Price Increase Letter

Written by on 10 May, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

One of the few letters we all still have to send and receive these days is the not so humble “Price increase letter”

Dear Valued Customer…….We regret to inform you……Price of raw materials/feedstock… supply and demand… currency… inflation etc.

It used to be so simple, every January all products increased a few points above or below inflation, done and dusted for the year. All distributors had a chance to alter their catalogues or price lists once a year; simple.

Then competition got fiercer; inflation and growth reduced; prices went up but they also went down and margins certainly went down. Suddenly the selling price of sheets actually started to depend heavily on the cost of producing them rather than reflecting the yearly increase for inflation. In the world of extrusion the cost is mostly the price of the raw materials.

The raw material producers have the price of their feedstock to consider, but there is also the very tricky business of supply and demand to match up. New resin plants can take 3-5 years to build and markets can boom and bust in half the time. Prices of polymer shoot up when production is sold out with busy end markets outstripping capacity. The opposite is true when new resin plants come on line just in time for the markets to under perform the forecasts.

So what is meant by an increase in the price of feedstock, is it just the influence of the price of oil, or is it more complicated? Of course it’s more complicated!

Take Acrylic and Polycarbonate sheet. They are made from polymers deriving from a monomer base of “methyl methacrylate” and “bisphenol A” respectively. As it happens both of these are made from and dependant on the price of acetone, which in turn is made from and dependant on the price of propylene (propene). Now we are getting closer to the price of oil, because propylene is a by product of the refining of oil and gas.

So there is a connection eventually, but it’s the supply and demand of acetone and propylene around the world for many other things besides acrylic and polycarbonate that also have an important part in shaping price trends.

It’s funny how you do not see any price decrease letters!

 

Duncan Smith
Brett Martin Ltd.
EPDA’s Raw Materials Liaison

Letter from the President – Overview of Member Benefits

Written by on 27 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

Dear EPDA friends and colleagues,

The 40th Anniversary EPDA Conference is now only EIGHT weeks away and already we have more than double the number of registrations than at the same point in 2012. Hotel rooms are selling fast so to secure yours I encourage you to register now. Register before the 24th April and you may take advantage of the current €100 saving per person. Keep up with who has registered and check back each week to see the updated listing. An increased amount of free/networking time will be available to allow you to meet with suppliers. Given the number of CEO’s, Board Members and Senior Executives due to attend, it will also give you an ideal opportunity to make those meetings count for your business. Why not plan your meetings in advance to avoid missing out?

This year will see the launch of the new distributor and manufacture councils. The councils are designed to offer a proactive forum to replace the previous disjointed committee structure and I look forward to your active participation.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with our two keynote speakers, Alan Beaulieu, President, Institute for Trend Research and Daniel Stricker, Head of Market Research, Plastics Information Europe. I can report that their respective presentations, “Fiscal Reality” and “Developments in European Plastics Markets”, look set to be some of the best and most relevant we have experienced to date.

Not an EPDA member but want to attend to experience the occasion? No problem. Any non-member who is eligible for EPDA membership, may attend the conference at the non-member rate of only €600.00 for the full Thursday to Sunday event, a saving of over €1,000*. Please note that all non-members must register at least 30 days in advance of the conference and are subject to approval by the EPDA Board of Directors. A non-member company, who is eligible for EPDA membership, may only attend the conference once as a non-member. They must become a member of the EPDA (or be a member of IAPD) to attend the conference a second year.

The cut-off date for the “State of the Nation” survey for Q4, 2012 has passed and the data will be condensed into a meaningful trend overview to be posted on the members’ only area on the EPDA web site. The opportunity to post your Q1, 2013 input will be made available in early April via email. Thank you to those who participate in this valuable search for current market intelligence.

I hope you have found the revamped members’ only area of interest, especially in regards to the “EPDA Top 24 Markets” where you may access a comprehensive overview to the use of plastics in a range of 24 different markets from aerospace to security and architecture to water/waste water. The market information can be downloaded and used as a sales training tool or a marketing tool displaying your company logo.

The EPDA Board of Directors will meet on Thursday, 23rd May, in Florence prior to the conference. At the day-long meeting the Board will review the actions from previous minutes, review finances and finalise plans for 2013/14. As always, the objective remains to meet the needs of the members by developing a memorable conference, the opportunity to share best practices, market and industry business intelligence, membership growth and a clear long-term strategy.

I look forward to meeting you all in Florence, Italy, in May.

Best Regards
David Ladyman
EPDA President

*€1055 saving based on full membership at €1305 pa + full member conference fee of €350.

Quinn Plastics Introduces Extended Range of Lenticular Products

Written by on 27 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

Mainz (Germany), February 11, 2013 – Quinn Plastics, a market leader in plastic sheet extrusion, today announced a major extension to its range of lenticulaLogo of Quinn newr products.

