Anderson leaving SPI for sign council
WASHINGTON - Longtime Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. senior executive Lori Anderson is leaving the group Aug. 13 to take over as head of a small, Virginia-based trade association representing the sign industry.
Anderson, SPI's trade, economic and policy issues officer, will be president and chief executive officer of the International Sign Association in Alexandria, Va., which represents manufacturers, users and suppliers of on-premise sign equipment.
She has been with Washington-based SPI since 1990, starting as a legislative analyst. In an internal e-mail announcing her departure, SPI said she was instrumental in heading the group's Committee on Equipment Statistics, its trade programs, its Plastics Data Source effort and, most recently, its government affairs department.
Fire-damaged recycler IRR to restart
HOWELL, MICH. - The owner of a Michigan plastics recycling operation that burned down July 9 plans to rebuild the business.
Pat Cavanaugh, president of Industrial Resin Recycling Inc. in Howell, said he wants to have the company up and running within 30 days. IRR, which recycles automotive plastics, is looking at space a few miles away, he said.
Competitors have offered to let him use their facilities in the meantime, he added.
He was able to salvage repelletizing equipment and one grinder, trucks and 41 trailers, many containing resin. However, the company's three connected buildings burned down. He said the fire started in a hopper when a chunk of plastic jammed and employees tried to burn it out with a torch.
No employees were hurt, but local news reports said one firefighter had difficulty breathing and was taken to a hospital.
Cavanaugh said the losses amounted to about $3 million. The 9-year-old company has annual sales of about $5 million.
Pride Plastics expanding space, staff
MORGANTOWN, KY. - Custom injection molder Pride Plastics of Morgantown Inc. is planning a 10,000-square-foot expansion to its plant that will result in 20 new jobs.
Pride received a state grant for the expansion. The work will begin between now and March, owner Donny West said in July 12 telephone interview. According to the terms of the grant, the project must be completed by October 2005.
The custom molder will grow to 22,000 square feet of manufacturing space and will add five presses to the site's current count of six. When the project is finished, the company's machines will range from 75-350 tons of clamping force.
Pride, established in 2002, employs 12. The company molds parts for the automotive, industrial, consumer and medical markets, and has a Class 1,000 clean room.
North State buys 10-color printing press
GREENSBORO, N.C. - North State Flexibles will boost its printing capacity in October when it starts a new, 10-color flexographic press.
The Windmoeller & Hoelscher Novoflex press will be North State's second. The film converter also has two eight-color printing presses at its Greensboro plant. The new, 52-inch-wide printing press will provide quick changeover times, according to North State.
The line will allow North State to respond faster to its consumer goods customers, for which speed to market is critical, said Tim Mages, North State president and general manager.
North State prints, laminates and converts film into various types of bags, including stand-up pouches.
Design museum spotlighting plastics
TORONTO - Toronto-based museum and education facility Design Exchange will feature an exhibit on plastics beginning this fall.
The exhibit will examine the way plastics revolutionized design. It will sample various industrial applications and review the materials in social, engineering and historical contexts. The Canadian Plastics Industry Association will help Design Exchange formulate the exhibit.
``As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have chosen a material that has had an important impact on design,'' said Design Exchange spokeswoman Susan Rutledge.
The facility is a design museum and a center for design research and education.
The exhibit will run Sept. 22 to Feb. 6.
