Plastics News - Breaking News

Monday, May 12, 2008

Breaking News

Retiring owner sells Vision to Layfield Group
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA (May 12, 4:40 p.m. EDT) -- Layfield Group Ltd. has diversified with the purchase of Vision Packaging Ltd. Layfield’s Poly Films division extrudes monolayer and coextruded polyethylene structures and does some converting. Vision is a printer and converter specializing in laminated roll stock, stand-up pouches and pressure-sensitive labels.

Who wields the buying power in China?

GUANGZHOU, CHINA (May 12, 11:55 a.m. EDT) -- While the debate about China often focuses on its economic impact on other countries — trade surpluses, product safety problems and lower inflation from low-cost goods — many foreign firms are quietly shifting their gaze to opportunities in China’s domestic market.

Husky’s China sites a boon for packaging

SHANGHAI (May 12, 11:50 a.m. EDT) -- Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd., with two factories in China, is poised to capitalize on the explosive growth of food and beverage consumption — and plastic packaging — by China’s 1.4 billion people, company executives said at Chinaplas.

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China IP system improving, but pitfalls remain

GUANGZHOU, CHINA (May 12, 11:45 a.m. EDT) -- A U.S. report said China is making progress and many government officials are working hard on the intellectual property problem, but it singled out China and Russia as the biggest global challenges. For some China-based IP experts, however, the country is not a black hole for IP because companies have options and the IP legal system is getting stronger.

Shini building auxiliary equipment factory

SHANGHAI (May 12, 11:40 a.m. EDT) -- Shini Plastics Technologies Ltd. hopes to turn what will be its third production facility on the mainland into the world’s largest production base for auxiliary equipment. The company is constructing a 484,000-square-foot factory near Shanghai and once it is finished, Shini will move production from its Ningbo, China, facility to the new factory.

Ashland expands resin distribution in China

SHANGHAI (May 12, 11:30 a.m. EDT) -- Ashland Distribution announces an aggressive expansion of its China resin distribution network, with new deals to handle materials from five producers — BASF Corp., Clariant Masterbatches, DSM Engineering Plastics, LTL Color Compounders Inc. and Teknor Apex Co.

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Clariant Masterbatches boosts multilayer work
Sabic discusses new investments in China
Ticona makes acetal advances; expands
BASF pushes research & development in China
Global polypropylene market changing quickly
Arkema adding nylon capacity at Changshu site
Conair plans operations in Suzhou, Beijing
PolyOne emphasizes biopolymers, globalization
Dow copolymer aims to replace ABS
More nylon coming on line at DuPont sites
Wood-plastic composite maker grows
Bayer opens two new tech centers in Shanghai
Sichuan Deyang upping capacity for PPS resin
New labor law favors workers, not margins
Compounders develop strengths to stay in business

Most popular More breaking news
(listed chronologically)

More Plastics News Global Group news

Uponor divests UK and Irish infrastructure business
Deal will maintain core focus aligned with long-term financial targets.

Prices and costs rise fast for UK manufacturers
Plastics and rubber companies face cost pressures.

Axion does its sums on benefits of PVC re-use
New applications underpin positive view of plastic material in the UK.

Schneider Electric to invest in Bulgaria
Electrical products group to spend more than '18m in the country.

Plastal plans 10,000 sq metre Polish plant
Project will eliminate daily internal transport between current facilities.

LME prices for PP and LLDPE
Futures prices in regional markets available now.

Illig launches thermoforming route to bottles
BF70 unit can hit 30,000 thermoformed bottles an hour.

PN news channels

Automotive
• BASF pushes research & development in China • Nicholas Plastics bought by holding company • GDX equipment auction set for May 13-14

Packaging
• Retiring owner sells Vision to Layfield Group • Clariant Masterbatches boosts multilayer work • PVC, PET prices up, further hikes sought

Machinery
• Husky’s China sites a boon for packaging • Shini building auxiliary equipment factory • Conair plans operations in Suzhou, Beijing

Materials
• Ashland expands resin distribution in China • Clariant Masterbatches boosts multilayer work • Sabic discusses new investments in China

Design
• Autodesk acquiring Moldflow for $297 million • Design savvy helps LG Electronics grow • Card makers look at eco costs, developments

Medical
• Apex adding equipment, clean room • Conn.’s Advance, Vision doubling capacity • SCGM expanding in Malaysia, Thailand

Construction
• PVC, PET prices up, further hikes sought • Silver Line laying off 60% of staff at Texas plant • Georgia Gulf still selling assets, cutting costs

Consumer products
• Virginia aiding Canon in $625M project • Nicholas Plastics bought by holding company • PVC, PET prices up, further hikes sought

Molds/tooling
• Virginia aiding Canon in $625M project • Apex adding equipment, clean room • D-M-E providing $20,000 for scholarships

Sustainability
• PolyOne emphasizes biopolymers, globalization • Dow copolymer aims to replace ABS • Group resets agenda for ‘reusable’ efforts

Injection molding
• Virginia aiding Canon in $625M project • Apex adding equipment, clean room • GDX equipment auction set for May 13-14

Blow molding
• Constar´s Houston plant scheduled to shut • Investors concerned about ´toxic´ plastics • Auto supplier JAC closing Ohio plant

Film/sheet making
• Retiring owner sells Vision to Layfield Group • Bag maker Hilex reorganizes under Chapter 11 • SCGM expanding in Malaysia, Thailand

Thermoforming
• SCGM expanding in Malaysia, Thailand • Early thermoformer Glenn Blackburn dies at 84 • Hearing set on Radnor Holdings liquidation

Pipe/profile/tubing
• Nicholas Plastics bought by holding company • GDX equipment auction set for May 13-14 • PVC, PET prices up, further hikes sought

Rotomolding
• Rotational molders look to grow, improve • Exec urges rotomolders to back marketing • Partners launch rotational molder SmaK

Recycling
• Wood-plastic composite maker grows • Virginia aiding Canon in $625M project • Group resets agenda for ‘reusable’ efforts

Public Policy
• Would-be bag ban overwhelmingly rejected • Beijing going for ´green’ in Olympics planning • Bombardier uncertain when assembly will start