| Association
News |
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about EPDA E-Update
Members asked, and EPDA has delivered. This new
e-mail newsletter will come to
subscribers' inboxes once a month rather than quarterly. Please
add epda@epda.com
to your company's public relations list. Submissions are encouraged.
If you know someone who should be receiving this
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EPDA Board meeting
EPDA Board Members met 5 to 6 February 2005 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Nine members and EPDA Executive Secretary Deborah Hamlin were present.
Among the items discussed were Bylaws and Anti-Competition
Guidelines:
- The board agreed to recommend that the association should be
registered in
Germany, but the bank accounts will remain in the United Kingdom.
- The group added language to the proposed bylaws to limit the
number of
manufacturers to 49 percent of the entire membership. Once achieved,
new
manufacturers will only be accepted with the addition of a distributor.
- All were comfortable with the proposed text of the anti-competition
letter
with the exception of having an attorney present at all EPDA meetings,
which
was determined to be cost-prohibitive for the organization.
- EPDA members will vote on the proposed changes at the Annual
General
Meeting in Berlin.
For a complete copy of the minutes, please e-mail epda@epda.com.
<< Back
to Top >> UK Division General meeting
Eight UK division members and EPDA President Lida Arageorgis were
present at
the General Meeting 19 April 2005 in Birmingham, England.
The group discussed:
- The division's commitment to comply with EU Anti-Competition
Law.
- Creating literature regarding plastics being sustainable and
the material's
important use of natural resources. It was mentioned that EPDA
also needed
to feature new technology and applications and catch the designers'
imagination
in its promotion of plastics.
- Concerns over manufacturer members not having a defined policy
in support
of distribution as a means to the market.
For a complete copy of the minutes, please e-mail epda@epda.com.
EPDA Annual Conference
EPDA is preparing for the EPDA Annual Conference in Berlin, Germany,
20 to 23
May 2005. To those who registered, thank you.
Sessions are planned on both Saturday and Sunday for educational
and networking
opportunities. Individuals interested in sharing a case study with
the group should
contact EPDA Executive Secretary Deborah Hamlin at dhamlin@epda.com.
We
welcome examples of applications where plastics have successfully
replaced metals
or other materials. The Annual General Meeting will be Saturday
morning and will
include an update on association activities, a bylaws discussion
and any other items
of business. Committee meetings are open to all members. Distributors,
please get
more involved in your industry by joining a committee.
We look forward to seeing you in Berlin.
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| News
from Members |
| Plastics Plus
Flying High after 10 Years
 Plastics
Plus in Nottingham celebrated its 10th anniversary
in February. A product range that features the best quality
plastic sheet material from Europe's leading manufacturers
and a business philosophy of customer service based on an
understanding of customers' markets and business demands
has helped Plastics Plus become the UK's leading independent
supplier of plastics to industry.
“We are delighted to have reached this milestone,”
Richard White, deputy managing
director, said. “It is due to a dedicated and knowledgeable
team here in Nottingham
that we have seen such great success.”
Plastics Plus offers an extensive range of plastic sheet, including
acrylic, polycarbonate,
foam PVC and Spectar PETG, which are all available for next day
delivery from
Plastics Plus' own fleet. Further details are available at www.plasticsplus.co.uk.
Silwood Group and Multiplastics UK Ltd. Announce
Strategic
Partnership
Silwood Plastics, headquartered in Brackley, and Multiplastics
UK Ltd., based in
Basildon, Essex, have announced an important strategic partnership
that will see the
two companies working closely together.
Silwood Plastics, part of the Silwood Group of companies, is a
major stockholder,
processor and distributor of rigid sheet plastics, offering one
of the broadest product
ranges in the UK. Multiplastics UK provides highly specialist machining
capabilities,
including the most complex shapes for the fabrication of intricate
products such as
point-of-sale cosmetics displays. Multiplastics UK specializes in
processing and
machining rigid sheet plastics and developed the country’s
first multi-sheet CNC
router.
The companies believe that, by working in partnership, they will
offer customers a
greatly enhanced service that combines the specific and different
expertise of each.
“I am excited about this joint venture
because it means we can offer a significant
new service to our customers,” Brian Coxall, managing director
of the Silwood
Group, said. “Until now, we had specialised in straight-cut
sheets utilizing four wall
saws for quick, single cut turnarounds with two computerised beam
saws. Further
investment is in hand for this April when we shall install two additional
automated
Schelling beam saws. This partnership enables us to provide complex
design cutting,
with a much greater choice of finishes, including diamond polishing,
flame polishing,
radiused corners and chamfered edges.”
Vernon Ralston, who is managing director of Multiplastics UK Ltd.,
added, “We
are delighted to join forces with such a well-established company
in this industry.
Silwood enjoys a special relationship with most of the leading manufacturers,
and
have decades of know-how. Together I believe we can deliver an unrivalled
service.”
