elcome to the Membership Directory issue of IAPD’s Performance Plastics magazine. This issue, along with the Source Guide published later in the year, are the two issues that many members keep handy for reference all year.

The Membership Directory has also been valuable for me over the past 14 years with my involvement on the IAPD Membership Committee. It is an excellent resource for the committee to review and become familiar with our member companies, locations and key contacts. We also review it to brainstorm on any companies that are missing who we feel would benefit from being a member of IAPD.

As you review the members listed in the directory, please think about any companies you do business with, or are familiar with, that are missing and you believe would make good members. You can contact Dave Blackhurst, IAPD Director of Membership and Sales at dblackhurst@iapd.org.

n May 25, 2024, I celebrated my 50th birthday, and on July 10, 2024, I will celebrate my 18th year as CEO (my initial title was Executive Director) of IAPD – The Performance Plastics Association. Just as my title has changed over the years, the organization has held several different names over the years, but the essence of the association has remained the same.

I collaborated with countless volunteer leaders — whether they be in the committees, task forces, boards or executive committees — to listen to what our members are saying they need, understand what is happening in the market, jump on the opportunities and anticipate the threats to the industry. I have sat with those leaders on thousands of hours of conference calls and Zoom meetings and within the colorless beige walls of hotel meeting rooms, working by their side on behalf of the industry and association.

I also observe and take notes. I noticed quite a few things about this industry. It is the anecdotal comments, said not just by one or two people, but repeated by many. Over time, they become threads woven throughout the years.

TECAFORM AH LM white, the modified laser markable plastic acetal copolymer by Ensinger, was designed for industries requiring high-level precision, durability and tracability of finished parts. The material contains a special additive that, when marked by laser etching plastic technology, exhibits high-contrast dark grey or black markings. The high-contrast etchings in TECAFORM AH LM white allow for the use of very small font sizes required on small part surfaces. The laser markable material ensures compliance to traceability, legal and agency requirements in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Additionally, the material is resistant to cleaning agents, has high strength and toughness and good machinability.

TECAFORM AH LM white is available as a stock item in sheet or round bar forms. www.ensingerplastics.com.

“All of our machines are beefy. We use steel for every base, column, bridge and gantry to give customers the rigidity they need for high-speed and accuracy. But still, by comparison, the High Rail dominated the floor,” said Rich Guerin, director of operations and controls for C.R. Onsrud. “Visiting manufacturers and everyone in our company came to see it. One guy said it is larger than his apartment.”

With the High-Rail CNC machine, a cutting process which had taken several hours now takes minutes. While one spindle performs all the milling operations, the other does the sawing.

n May 21 – 22, 2024 IAPD members, staff and principals of IAPD’s government relations firm, OGR, gathered in Washington, D.C. USA to represent the performance plastics industry on Capitol Hill. Fifteen members from 14 different companies met with legislators and their staff to tell the story of our industry, advocate for mechanical and advanced recycling and oppose harmful legislation imposing taxes, substitutions and bans on performance plastics.

“I was so happy to see the turnout from the IAPD membership at the fly-in. Everyone was well prepared and energized. We had a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill where we split into groups and met with both congressional Republicans and Democrats to discuss performance plastics and its importance to our society. I was fortunate to meet with my local Congressman, Representative Frank Mrvan (D-IN), to share the impact our business has in his district,” said IAPD Government Relations Committee Vice Chair Leah Konrady, Konrady Plastics, Inc. “Overall, IAPD and OGR made an impact in D.C. I’m excited to see the next steps in our legislative strategy.”

nder the bright Georgia sun and amidst the morning dew, the charity proudly hosted the 34th Annual “Greg Berry” Atlanta Plastics Charity Golf Tournament. This event was a joyful reunion for industry colleagues, boasting a successful turnout that supports our community through generous donations. Nearly 100 attendees participated at the picturesque Château Élan Woodlands course, enjoying the lovely weather.

The festivities began with a welcoming reception at the Château Inn the night before the tournament, providing an excellent opportunity for networking. As per tradition, a lively putting contest took place, with proceeds going to the charity fund. Congratulations to Jack Black, who won the putting contest with an impressive score of 400, and donated the winnings!

Over the past 34 years, the charity has raised over $400,000 to benefit the IAPD Scholarship Program and other charitable endeavors.

