HOUSTON - Gundle Environmental Systems Inc. said it plans to build a factory in Southeast Asia in the near future. In its report for the second quarter, ended Sept. 30, the Houston maker of high density polyethylene landfill liners cited continued strong demand internationally. Details of the proposed plant were not available.
The company also said it has converted one of its production lines from monolayer to coextrusion.
Essef, German firm form joint venture
CHARDON, OHIO - Essef Corp. of Chardon is taking its composite pressure vessel technology to Europe, in a joint venture with Winkelmann + Pannhoff GmbH, a German manufacturer and distributor of metal water treatment vessels.
The venture, announced Dec. 1, positions Essef to capitalize on increasing demand for composite products in Europe, because of health regulations restricting the use of corrodible vessels to process drinking water.
The venture, called reflex-WellMate GmbH, is based in Ahlen, Germany.
New Plaskolite line prompts expansion
COLUMBUS, OHIO - Plaskolite Inc. has completed a 50,000-square-foot addition to its Columbus headquarters plant to accommodate a new line of mirrored acrylic sheet products acquired when Plaskolite purchased Mir-Acrylic Co. of Bellville, Mich., in mid-1993.
Moving the line to Columbus should create 30 jobs, Plaskolite said. The products include mirrored sheet, used by sign and display companies and toy manufacturers, and a line of overhead security mirrors used in retail, institutional, home and industrial applications.
Flex Products lauded for waste reduction
SANTA ROSA, CALIF. - Flex Products Inc. of Santa Rosa, which makes vacuum-deposited thin films on polymer webs, has won the 1994 Waste Reduction Awards Program certificate from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
The award recognizes California companies that have reduced their generation of solid waste substantially. Flex has generated 40 percent less waste than it did in 1990, even though it doubled manufacturing output. One key area was recycling polyester film into consumer packaging material. Flex is a joint venture of ICI Americas Inc. of Wilmington, Del., and Optical Coating Laboratory Inc. of Santa Rosa.
Amcor invests in flrxible holding inc.
SEATTLE - Amcor Ltd. of Melbourne, Australia, has invested an undisclosed amount in Flexible Holding Inc. of Seattle to help fund FHI's wholly owned subsidiary, Cello Bag Co.
Cello makes and converts flexible packaging films at two plants, in Bowling Green, Ky., and Tukwila, Wash.
Amcor said it searched for a U.S. partner for two years.
Amko Plastics wins environmental award
CINCINNATI - The Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce named Amko Plastics Inc., a Cincinnati film manufacturer, winner of the chamber's Corporate Environmental Achievement Award.
The award recognizes companies for such things as air and water quality improvement, reduction of the use of toxic materials, pollution prevention, waste minimization, recycling and energy recovery.
The local award comes on the heels of two awards from the Retail Packaging Manufacturers Association, according to George Makrauer, Amko's president and chief executive officer.
Seitz's Polar Division buys three presses
NORTH CHILI, N.Y. - Seitz Corp.'s Polar Division has added three injection presses from Toshiba Machine Co. America at its custom molding plant in North Chili.
Two of the machines have clamping forces of 310 tons and a 41-ounce shot capacity. The third has 500 tons of clamping force and a 63-ounce shot capacity. The Seitz Polar Division plant now has eight presses.
Briefly ...
Parker Hannifin Corp. of Cleveland has acquired Polyflex Schwarz Group of Huttenfeld, Germany, for an undisclosed amount of cash. Polyflex makes thermoplastic hose, employs 225 and reported 1994 sales of about $28 million.
Molded Plastics Research of Illinois Inc., a custom molder in Wheeling, Ill., recently added two injection presses, with clamping forces of 55 tons and 200 tons, from Niigata Engineering Co. Ltd.
American Mirrex Corp., a New Castle, Del., extruder of PVC film and specialty films, and a film converter, has signed a joint marketing agreement with PET film producer Galt Plastics of Wathena, Kan.
Atlantis Molded Plastics Inc. of Henderson, Ky., a subsidiary of Atlantis Plastics Inc., received three supplier awards: Whirlpool Corp.'s Breakthrough Quality Award, Tennex Inc.'s 1994 Supplier Performance Award and the 1994 Delivery Performance Award from North American Lighting Inc. ... Automotive Moulding Co. received Chrysler Corp.'s 1994 Platinum Pentastar Award and the Total Quality Excellence Award from Ford Motor Co.
The following companies received ISO 9002 certifications: Kyowa America Corp., a custom injection molder in Costa Mesa, Calif., for three plants, in Costa Mesa, Tijuana, Mexico, and Waynesburg, Pa.; Buckhorn Inc. of Dawson Springs, Ky., a molder of storage, handling and shipping containers. ... Pitney Bowes for its Plastic Components Operations injection molding unit in Danbury, Conn. ... Jeffersontown, Ky.-based custom molder Jones Plastic & Engineering Corp. for its plant in Leitchfield, Ky. ... DRG Medical Packaging for its manufacturing facilities in Madision, Wis., and Ashland, Mass. The company's Mundelein, Ill., plant is ISO 9001 certified.