Further information can be found at www.silwoodplastics.co.uk
and
www.multiplastics.co.uk.
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| Product
Showcase |
| Articles reporting on plastic
products are prepared from information furnished by
members of EPDA. It should not be assumed that the publisher has
reviewed or tested
any of the products. For more information, contact the companies
listed.
Cepex introduces new butterfly valve
 CEPEX's
new butterfly valve, conceived especially for industrial
applications, has been constructed to support the most severe
conditions and to avoid corrosion problems. It is high-impact
resistant and UV stabilized. Its lightness makes it easy to install
and also provides reduced handling, labor, freight and installation
costs.
The one-piece body, made of PP-GR, allows for excellent mechanical
and
environmental strength and ensures a long life without filtration
problems. Thanks
to the new design of the disk, the valve presents a minimum pressure
loss, absence
of turbulence in the line and low handling torque, which is also
ensured by the full
body linear seal whose main characteristic is its special antifriction
rings.
The disk is available in several materials,
such as PVC-U, PVC-C, PP-H, PVDF
or ABS. The stem, which is not in contact with fluid, is made of
stainless steel for
top performance.
The Cepex industrial butterfly valve is available in D315mm (12"),
PN10 (150 psi)
with gear box, electric and pneumatic actuation. This butterfly
valve is a perfect
choice for chemical industry plants, wastewater technology, water
treatment facilities
and in drinking water supply systems. For more information, visit
www.cepex.com.
Creative uses for Spectar PETG
 Spectar
PETG from Plastics Plus was used for this ice bucket,
shaped as a motorcycle helmet and created to promote a top
drinks brand.
Created by Plastics Plus customer Rudd Macnamara from the
West Midlands, these helmets required special product and artwork
capabilities.
The material needed to allow for stretching in the forming process
to avoid
distorting the print on the finished product. That’s why Rudd
Macnamara chose
Spectar PETG for its excellent printing and forming characteristics.
 Spectar
PETG from Plastics Plus was also used for these
giant bottle tops, another promotional item for a range of
top drinks brands.
Spectar PETG, manufactured by Quinn Plastics, is available
in the UK from Plastics Plus, in a range of sheet sizes and
thicknesses. For more information, visit www.plasticsplus.co.uk.
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| NEWS
from the Industry |
| Report on Global
Overview of thermoplastic polyurethane
Market Available
The report is available as a single volume, covering the three
main global regions:
Europe (including Middle East/Africa), the Americas and the Asia/Pacific
Region.
Global production of TPUs in 1998 was estimated at 196,000 tonnes;
by 2003
this figure is estimated to have grown to nearly 300,000 tonnes,
creating an AAGR
of 8.9 percent. Although still regarded as a niche product within
the PU market,
there is growing interest due to the wide variety of applications
and properties
offered by this material. Demand for TPUs in China alone has been
estimated to
be 100,000 tonnes in 2003, representing a third of global demand.
An explosion
in the number of new producers in China is anticipated, provided
raw materials and
technology is available.
This report provides data for both the production and consumption
of TPUs by
major country by type, and consumption is broken down by end-use.
Associated
raw material demand, by country, will also be provided for MDI,
ADI, PTHF,
polyether, polyester and polycaprolactone polyols.
The report is available for EUR 3,210. For a complete copy of this
report and
ordering information, go to www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c12446.
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| Industry
Events |
| EPDA Annual Conference
20 to 23 May 2005,
Steigenberger Hotel, Berlin, Germany
The European Plastics Distributors Association’s Annual Conference
— Plastics:
the Material of Choice — will provide a unique opportunity
for those in the
plastics distribution industry to discuss trends in the market.
The conference will
bring together managing directors of plastics distributor and manufacturer
companies
from throughout Europe to share the challenges facing their companies.
The
conference, open to members and nonmembers throughout the world,
will provide
attendees with numerous networking and educational opportunities.
Visit
www.epda.com for more information.
Plastics Electronics Conference and Showcase
2005
4 to 5 October 2005, Hall 4.1, Messe
Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
The Plastics Electronics Conference and Showcase will focus on the
latest research,
which is opening up totally new possibilities and applications in
the area of
electrically-conducting polymers. Facilitating an exchange of ideas
between scientists, manufacturers and specialist visitors is crucial
if new research discoveries are to be
transformed into industrial applications and consumer products.
The event provides
that forum by offering the opportunity for visitors and exhibitors
to make new
contacts and initiate partnerships. For more information, visit
www.plastictronics.org.
49th IAPD Annual Convention
21 to 25 September 2005, Hyatt Regency
Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
The IAPD Annual Convention features the latest information on trends
and events
in the plastics distribution industry. Manufacturers of plastics
materials display
their products at the IAPD Plastics Exhibition, and seminars and
workshops educate
and inspire. Networking opportunities are provided for meeting people
from around
the world who work in the industry. For more information on the
convention, please
visit www.iapd.org.
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