The tournament was organized as a scramble, featuring special contests at several holes, including closest to the pin and longest drives. A special thanks to Jeri O’Brien for spotting during the event!

here is a list of challenges that the performance plastics industry is facing today. From sustainability and resource depletion to technology innovation, labor disruptions, skill gaps and more; the key to uncovering solutions to these challenges lies within the workforce.

A diverse workforce brings new perspectives, experiences and skills to the business, which can lead to more innovative problem-solving and decision-making. Equity ensures that all employees have access to the same opportunities, which can help in attracting and retaining top talent from various backgrounds. When employees feel included and valued, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work, leading to higher productivity levels. A sense of belonging can reduce turnover rates, as employees are more likely to stay with a company where they feel a part of the community.

SG stands for “environmental, social and governance.” It can be described as a set of practices (policies, procedures, metrics) that organizations implement to enhance positive impact or limit negative impact on the environment, society and governance bodies.

In this article, we will examine the SOCIAL aspect of ESG. At its core, ESG social is about human rights and equity — an organization’s relationships with people, as well as its policies and actions that impact individuals, groups and society.

ESG is here to stay, so it’s important to understand what it’s about and how it impacts your business.

s lighting manufacturers continue to innovate around the light source, plastics manufacturers are developing innovative lens materials to pair with those light sources. The introduction of LEDs launched a universe of design possibilities in the lighting and sign markets, reducing heat, shrinking the space between the light source and lens, and increasing the density of light distribution in a given space.

Still, the right lens for an LED light fixture may not be the best fit for a fixture with halogen bulbs or any other light source. There is no single solution for every lighting application, but there is a solution for every application.

The key is matching the right lens materials to the light source to create the proper lighting effect, but that isn’t as simple as it sounds. The light transmission and diffusion properties of various materials can dramatically alter the effectiveness and appearance of the light. These are questions of chemistry, certainly, as well as the physical characteristics of the material – most commonly some type of thermoplastic, such as acrylic, in today’s fixtures.

he plastics industry, characterized by its fast-paced and competitive nature, increasingly relies on technological innovation to maintain an edge. Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, and you either implement it or see how your competitors will and how they will outpace you. As the founder of wise-sales.com, a company specializing in AI solutions for the plastics, metals and electronic components industries, I have witnessed first-hand the transformative impact of AI. My entrepreneurial journey, sharpened by years of experience in the plastic distribution industry, graduate studies at Stanford University and residence in Silicon Valley, positions me at the forefront of emerging AI technologies and how they can be connected to our distinctive plastics industry. This article explores how AI is integrated into the plastics industry, elucidates its benefits, offers practical adoption tips and guides the selection of AI providers.

Below are the top five main applications of AI for the performance plastics industry:

1. Quality Control: Machine learning algorithms swiftly and accurately detect production anomalies, outperforming traditional human inspections.

1. In a plastics manufacturing plant, AI can scan thousands of units per minute with cameras and sensors, detecting any products that are malformed or have imperfections, far faster and more accurately than a human inspector could.

oday there are more social media platforms than ever before, and that number is only growing. With so many options and limited time and resources, it can be difficult to decide where to put your effort when it comes to your business’ social media presence. LinkedIn has proved a powerful option for businesses, particularly those with B2B sales models. In recent months, the platform surpassed one billion members globally, making it the largest professional networking platform in the world (LinkedIn, 2023).

• Use rich media such as photos, infographics, or videos; posts with rich media tend to receive higher engagement.
• LinkedIn allows the posting of PDFs, so repurpose your brochures or slide decks that your audience will find useful.
• It’s been proven that people like to see people on social media — add the human element to your strategy by posting about the people who make your company special.

he methods of communication between offices and warehouses have advanced through the years, with new technologies developing and the availability of new portable hardware giving more options than ever before. Combining new software options with the company’s existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems opens up new possibilities for improving communication processes. Old school processes are still in use and can be highly effective, especially when combined with new technologies. Finding the right system or combination of systems for your company might take some time and testing. If you already have a system in place that fits your needs, you may need to develop a more effective implementation or training.

The most crucial aspect of successful office-to-warehouse communication, no matter the software used, is full team buy-in and cooperation.

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.