S. China plastics firms struggling, but eye modernization
 Au
Re-evaluating China, from across the Taiwan strait
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (September 30, 2008) -- With costs quickly climbing across the Taiwan strait, many of the island’s companies are reassessing their relationship with mainland China, a region that is
both its biggest market and its fiercest competitor. Plastics News spoke with several Taiwanese firms on the subject at the Taipei Plas show, which was held earlier this month.
Rohm and Haas focuses on demands by region
SHANGHAI (September 23, 2008) -- Specialty materials maker Rohm and Haas has adapted in Asia and other regions according to shifting demands. Today, products that are a hit in Beijing may not be
marketable in Europe. Bangkok has different demands than Berlin. The development of new products has to match demand in specific areas, and quickly. The company has set up 17 research and development
labs throughout Greater China, alone, to work on China-specific products. For Rohm and Haas the region now makes up 25 percent of the company’s global business, and expects it to reach 30 percent by
2010. Rohm and Haas end markets include building and construction and electronics.
Brazil holds version of IDEA competition
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL (September 2, 2008) -- Winners in Brazil’s inaugural version of the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) included a variety of products with plastics content. Objeto Brasil,
a São Paulo-based design group, organized the single-country IDEA/Brasil competition with cooperation from Industrial Designers Society of America in Dulles, Virginia.
Essel becomes China’s largest toothpaste tube maker
 Luo
A. Schulman seeking buyer for sheet unit
 Gingo
Octal invests big in integrated APET plant
 Barenberg
Taxes, bans on plastic packaging looming in California
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (August 12, 2008) -- A series of recommendations from the Ocean Protection Council in California could lead to more bans and taxes on plastics packaging in the state. The
report, published late last month, calls for producer responsibility for the take-back of packaging waste, and bans or fees on commonly littered items such as plastic bags and polystyrene containers.
Husky to emphasize packaging over automotive
BOLTON, ONTARIO (August 12, 2008) -- Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. will reduce its presence in the large-molding-machine market for the automotive sector in favor of building up its core
business of presses for PET preforms and the packaging sector. The decision to de-emphasize large-machine manufacturing reflects differing growth rates in the respective markets.
Australian bag distributor ‘embarrassed’ by findings
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (August 5, 2008) -- Australia’s biggest municipal council is wondering why the plastic bags it has been distributing aren’t what they’re supposed to be. The bags, which are made
available to park patrons for collecting dog droppings, were supposed to be made of 2 percent polyethylene and the rest of biodegradable starch materials. Laboratory tests show only a 10 percent
starch content. The bags’ distributor, Melbourne-based Dog Tidy Co. Pty. Ltd., said it is trying to find out why the bags supplied by its Chinese manufacturer are not what the city asked for in a
contract that started in January.
German machinery maker touts new thermoforming tech
 Thermoformed bottles using new Illig tech
U.S. closures maker strikes bankruptcy restructuring deal
BATAVIA, ILLINOIS (August 5, 2008) -- Portola Packaging Inc., one of the largest manufacturers of tamper-evident closures, plastic containers and related services for the dairy, juice and water
industries, will enter into a restructuring support agreement through a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. A factor in the filing was prompted by an internal investigation of accounting
irregularities at two of the company’s subsidiaries in China, Portola (Asia Pacific) Holding Ltd. and Shanghai Portola Packaging Co. Ltd.
Decro hangs its future on tech, market development
 Luo
U.S. to impose duties on Chinese PP woven sacks
WASHINGTON (July 22, 2008) -- The U.S. government ruled July 18 that it believes China subsidizes makers of laminated polypropylene woven sacks, and will impose penalties of up to 444 percent on the
Chinese-made bags. The decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission was hailed by American bag producers, who said it would help "restore fair competition in the U.S. market."
Hoffer buys minority stake in auto molder Intec Group
SOUTH ELGIN, ILLINOIS (July 22, 2008) -- At the request of some of its top customers, Hoffer Plastics Corp. has expanded its global footprint by investing in a minority share of Intec Group Inc. Intec
runs three plants in China, and one each in the U.S., Singapore and Mexico. The two firms see it as a complementary marriage since their markets have little overlap. Hoffer’s end markets include
packaging and industrial and consumer products, with less than 10 percent automotive, while Intec’s reputation as an auto molder should help Hoffer gain business in that area.
Firefighters die in Rexam Shanghai blaze
SHANGHAI (July 22, 2008) -- Three firefighters were killed and nine more are reported to have been injured in a blaze at a Rexam plc plastics packaging plant in Shanghai. The fire started midday July
17, local time, at the site’s warehouse, which contained resin and some semi-finished goods. Production facilities were not affected. The factory makes cosmetics and personal-care packaging such as
shampoo bottles.
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