I found a lot of good news for our industry in the results of a recent independent survey of 490 plastics processors that was conducted by Gardner Publication’s Plastics Technology magazine and Townsend Solutions. The survey was designed to measure “how the recession is affecting plastics processors’ investment plans” and to confirm anecdotal evidence that “engineering and quoting activity has remained surprisingly high and many end user manufacturing companies are still relatively busy.” 

Amid a sometimes contentious ebb and flow of speculation and conjecture, I applaud the efforts of Plastics Technology and Townsend  Solutions to give the plastics industry an objective, third-party look at the state of the North American plastics industry today.  The survey results gives strong evidence of a resurging plastics industry. It also helps to balance the “doom and gloom” reports and puts today’s economic crisis in proper perspective. While it’s certainly not business as usual out there, the survey results show that this industry continues to move forward and that there is still money to be made for those companies properly positioned in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. 

It’s important to point out that an overwhelming majority — 80% — of processors surveyed indicate that, while delayed, they will follow through on planned equipment purchases — and of those, more than half indicated they would make purchases within the next 12 months. In addition, nearly 50% of those planning to purchase equipment indicate that trade shows would be the source of information used to research the purchase. Given plastics processors’ investment timeline, coupled with Federal Stimulus tax incentives for capital equipment purchases made this tax year, the NPE2009 trade show is well-timed to catalyze business. Clearly the majority of the industry agrees since more than 50% of those surveyed are already planning to attend.

To the 30% of respondents still undecided about NPE2009 I say, “You can’t afford not to go!” – particularly in light of the survey results that confirm that so many of your competitors will be there.  In addition to the traditional trade show, we have eight co-located events with more than 1,000 technical presentations, business sessions, networking events and new technology displays all under one roof making this the world’s largest event for plastics professionals.

I have always been proud of our industry’s continuing innovation and ability to re-invent itself in order to match consumer demand and societal shifts. These survey results confirm to me another valued trait of our industry: perseverance. Despite the darkest economic conditions our nation has faced since the Great Depression, this industry marches forward and finds the glimmers of light shining through the cracks.

On April 21st the American Chemistry Council (ACC) began a blog summit called “Too Valuable to Waste” that explores recycling efforts and trends in the United States – focusing on barriers to recycling and innovative programs to increase recycling, particularly of plastic. SPI President and CEO Bill Carteaux is participating in the summit.

This week the discussion is centered on the following set of questions:

“What is the state of recycling today? Are we doing enough? What about the current infrastructure works well? In what areas do we need to do more and/or do it differently? How will economic conditions change the ways in which governments manage their recycling programs and will these changes be temporary or permanent?”

Read Bill Carteaux’s first post to the summit, in which he cites the need for real culture change in America concerning recycling.   

ACC intends the blog summit to be a dynamic online conversation; it is open to the public. The participants include independent thought leaders with plastics or recycling expertise, industry executives and established bloggers all of whom will be volunteering their time and knowledge. Read more aboout the purpose of the summit and why ACC is hosting it.

It’s great to have a platform such as “In the Hopper” to discuss the issues affecting the plastics industry. What I didn’t realize until now is that it is also a great way to brag about your kids — especially those that share the passion for this great industry.

Since graduating from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, my son has been actively employed in the plastics industry. No matter how hard I tried to talk him out of working in “my” industry, he wouldn’t listen. I suppose in the end it was my fault because I introduced him to the kind of great people we have in this industry during the summer of 2003 when he worked on the NPE team for us at Demag Plastics Group. THAT turned out to be quite an education for him: 20 years old and in Chicago for three weeks with a bunch of process guys…what was I thinking?

After graduation, he started his career with Avery Dennison in Painesville, Ohio, working for one of their film groups. After two years or so he was recruited away by Printpack, a large, privately held film company out of Atlanta. He was put in a sales training program and learned the ropes from a company that knows how to sell. After the stint in Atlanta he moved to California and then eventually settled back in Northeast Ohio. It was there that he was recruited out of Printpack back to Avery Dennison late last year.

Nick is currently Business Development Manager for IAPD (Avery Dennison’s Industrial and Automotive Products Division) in Strongsville, Ohio. Ironic, because I worked in Strongsville for so many years with Demag.

The proud part…Last week he sent me Avery’s corporate newsletter highlighting new business and marketing achievements. He was quoted in an article on a new product that won an award from the Flexible Packaging Association. Not bad for a company that has more than 30,000 employees worldwide!

I’m proud of you, Nick; keep up the great job! Who says the best and the brightest aren’t staying in manufacturing, and specifically, the plastics industry?

There’s a lot of talk in the media and the blogosphere (here, there and everywhere), about today’s young people being the “Green Generation.” It’s even the theme for this year’s Earth Day.

Sure enough, my 17-year-old daughter and her peers know a lot about caring for the environment. She’s fairly serious about recycling, admonishes me to turn out lights that aren’t in use and simply can’t understand why people of a certain age are so wasteful.

Case in point: Just the other day, I watched as she casually tossed her lunch, which consisted of a vanilla yogurt, into her messenger bag. Our conversation went something like this:

“Is that all you’re taking?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you want a little more for lunch? You know …”
“Mom, I am never hungry at school.”
“Well, at the very least, don’t you think you should put the yogurt in a Tupperware^® or a Ziploc^®?”
“Mooommmm. Sheesh. I know what I’m doing, okay? Besides, that would be such a waste.”

Off to school she trundled, yogurt freely banging around the inside of a crowded messenger bag, cavorting with heavy text books and the like. When lunch time came, she opened her bag to discover that the entire contents – books, papers, school supplies – were covered in luke-warm vanilla yogurt. Instead of eating lunch, she spent the next half hour wiping down her books and scraping yogurt out of the crevices of her bag.

At dinner that night, my daughter regaled us with the horrors of her ruined messenger bag and swore she would never eat yogurt again.

I admit that I danced around the “I told you so” theme, reminding her that a plastic Tupperware container would have protected both her lunch and her bag, and that using a Ziploc bag would have at least kept her books dry. Would we have had to wash out the Tupperware or the Ziploc? Sure. But either one would have provided a happier ending for her bag and school books. She didn’t argue. She knew I was right.

While we can all be proud of the forward-thinking, environmentally-positive attitude of the millennial generation, those of us who have grown up with plastic can occasionally teach this younger generation a thing or two.

I like to shop – some days. Shopping to me is to have a list prepared, get in, get out and get home.  After a conversation with Bemis Manufacturing, one of our member companies, a store I frequent will certainly be getting a second look.

In talking with my colleague at Bemis, he asked if I had noticed anything different about the red shopping carts at Target.  I said no.  I can’t say I spend a lot of time looking at their shopping carts or any others for that matter. Well, he suggested that next time I do – particularly if the store is a newer one in Target’s chain.

 When I asked why, he explained that Bemis is working with the retailer on providing a newer, greener design for their red shopping carts. The down and dirty is that now when one of the older shopping carts gets to the end of its useful life, it is simply dismantled – the metal parts and plastic are separated – and the plastic is shipped back to Bemis for recycling into a newly designed, lighter weight, all-plastic cart comprised of  polycarbonate, high density polyethylene (HDPE), nylon, and semi-crystalline polyester. The “new” recycled cart is then sent back to individual Target stores as they transition from the old style metal carts.  

In addition to this end-of-life recycling benefit, the all-plastic cart, which has no sharp edges and is easier to turn, doesn’t have the potential for damage (like this) when wheeled out to the parking lot!

Very cool, very resourceful, very on target! The next time I go shopping, I will have to take a closer look at those red shopping carts.