Frank Esposito

Senior Staff Reporter

[email protected]

(330) 703-7290

Esposito joined Plastics News in April 1997. Previously, he had four years of newspaper reporting experience -- first for Suburban News Publications in Columbus, Ohio, and then for the Medina County Gazette in Medina, Ohio. He was promoted to senior reporter in January 2007. Esposito has a degree in English from Ohio's Bowling Green State University.

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Recent Stories
BASF Cellasto hits the 1 billion mark

One billion of the PU parts have been made, with most sold into the auto market.
Fitterling: Dow expects ‘quite a demand' for PE to continue

The materials giant saw sales growth of 65 percent vs. the same quarter in 2020.
North American resin prices on the move in June

"There's still some tightness in the market," added David Barry, a market analyst with PetroChem Wire in Houston. "Buyers can't find everything they need, so they're paying what they have to pay."
Injection molder Iris USA expands in Wisconsin

The $6.1 million project will create 90 jobs over three years. The company also is hiring at its new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution site in Hazleton, Pa.
Singhal named CEO of materials firm Chroma Color

The industry vet will replace Tom Bolger, who is retiring after leading Chroma for 16 years.
Trinseo adds to acrylic holdings with $445M deal for Aristech

The acquisition marks the second major acrylic sheet deal in less than a year for Trinseo.
Reports question future of Motiva's Texas petrochemicals project

The site in Port Arthur, Texas, could include downstream units making polyethylene resin.
Pregis builds $80M blown film extrusion plant in South Carolina

Plastics film supplier Pregis LLC plans to build a new $80 million blown film extrusion plant in Anderson, South Carolina.
M&A deals for first half of 2021 cover industry cross-section

Plastics machinery firms were active players in the M&A market in the first half of 2021, along with packaging firms, recreational vehicle makers and rotomolders.
Plastics M&A riding first-half wave, looks to continue for rest of 2021

Plastics mergers and acquisition activity has been strong in the first half of 2021, driven in part by concerns about capital gains taxes.
Nexeo parent One Rock sets materials M&A pace in first half

Investment firm One Rock Capital Partners made three deals through its GPD unit.
SK Capital likes what it sees in plastics

SK's current portfolio includes plastics materials firms and packaging makers. That list includes nylon 6/6 resin leader Ascend Performance Materials of Houston; Geon Performance Solutions, a compounder of PVC and other materials based in Westlake, Ohio; and Techmer PM, a specialty compounder and concentrates maker in Clinton, Tenn.
Polycarbonate, nylon prices on the rise

Supplies remain tight even as production rates are improving. North American prices for polycarbonate and nylon 6 and 6/6 resins have increased since May 1.
Light stabilizer maker UniteChem adds R&D center in Shanghai

The new center provides extensive testing, analyzing and process evaluation support for customers of UniteChem, which is based in Suqian City, China. The firm's customers include global polymer and masterbatch makers and major OEM brands, as well as local plastic converters and compounders.
Power up! Resin expert Burns wins gold at powerlifting event

Mike Burns of RTI competed at a national event in Florida last month.