Plastics News by the year: 1997

As Plastics News marks its 25th year of publication, we take a year-by-year look back at some of the events, people and curious coincidences that have shown up its its pages. Check back through the end of the year (not including holidays) to follow along. This year: 1997

July

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. founder Robert Schad says he will take the company public within two years. “It's part of my succession plans,” he says. It is the first in a series of steps involving Husky's ownership, while Schad himself leaves retirement behind and now leads Athena Automation Ltd.

August

Wages for hourly workers in the plastics industry rose 6.4 percent in 1996, according to a new study by SPI. Supervisors saw their pay rise even more, 9.1 percent.

Plastics News is getting a little more timely, with its deadline for weekly publication moving to Fridays, a full 24 hours later, thanks to a shift to electronic page transmission to its printer.

September

Automakers are forcing their suppliers to revamp their in-house computer systems by the end of 1998, fearing that the “year 2000 bug” will affect production. The bug is a fear that computers will not recognize a date ending in “00” rather than “99” and will reset.

Chrysler Corp. debuts its all-plastic Composite Concept Vehicle at the Frankfurt, Germany, auto show. The car is designed to have a one-piece injection molded body side. “The biggest challenge we overcame was the skepticism that we could do something this big,” said Thomas Moore, general manager of the car company's advanced development group. “It had never been done before.”

October

Chinet Co., the maker of paper plates, breaks into the plastics business when it buys a Rhode Island thermoformer of plastic dinnerware and cups.

Nypro Inc. wins the Plastics News Processor of the Year Award.

SC Johnson & Son Inc. buys Dow Chemical Co.'s DowBrands, the maker of Saran Wrap and Ziploc brand bags.

November

The European Union has ordered tests to begin on PVC toys to check the safety of soft PVC teething rings.

APC and SPI shelve merger discussions for two years. “APC has conclude that the time is not now ripe for further unification,” a group statement declares.

December

Magna International Inc. says it will spin off its Decoma auto exteriors business, which injection molds bumper systems and body panels. Decoma — and its interior sibling Intier — will last only a short time as “independent” entities.

The plastics industry is now the fourth largest industry in U.S. manufacturing, moving up one spot, a new study says. It passed the meat products industry, but remains behind automotive, petroleum refining and electronic components.