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Bag tax sinks, regulatory bills pass in Calif.
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (Sept. 5, 4:10 p.m. EDT) -- Legislators in California failed to pass a plastic bag tax in the recently completed legislative session, but they did pass two bills that are being applauded by the American Chemistry Council.

TricorBraun acquires Columbia Packaging
COQUITLAM, BRITISH COLUMBIA (Sept. 4, 10:30 a.m. EDT) -- Rigid packaging manufacturer and distributor TricorBraun recently bought Columbia Packaging LLC, a distributor of plastic and glass containers, and cardboard packaging.

Graham Packaging plant to double in size
ALTAVISTA, VA. (Aug. 28, 5 p.m. EDT) -- Graham Packaging Holdings Co. will invest $12 million to expand a blow molding facility in Altavista, adding 10-12 new jobs to its 31-person workforce.

Schütz may start operation in Indiana
PLAINFIELD, IND. (Aug. 27, 2 p.m. EDT) -- International plastics and metal fabricator Schütz GmbH & Co. KGaA plans to make plastic shipping containers and recycle used containers in Plainfield, a local newspaper reported.

SPI Industries buys Modern Plastics´ Coloma plant
COLOMA, MICH. (Aug. 20, 4:28 p.m. EDT) -- Custom injection molder SPI Industries of South Bend, Ind., has purchased an industrial blow molding factory in Coloma from Modern Plastics Corp., which has shut down after 71 years in business. The deal will save 25 jobs.

Reduced Pepsi work leads to layoffs at Constar
PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 20, 4:25 p.m. EDT) -- Anticipating reduced demand for PET bottles from PepsiCo, its largest customer, Constar International Inc. will lay off workers at four plants: Dallas; Jackson, Miss.; Hebron, Ohio; and Cheraw, S.C.

Myers to consolidate lawn & garden operations
AKRON, OHIO (Aug. 18, 2:15 p.m. EDT) -- Myers Industries Inc. plans to consolidate in order to better position itself in the lawn and garden markets. The company did not give details in an Aug. 18 news release, but said that the changes will be phased in over the next 12 months to avoid disruptions during customers’ peak season.

Seat-of-pants decision spreads firm’s success
OOSTBURG, WIS. (Aug. 18, 10:45 a.m. EDT) -- Brothers Carl and Daven Claerbout use their father’s guiding principles to run Dutchland Plastics Corp., a rotational and blow molder. The Claerbouts follow a simple rule: treat employees like equals, all the way down to the temporary help.

Some rotomolders find success with blow molding
DARIEN, WIS. (Aug. 18, 10:40 a.m. EDT) -- Executives of Plasticraft Corp. and Dutchland Plastics Corp. had very different reasons for getting into industrial blow molding years ago, but they say adding the process recast both Wisconsin rotational molders as hollow-parts experts.

Illig develops bottle thermoforming process
HEILBRONN, GERMANY (Aug. 14, 2:20 p.m. EDT) -- Reduced manufacturing cost, reduced weight and improved wall-thickness control are all among the claimed benefits for a new bottle thermoforming technology developed by Illig Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG.

TI calls for automakers to replace more steel
TRAVERSE CITY, MICH. (Aug. 13, 1:45 p.m. EDT) -- TI Automotive Ltd. has watched as the North American auto industry moved from steel fuel tanks to plastic. Now, while the slowdown in production is hurting North American sales, TI’s chairman and chief executive officer thinks the time is right for more steel-to-plastic conversion, which would save money and boost fuel economy.

Plastics help designs bring home IDSA gold
DULLES, VA. (July 28, 12:20 p.m. EDT) -- A low-cost laptop, a featherlike welding helmet and a customized baby bottle were among the products making good use of plastics in winning 2008 International Design Excellence Awards. The annual contest, co-sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America and BusinessWeek magazine, drew 1,517 entries from 33 countries.

Analysts: Cross-border deals up in second half
AKRON, OHIO (July 25, 5:45 p.m. EDT) -- International players are big on the mergers and acquisitions scene this year — and in certain plastics sectors, that’s likely to pick up, in part spurred by the weak U.S. dollar, several analysts said.

Biopolymers market lures Thailand´s Rama

Temprom

BANGKOK (July 22, 6:35 p.m. EDT) -- Thai processor N.R. Rama Co. Ltd. is investing in the bio-based plastics market through subsidiary Bio Green World Co. Ltd. Rama, an injection molder, has invested $903,000 in new equipment, including a blown film extrusion line, and land for a factory in Chon Buri, Thailand, that it plans to build in a year, according to executive coordinator Benjaporn Temprom.

Pepsi buying equipment worth $25 million
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 17, 3:40 p.m. EDT) -- Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC, the third-largest bottler of PepsiCo products in the United States, will spend $25 million on new plastics processing equipment for its Raleigh plant, to save on shipping costs.

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