Global Plastics opens up for business
EL PASO, TEXAS - Justin Wiberg and Daryl Hennick have invested nearly $800,000 to establish a custom injection molding company, Global Plastics LLC.
The company began operations in July with three new Toshiba presses - two 65-ton and one 240-ton - and may add more before year's end to accommodate incoming jobs, Wiberg said in a telephone interview from El Paso.
``We set up the business with all-electric machines with full statistical process controls, take-out robots and conveyors,'' he said. ``Our focus will be on high-tolerance injection molding,'' including thin-wall work and gears. Wiberg said efforts are under way toward ISO 9002 registration and possible lights-out manufacturing.
The firm leased 8,600 square feet and created a clean production environment and a quality-control room, said Wiberg, president and co-owner.
In establishing the business, Wiberg drew on his background as a manufacturers' representative in the plastics business and Hennick's hands-on experience operating a Utah injection molding firm for many years. Hennick is Global Plastics vice president and co-owner.
Composites Fabricators changing name
ARLINGTON, VA. - The Composites Fabricators Association announced Sept. 17 that it is changing its name to the American Composites Manufacturers Association.
The new name better reflects its membership and will be more recognizable to legislators, regulators, end users and others, President Jonathan Spaulding said in a news release. Arlington-based CFA has 1,100 members, including 300 from a Sept. 15 merger with the International Cast Polymer Association.
``Fabricator'' fails to describe CFA's broadened range, and some industry segments use the term in different ways, according to the trade group.
The group was founded as the Fiberglass Fabricators Association in 1979 and became known as CFA in 1991.
Kawaguchi emerges from court protection
SHIZUOKA, JAPAN - Injection molding machine maker Kawaguchi Ltd. has emerged from court protection from creditors, a company official said.
Kawaguchi, citing mounting debts, filed for protection in July 2001 in Shizuoka District Court. Kawaguchi closed down for a few days, then continued limited production using components already in inventory, according to Patrick Miura, vice president and general manager of Kawaguchi's U.S. subsidiary, Kawaguchi Inc. in Wheeling, Ill.
Kawaguchi resumed full production in January, Miura said. The court protection ended Aug. 1, when all creditors agreed to the action, he said.
Family-owned Kawaguchi has produced injection molding machines for more than 40 years.
Emu Plastics assets going up for auction
TORONTO - Assets of custom injection molder Emu Plastics Ltd. will be auctioned off Oct. 9 at the firm's facility in Toronto.
For sale are 25 injection presses with clamping forces of 28-850 tons from various suppliers including Engel, Battenfeld and Milacron. Assets also include 25 granulators and a range of auxiliary equipment such as dryers, chillers, blenders and shrink wrappers.
Emu Plastics went bankrupt July 19. Officials from the company and its receiver, PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. of Toronto, were unavailable to comment on the firm's demise.