Tuesday, 22-Sep-09

Tesla turns to metal for sedan

Dewhurst Photography photo

TROY, MICH. (September 22, 2009) —- When designers from Tesla Motors Inc. began planning the company’s all electric Roadster, they had to add up the 900-pound weight of its lithium-ion battery pack with the speed performance of a sports car and ultralow production volumes, and came up with a light-weight car-body equation of carbon-fiber panels.

Fuel economy rules encourage material changes
TROY, MICH. (September 22, 2009) -- One number is pushing innovation in the North American auto industry: 35.5. That’s the average number of miles per gallon that the passenger vehicle fleet will have to hit by 2016 according to new rules announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Envion opens plastics-to-oil recycling unit in U.S.
DERWOOD, MD. (September 22, 2009) -- Envion Inc. has launched itself into the plastics recycling world by opening a plastic-to-oil conversion unit in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.

Chinese toolmakers plan for economic improvement

Tan

GUANGZHOU, CHINA (September 22, 2009) -- The last year wrecked havoc on South China’s export-oriented injection molding and mold making sector. But the industry believes it may have seen the bottom and is cautiously eyeing recent signs of a slight upturn. Singapore moldmaker Amura Precision Tooling Ltd. Pte. said business in its Xiamen, Fujian province facility has switched from focusing on export sales to seeing more than 60 percent of sales target the local Chinese market, according to marketing director A.T. Tan.

China's rotomolders looking to modernize

Wang

WENZHOU, CHINA (September 22, 2009) — China’s rotational molding industry says it is looking for foreign investment, to boost its technology and tap unmet domestic demand the small firms in the sector have trouble meeting. Wang Kai, head of roto- and injection molder Shanghai Terrui Mechanical Equipment Co. Ltd. in Shanghai, said he sees opportunities in China in areas like sewage systems, where manhole equipment currently made of concrete or brick could be rotomolded.

ERP systems maker IQMS opens India market
BARODA, INDIA(September 22, 2009) -- IQMS Inc., the maker of enterprise resource planning systems for plastics processing, has a new partner to serve the fast-growing India market - IQMS ERP India Pvt. Ltd., located in Baroda.

Tuesday, 15-Sep-09

Two executives resign at compounder Kingfa
GUANGZHOU, CHINA (September 15, 2009) -- China’s largest compounder, Kingfa Science and Technology Co. Ltd. of Guangzhou, announced that the company’s general manager Xia Shiyong and vice chairman Li Jianjun have both submitted resignation letters. The company told Chinese media that the main reasons include the two executives’ violation of stock trading policies.

Rice based composites to challenge WPCs
COLOGNE, GERMANY (September 15, 2009) -- German company Münchener Boulevard Möbel (MBM) claims its new rice-based composite may provide an environmentally-friendly and better performing alternative to wood plastic composites (WPC) in applications such as decking.

Power station ash for new cut price fillers
BRISTOL, UK (September 15, 2009) -- A new reprocessing technology that extracts high performance fillers from the waste ash produced by coal-fired power stations could slash the cost of manufacturing performance polymer compounds, according to process developer RockTron Engineers.

China's government pledges support for electric vehicles
SHANGHAI (September 15, 2009) -- The Chinese government will help accelerate the development of electric vehicles while continuing to support the improvement of traditional automotive technologies, said Wan Gang, the Minister of Science and Technology on Sunday at an industry forum.

Chinese firm in talks with BorsodChem
YANTAI, CHINA (September 15, 2009) -- After weeks of speculation and rumor, Wanhua Industrial Group, whose Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes Co. Ltd. subsidiary is the largest isocyanate producer in Asia-Pacific region, has confirmed that it is in discussion with BorsodChem RT’s majority owner, the private equity firm Permira, with a view to becoming a strategic investor in the Hungarian chemicals company.

Aviation industry sees potential in polymers

"Stingray" seats

HONG KONG (September 15, 2009) -- While problems with plastic composites have repeatedly delayed Boeing Co.’s next-generation 787 Dreamliner airplane, some aviation industry executives continue to see a role for polymers in helping airlines reduce weight and improve their environmental footprint.

Aerospace market in Asia attracts global firms

Medalie

HONG KONG (September 15, 2009) -- Projections for solid growth over the next 20 years in Asia’s aerospace market, even factoring in a slumping market from the economic crisis, are drawing some plastics firms to look for opportunities there. Several American, Japanese and Hong Kong firms came to the Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress, held Sept. 8-10 in Hong Kong, hoping to tap into the Asia Pacific market or reinforce their position in the aviation supply chain.

Japanese companies make PVOH film deal
Toyohashi, Japan (September 15, 2009) -- Aicello Chemical Co. will expand its polyvinyl alcohol film stake by acquiring Tohcello Co.’s PVOH film product line and assets. Aicello will boost its PVOH film production capacity by 50 percent as a result of the deal.

Medical plastics stay strong in Asia
SHANGHAI (September 15, 2009) -- The slow pace of growth in the medical technology market has, for many plastic manufacturers, kept the industry on a back burner for years. Now, as other markets contract, some companies are reconsidering the value of an industry that, despite its slow growth, offers reliable demand.

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