QUINN LENTICULAR is a range of Polyethyleneterephthalate Glycol (PETG) sheets specially created for lenticular technology. This dynamic technology leads to unique opportunities to create striking multi-imaging visual printing effects such as Real 3D, Animation, Zoom, Flip, and Morphing. QUINN LENTICULAR is available in three LPI (Lenses Per Inch) grades. Quinn Plastics already offered a 75LPI grade; this is now supplemented by 60LPI and 100LPI grades, as well as a 60LPI-3D grade. The extended range is suitable for all kinds of standard and special format applications.

The biggest applications for QUINN LENTICULAR are in advertising and marketing communications, on items such as displays, postcards, posters, POS material, magazine covers, DVD boxes, promotional gifts etc. Features of QUINN LENTICULAR which make it so attractive for these applications include its brilliant clarity; excellent ink adhesion; high impact strength; good chemical resistance; and recyclability. It is also environmentally safe, and meets current food contact legislation.

Read the full press release here.

SYSPRO Nominated for Three BritWeek Business Innovation Awards

Written by on 26 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

COSTA MESA, Calif. – March 22, 2013 — SYSPRO, the leading global supplier of on-premise, cloud and mobile Business ERP Software for manufacturers and distributors, announced today that the company has been nominated for three BritWeek Business Innovation Awards in the following categories: Technology; Service; and Marketing.

The annual BritWeek Business Innovation Awards, presented by Virgin Atlantic, is open to companies doing business in the UK and California. The awards recognize business innovation in five categories: Design; Technology; Service Provision; Philanthropy; and Marketing & Communications. The winners will be announced during the awards dinner at the Four Seasons Los Angeles on 24th April, 2013.

SYSPRO was nominated in the Technology Category for the SYSPRO Quantum Architecture, a one-of-a-kind ERP architectural framework for managing today’s technology diversity, data diversity and advancing people collaboration and energy, despite change. SYSPRO Quantum Architecture targets; ERP Implementation; Communications/Reporting; Workflow Processes; Security Issues; Regulatory/Financial change; and Mobile/Cloud Requirements.

Read the full press release here.

Leading Industry Players Involved in AMI’S New Caps Conferenece

Written by on 26 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

AMI, Bristol, 14/03/13 – Specialist plastics research consultancy AMI launches Plastic Closure Innovations 2013, a brand new conference for the plastics caps and closure industry to take place on 23-25 April in Cologne.

AMI’s conference will provide the forum for leading brand owners and fillers, closures producers, packaging manufacturers, designers and suppliers to the industry to learn about and debate the latest developments in the plastics caps and closures industry, with a particular focus on adding value and optimising results across the supply chain. The conference is sponsored by HRS Multitech and ColorMatrix, and supported by numerous table-top exhibitors.

Plastic Closure Innovations will serve as a platform for the leading closures suppliers to present their innovations. GCS will discuss intuitive tamper evidence solutions designed for Nestlé Waters products. Menshen will introduce new dosing solutions, while Weener Plastik will pinpoint the importance of precise dosing through valve closures. Fluid dispensing innovations for homecare products will be announced by MWV, while Rexam Healthcare’s presentation will focus on multidose dispensing for pharmaceuticals.

Read the full press release here.

Technetics Group Forms German Subsidiary

Written by on 26 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

NEUSS, Germany, March 13, 2013 – Technetics Group, EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO) companies, has established a German subsidiary, Technetics Group Germany GmbH, to represent the group in Europe. The group was previously represented by Garlock GmbH, an affiliate of sister EnPro company, Garlock Sealing Technologies.

With a regional headquarters in Neuss near Düsseldorf, Technetics Group Germany offers brand name products for critical applications in the aerospace, semiconductor, oil and gas, power generation, nuclear, medical device , pharmaceutical, land-based turbine and valve industries. These include high-performance sealing solutions, polymer technologies, rupture discs, semiconductor equipment and chamber subsystems, acoustic media, accumulators and bellows.

Read the full press release here.

Retortable Plastic Packaging to Capture 90 per cent of Retorted Foods Market Growth

Written by on 25 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

AMI, Bristol, 07/03/13 – A new report from industry consultants, AMI Consulting, published in March 2013, reviews the demand for the retortable packaging soluM172 charttions and the existing supply. Retortable packaging is used to supply shelf stable long-life food products. Currently the EU27 market uses 62 billion metal and glass containers and 26 billion units of plastic retortable containers.

The ambient long-life food sector development is challenged with its market positioning and consumer concerns about quality in comparison with the chilled and/or frozen variants. Canned meals are perceived as inferior quality, less fresh and less authentic products, though their lower price-point and efficient production are key advantages. The segment is in need of modernisation, which can be done with the use of new plastic packaging solutions, and their improved process technology to deliver higher quality, long-life food products. Plastic packaging has the potential to re-vitalise mature markets such as soup, canned fruit, vegetables and fish, by introducing convenient, added value containers suited to modern day living.  Over  90% of incremental demand for retortable applications until 2017 is expected to be satisfied with retortable plastic packaging solutions.

