Kickstart: More growth for vinyl

Expansions are underway for more PVC fence and rail production in Utah and Delaware for Oldcastle APG's Barrette Outdoor Living facilities that include investments in automation, recycling and production.

Nephi, Utah, will see a 30,000-square-foot expansion, expected to be complete in early 2023, with "state-of-the-art automation and allow for additional extrusion lines, in-line fabrication and product kitting." Dover, Del., will have an additional 13,000-square-foot building that will feature PVC recycling as part of Barrette's GreenWays Recycling Program. It is also expected to be complete in 2023.

Both sites were part of National Vinyl Products, acquired by Barrette in 2021. Construction also is underway for a new NVP plant in Brooksville, Fla.

"With NVP now being a part of the Barrette Outdoor Living portfolio within Oldcastle APG, we are able to grow our footprint in the marketplace — allowing us to serve our customers in more meaningful and efficient ways," said Zack Clark, general manager of NVP, in a news release.

No, not the Marvel version of a superhero, but rather a manufacturing superhero.

Earlier this month, the Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors Inc. honored six companies for innovations in automation as part of its annual Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference.

One of the winners was Natech Plastics Inc. of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and its addition of a collaborative robot it nicknamed Captain America.

Automation engineer Sarah Worsham says in a video posted by the company on YouTube the robot was brought in to take over a necessary but complicated job that required two people.

"This was a consistent job on the floor and it sucked and it was something they had to deal with every single day," she said. "I wanted to alleviate some of their struggles."

The work now can be done by one person, and they don't have to stand in an awkward position all day long. If that's not the sign of a job well done by a superhero — or an automation engineer — I don't know what is.

Additive manufacturing seems to be everywhere right now, offering solutions from big industrial parts to niche toys. (Check out this Q&A from Karen Laird with our sister paper Sustainable Plastics with KraussMaffei about its new additive manufacturing program here for an example of the big projects.)

But can 3D printers also help cut down on ear infections in babies and toddlers?

Glimpse Diagnostics, a Minnesota-based medical startup, hopes to use 3D printing to help diagnose ear infections quickly and at home. Diversified Plastics Inc. has awarded a $2,500 Acceleration Station grant to the company that will use the digital light synthesis program from Carbon as part of a system to visualize a child's eardrum, potentially allowing for a better — and faster — diagnosis, even in the middle of the night.

"Better care means minimizing the time spent in agony with ear pain because a more timely diagnosis means more timely treatment," Glimpse says on its website.

The DPI grant will help the company create parts for clinical trials and Food and Drug Administration submission, Glimpse Diagnostics CEO Courtney Hill said in a news release from DPI.