach 7,500 plastics industry decision makers online! Advertise in this bi-weekly Plastics in Canada E-newsletter with a banner ad that links to your site.

For advertising information contact:

• Nick Passingham (416) 764-1527
• Gillian Thomas (416) 764-1506

Our latest issue is now available online at
www.plasticsincanada-digitaledition.com

TOP