Agylix receives funding to build plant in Oregon converting scrap polystyrene into styrene monomer
Solvay increasing nylon prices
Colorite introducing new TPE’s for medical applications
Lamborghini developing new carbon fiber composite piston connecting rods
Weekly resin report: Processors stunned by surging spot PP prices
Originally posted on 4/25/2016.
In 1997, GE Plastics and Bayer AG announced that they were forming a joint venture with an initial investment of 40 million dollars to develop and market polycarbonate materials that could be used to replace glass for automotive side windows. 15 years later in 2012 the Fiat 500L became the first car to use polycarbonate side window glazing. Sounds like the beginning of a great new market for polycarbonate. Unfortunately the only windows on the Fiat 500L that are made from polycarbonate are the tiny rear corner windows at the back of the vehicle. To make matters worse, the Fiat 500L remains the only car that has used polycarbonate side window glazing. What happened?
Continue reading “The Dream of Polycarbonate Car Windows is Still Just a Dream (updated)”
Braskem starts up new UHWMPE plant in La Porte Texas
Scientists have developed a new plastic derived from pine needles
NOVA begins shipping LLDPE from new reactor in Canada Also here
United Solutions buys Rubbermaid totes business Also here
Largest ever polycarbonate automotive window debuts on new Chinese Buick minivan Also here
Weekly Resin Report: New year begins with PP, PE price increases
ExxonMobil signs logistics contract for PE export from Texas
PET recycler US Fibers expanding in South Carolina
Virtue Signaling: noun
Definition: the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.
It seems odd that large chemical and petroleum companies spend big bucks on 30 second TV ads. The ExxonMobil “To-Do List” advertisement, like all of these ads, does not ask you to buy or consider any particular product. BASF runs similar ads on television and I don’t think that you can buy a BASF branded product at the store (I used to buy their blank audio cassettes back in the day to make mix tapes though).
In other news, the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus is closing after more than 100 years in operation. Maybe they needed to run some ads.
Continue reading “Virtue Signaling in the Petrochemicals Industry”
OSHA fines Georgia recycling company $133,433 for violations
Plastics industry adds jobs, outpacing other manufacturing as a whole
SABIC unveils another LDPE foam grade
Floreon develops new PLA containers
Weekly Resin Report: Polyethylene market sentiment shifts from bearish to moderately bullish
SABIC delivery problems persist (video)
If you did not watch Mythbusters religiously as I did, give the short video above a watch. It is an excellent demonstration of how a normally non-flammable material can become extremely combustible if the circumstances are right.
Boxing in heals?
Although nylon 6/6 is much more commonly used than polyester (PBT) for injection molding applications, you might be surprised that these materials are relatively similar in properties.
There are, however, a few differences that might make one or the other better for a particular application.
weeklypellet.com 