Kickstart: Things you expect at CES and a few things you don't

Adac Automotive is a top injection molder in North America landing at No. 42 on Plastics News ranking of injection molders.

It's also an example of how old school molding is meeting the electronics future as its new JV, Radac Automotive, marries its ability to make parts like exterior mirror housings to partner Ainstein Inc.'s radar technology to develop and sell radar-sensing products for the auto industry.

Radac is introducing itself at CES, the electronics show in Las Vegas that is at the center of all things high-tech for every industry, especially the auto industry. Check out Audrey LaForest's story for more.

When I say that pretty much every consumer brand is at CES, I mean it. I mean, of course you've got the smart phones and the TV makers and the home assistants. But the press preview for the show officially beginning today also had an appearance by Procter & Gamble Co.

Sure, you think, there are electric toothbrushes. And that's true. P&G's Oral-B brand rolled out a smart brush that can make sure you get the best possible tooth brushing experience, complete with "smart pressure sensors" and "artificial intelligence tracking."

But that's low hanging fruit. Would you believe a CES event for Charmin brand toilet paper?

Yes, TP has gone digital. Charmin rolled out three products: a smell sensor to alert you if really want to open that door; a high-end porta-potty (the V.I.Pee) complete with a virtual reality screen to make sure you don't miss the concert or game; and the one thing that many people may need at some point, the "Roll-Bot." An autonomous robot that, when controlled with a smartphone, delivers a fresh roll of toilet paper to you, just in case you find yourself unexpectedly in need.

The auto industry is an important end market for the plastics industry. Automakers buy millions of parts each year from plastics suppliers, while their employees spend their paychecks on consumer products and packaging that support the industry.

So when the U.S. industry finished 2019 by posting its fifth year in a row of vehicle sales topping 17 million, that's big news. Most forecasts a year ago had expected something in the upper 16 million range, so actually making it to 17.1 million rather than 16.9 million is slightly higher than expected, as well as hitting a milestone number.

(As our sister publication Automotive News points out, before this recent run of 17+ million, the U.S. auto industry had only topped 17 million twice before: in 2000 and 2001.)