Kickstart: The unknowns of Ida's impact

Here is one thing we know about how Hurricane Ida will affect the U.S. resin market: It will hit supplies, delivery and prices for materials.

How much? For how long? How high will prices climb? That all remains up in the air.

At this point, what's left of the storm that made landfall in Louisiana on Aug. 29 is still making its way through the Southeastern U.S., with rain that could inflict more on a region that has already seen deadly flash floods in the past few weeks.

For plants in Louisiana and Mississippi, they may have escaped direct hits by the storm, but that doesn't mean there will be no impact.

"That's another big issue [from storms] of roads and people's ability to get to plants," PN senior reporter Frank Esposito said in this week's Material Insights. "And also, just rail and shipping availability. How do you get rail cars running on flooded lines? How do you get trucks down flooded roads?"

Kansas City Southern railroad said in an Aug. 30 post on its website that its lines to New Orleans as well as in Mississippi to Hattiesburg and Gulfport remain closed.

"Until the water has receded sufficiently, maintenance cannot yet begin," it wrote. "Crews are on location and will begin making the necessary assessments and repairs once the all-clear has been received."

Plastics News will continue covering damage from Ida in the coming days and weeks, even if that means asking more questions than we have answers.

A big acquisition involving medical supply giants may result in ripples throughout the health care equipment industry.

Dow Jones reports that Baxter International Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. The deal is worth $10 billion, or $150 per share, according to media reports.

Hill-Rom previously rejected an offer worth $144 per share.

Chicago-based Hill-Rom makes hospital equipment such as beds, operating tables and stretchers. Baxter, based in Deerfield, Ill., makes medical devices and products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease and other chronic medical issues.

"Medical device and supply companies have been consolidating as they seek to sell a wider range of products to their hospital clients," Bloomberg reported on the proposed buyout. "Large deals such as Medtronic plc's $43 billion acquisition of Covidien plc and the $25 billion purchase of St. Jude Medical Inc. by Abbott Laboratories have prompted other firms to pursue scale through acquisitions."

PepsiCo Beverages North America, Walmart and Sam's Club are piloting a new program to inspire recycling awareness and participation in Tulsa, Okla.

Oklahoma has only one mixed recycling facility for nearly 4 million residents, making it hard for people to recycle even if they want to. Two locations each of Walmart and Sam's Club stores will host temporary drop-off recycling stations to make recycling easier.

"This will ultimately support a circular economy and help advance the shared mission of PepsiCo, Sam's Club and Walmart to achieve 100 percent recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025," the companies said.