anufacturers play a vital role in the world of distribution, serving as the foundation of the supply chain. This is especially true in our performance plastics industry, where the complexities of production, product development and quality control are paramount. For all of us in IAPD, understanding the significance of manufacturers within the distribution network is crucial for ensuring efficiency, innovation and customer satisfaction.

Recently, I have had some lively discussions with a few of our manufacturer members, asking why IAPD is the International Association of Plastics “Distributors” when manufacturers comprise over half of our membership. I explained that the “D” in IAPD is actually “Distribution,” and distribution includes the whole supply chain — from resin, to manufacturer, to distributor, to end user.

s we release this year’s Performance Plastics magazine Source Guide, a comprehensive listing of the materials and trade names our member manufacturers produce, we have an opportunity to reflect on the critical role that performance plastics play in modern life. These materials are not just essential components of advanced technology; they are integral to the daily lives of people across the globe. From transportation and healthcare to agriculture and construction, performance plastics are key drivers of progress, innovation and sustainability.

The production process involves collecting UCO and repurposing it upstream to produce certified bio-circular ISCC Plus PP. Braskem has partnered with suppliers in the value chain who convert this bio-circular feedstock into polypropylene, creating a sustainable loop.

WENEW maintains identical properties and performance to traditional PP, making it suitable for food packaging, flexible packaging and consumer goods while allowing it to integrate into existing downstream production and end-of-life recycling processes.

Pebax is designed for high performance sportswear, using two block copolymers, polyether and plyamide, to create a durable material with high flexibility, elasticity and strength while remaining extremely lightweight. Compared to alternative materials on the market like EVA or TPU, Pebax has low energy loss, meaning that when the polymer is stretched, it efficiently stores and then returns the same energy when relaxed, giving the wearer’s feet a boost.

eptember 19, 2024, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressmen Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and Don Davis (D-NC) introduced the Accelerating a Circular Economy for Plastics and Recycling Innovation Act. The landmark legislation is designed to tackle the challenges of plastic waste and improve the innovation of sustainable materials by establishing standards for the nation’s recycling infrastructure.

The bipartisan bill provides a comprehensive framework to transform the plastic lifecycle and seeks to increase efficiencies and provide opportunities for new innovation. The legislation includes three primary components:

agle Performance Plastics, Inc. has partnered with Convergen Energy to repurpose plastic waste into fuel pellets, marking a major shift in the company’s waste management strategy.

The initiative addresses a long-standing challenge in the plastics industry: the disposal of mixed plastic shavings generated from machining customer parts. These shavings, comprising various plastic types, have traditionally been difficult to recycle due to their mixed composition.

n recent years, the term ESG has become a buzzword in the corporate world, influencing investment decisions and corporate strategies globally. ESG stands for environmental, social and governance; representing a framework used to assess an organization’s collective conscientiousness for social and environmental factors. As the focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility grows, understanding ESG is crucial for businesses, investors and consumers alike, particularly in the plastic industry. Integrating ESG principles with ISO 14001, an internationally recognized environmental management standard, provides a robust approach to achieving sustainable practices.

ngineers who work in critical-service industries such as aerospace, medical and semiconductor, will often take great care to specify a particular resin to ensure the quality and performance of a plastic part. Plastic material specifications may include a resin brand and grade number or conformance to an ASTM or ISO standard. Interestingly, this approach to material specifications neglects one of the most important parts of the supply chain: the plastic processor who converts the resin pellets into stock shapes. The expertise of the processor, the quality of the extrusion or molding machinery and the manufacturing methods can result in significant variation in the fabrication characteristics of plastic stock shapes and the performance of plastic parts.

Plastic sheet, rod, tube and film materials manufactured by industry-leading molders and extruders tend to be a bit more expensive compared with materials produced by lower quality processors who cut corners. The purpose of this article is to discuss five reasons why it’s worth paying more for plastic stock shapes produced by leading extrusion and molding companies.

he Western New York location of Curbell Plastics, Inc. brought visibility to an organization supporting education through the donation of aluminum composite material (ACM) to The Teacher’s Desk in Buffalo, NY, USA.

Curbell Plastics, Inc.’s ACM donation was used to create large, vibrant exterior signage for the organization’s facility, improving its visibility for teachers and other visitors coming in for school supplies. This material donation supports Teacher’s Desk’s efforts to alleviate financial burdens on teachers and enhance the educational experience for countless students in the Buffalo area.

“We are pleased to support The Teacher’s Desk in their mission to provide essential resources to teachers and students in local schools,” said Jeff Burke, Regional Director at Curbell Plastics. “By donating these ACM sheet materials, we are contributing to an organization dedicated to providing an inspiring and supportive environment for both educators and students.”

Vortex Tool Company, Inc. designs and manufactures a wide variety of standard and custom high-performance router and insert cutting tools for the woodworking and plastics industries, and provides retipping and sharpening services for all makes and models. www.vortextool.com, phone (800) 355-7708.