Read the full press release here.

Making Money from Waste Plastics

Written by on 25 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

The whole planet is trying to find sustainable solutions for the future and the spotlight is currently on waste management and ways of using rubbish as a resource and valuable commodity rather than landfill. In fact in some regions landfill mining is taking place.  The drivers are diminishing resources, the environmental aspects of new products and legislation.  Particularly in the automotive, electronic (WEEE) and packaging sectors there is very specific regulation placing a requirement on the manufacturer to recover a very high proportion of the materials used in each product. Law firms such as Joachim Quoden specialise in this area.  The new motivator is that there is value in end of life plastics, and a vast global trade has developed with rapid growth in the past few years.  One of the top companies in trading recycled plastics is Gemini Corporation and the President, Surendra Borad Patawari, is a leading figure in solid waste management.  The industry has broader economic benefits, for example in the USA there has been significant job creation from recycling as reviewed by the Southeast Recycling Development Council.

Besides recycling and material recovery, plastics are an excellent source of energy in waste to energy incinerators, which are well established in some cities. More recently plastics have been viewed as a source of chemicals following processes such as pyrolysis to syngas, leading to the possibility of complete closed loop recycling.  Klean Industries with an HQ in Canada develops plant worldwide for chemical and energy recovery, which it claims are very economic to run. There are advanced technologies for recovering monomers from specific plastics including PVC (solutions from SolVin) and polyurethane. H & S Anlagentechnik has chemical recycling technology to recover PU foam.  The latest announcement in this field comes from 3M Advanced Materials, which is working on fluoropolymer recovery.

Read the full press release here.

Reliability and Manufacturing with Polymers in Photovoltaics

Written by on 25 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

The photovoltaic power industry is well established in many regions and despite the sometime negative perception the end user demand in 2011 was strong and the total market for new installations passed the 26 GW mark according to IHS iSuppli.  Italy nearly doubled its capacity in 2011 to 6900 MW, Germany led with 7500 MW, the USA was third with 2551 MW and China is coming up fast in 4th place with 1856 MW.  The company expects around 23.6 GW to be installed in 2012. The US, China and Japan are all expanding markets.  There has been overcapacity leading to a fall in price: crystalline silicone modules are expected to drop to below 0.6 Euros/W (0.80$/W). Manufacturers have to adapt to survive. The up side is that there is no longer always a need for feed in tariffs.  Overall the PV industry is “still in the cowboy stage – it can grow and decline very fast as happened in Spain and the Czech Republic”. Henning Wicht delivered this talk at the start of AMI’s Polymers in Photovoltaics 2012 conference in Germany.   A survey by Photon showed that the polymer industry has grown with the photovoltaic industry, for example the number of backsheet manufacturers has risen from 4 in 2005 to 22 in 2011.

As PV is a relatively young industry, durability is a constant topic of discussion. In terms of bankability, the insurers want a 25 year lifetime and warranty.  Oerlikon Solar is involved with setting standards for modules and sees faults from aspects such as poor design, off-spec materials and faulty process controls.  There are regional differences in causes of module failure and other factors include the mounting, which can generate a microclimate.

 Dr Ronald Lange is focused on innovation in module manufacturing, which has been limited by use of the same production machines and processes in each plant. Innovations include cutting lamination time, and the use of polymers as alternatives to other materials. For example a module with plastics for the frame, seal and mount and only 2mm glass from TULiPPS Solar System Solutions. It is also possible that the tray could be outsourced to injection moulders. It may be easier to trial innovations in ground applications rather than in building and construction where the regulations are much tighter.

Read the full press release here.

New Research Report on Butadiene Europe and Middle East Market to 2020 by MarketResearchReports

Written by on 25 March, 2013 in News & Events - No Comments

Albany, NY, February 22, 2013 –(PR.com)– Butadiene Europe and Middle East Market to 2020 North American Supply Shortages to Drive European Exports.

GBI Research, the leading business intelligence provider, has released its latest research, Butadiene Europe and Middle East Market to 2020 North American Supply Shortages to Drive European Exports, which is focused on the demand side of the Europe and Middle East butadiene industry. The report provides the reader with detailed analysis and forecasts of the major economic and market trends affecting the Europe and Middle East butadiene demand in the major countries of the region. It also provides analysis and description of the major drivers and restraints affecting butadiene demand. The Europe and Middle East butadiene demand is assessed in terms of end-user segments, prices and the competitive landscape, at both the regional and national level.

Click here to buy a copy of this report.

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