Essel, Danone will use recycled resin
PARIS - Two multinational plastics processors are adding post-consumer resin to their materials mix: Paris-based Groupe Danone and Essel Propack Ltd. of Mumbai, India.
Danone's Evian-brand spring water will feature recycled PET in its most popular bottles, the 750-milliliter and 1-liter sizes. Recycled resin will make up 25 percent of the new bottles, which will be blow molded at a plant in Evian-les-Bains, France, spokeswoman Katie Murphy said in an April 24 telephone interview.
Murphy would not name the recycler that is supplying Evian.
Meanwhile, Essel's new Etain high density polyethylene tube will contain as much as 40 percent post-consumer HDPE, the company announced April 24 at Interpack 2008 in Dussseldorf, Germany. Etain packaging is aimed at the hair- and skin-care, pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics markets.
``Another highlight of Etain is that it is highly customizable and the amount of post-consumer resin can be varied depending upon specific customer needs,'' M.K. Banerjee, Essel's director of creativity and innovations, said in a news release.
Ted Sojourner, regional vice president of Essel's North American operation, said the company's Danville, Va., plant will take the lead in getting Etain into the marketplace. Essel operates in 12 countries, with 23 plants across the globe.
Toyota Boshoku expanding in Kentucky
ERLANGER, KY. - Toyota Boshoku America is boosting its corporate presence in North America, nearly tripling the staff at its U.S. headquarters in Erlanger.
The company will add 170 jobs there by 2009, it said in an April 23 news release. It now has 100 employees in Erlanger, overseeing production, design and engineering of auto interiors in North America.
Plans include the addition of 15,000 square feet to the offices.
Toyota Boshoku America, a subsidiary of Toyota Boshoku Corp. of Kariya City, Japan, makes seats and interior trim at sites in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It is slated to open a 500-employee plant near Tupelo, Miss., in 2010.
Pultruder Bedford buys bigger building
BEDFORD, PA. - Bedford Reinforced Plastics Inc. has purchased a bigger facility in Bedford to accommodate growth.
The firm spent more than $3 million on a 103,000-square-foot building that is expandable to nearly four times that size, the company said in a news release.
``This project has come about because of an unprecedented level of growth in our business,'' said Bedford Reinforced controller Bradley Wise. ``This new facility on 24 acres will allow us the opportunity to start from the ground up and lay out the plant for optimum flow of raw materials and finished goods throughout.''
Bedford Reinforced makes pultruded and other reinforced plastics for a range of industries. The expansion and move will protect 229 jobs, Wise said.
The company has applied for a $1.4 million low-interest loan for the project from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Fund. Bedford Reinforced has secured private financing for the balance of the cost.
MoldMaking Expo to be held with NPE
NOVI, MICH. - NPE 2009 is getting more company.
Gardner Publications Inc., which sponsors the annual MoldMaking Expo, announced April 23 that it will collocate MME 2009 with NPE, slated for June 22-26 at Chicago's McCormick Place. This year's MME was April 23-24 in Novi.
The Society of Plastics Engineers already has announced plans to hold its Antec conference at McCormick during NPE in 2009.
Trade Show Services' Spencer, 69, dies
MCHENRY, ILL. - Michael Spencer, 69, died April 12 at his home in McHenry after a long battle with cancer.
Spencer, owner of Trade Show Services, an independent vendor for companies setting up trade show booths, was familiar to exhibitors at NPE, Plastics USA and other shows.
He is survived by friend Carolyn Lilly.
