Association News

UPCOMING EVENTS

UK Division Meeting
The UK Division meeting will take place in Birmingham, England, UK, at the Hotel du Vin and Bistro 10 November 2005. All UK members are invited to attend. During the meeting, the members will discuss the UK marketplace as well as host an open forum on manufacturer-distributor relations.

After the UK Division meeting, the Board of Directors will also meet at the hotel 11 November 2005 from 09.30 to 20.00, with dinner to follow. They will discuss association issues as well as plan programming for the upcoming EPDA Annual Conference to take place 12 to 15 May 2006 at the Marriott Forest of Arden in The Midlands, England, UK.

Nordic Division Meeting
The Nordic Division will be meeting for the first time in order to encourage other companies in the Nordic region to join EPDA. The meeting will take place at 18.30 on 15 November 2005 at the Hotel Tallukka. The hotel is located at Tallukantie 1, 17600 Vääksy Finland. You may visit the hotel’s web site at www.tallukka.fi/eng/index.php. The meeting will also include a general discussion on the plastics distribution industry.

In order to register for the meeting, please contact Christian Sundberg at cs@masterplast.fi or Mats Andersson at mats.andersson@carlssonochmoller.se.

After the meeting, attendees are encouraged to participate in MUOVI PLASTICS 2005 in Lahti, Finland. You may contact Christian Sundberg at cs@masterplast.fi for a free ticket.

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Company News

EPDA members are invited to submit news on their company and products for publication in EPDA’s E-Update newsletter. Submissions should be about 100 words and may include photographs. News may be submitted in any language, to be translated by EPDA staff. Please e-mail news (in a Microsoft Word document or as text in an e-mail) to epda@epda.com. Please note that submissions may be edited for length and clarity.

ALEXANDROVITZ AND IML JOIN FORCES

Alexandrovitz in Beit Shemesh, Israel, has merged with IML, the largest Israeli distributor for engineering supplies. The resulting company, which was effective September 1, 2005, is named ALEXANDROVITZ Engineering Plastics and Rubber - KAMAN (2005) Ltd. The company announced Yossi Alexandrovitz as president and Daniel Lev as CEO.

The company will continue to operate independently and maintain its high level of service. In the long run, the new company expects significant benefits from the joint venture — both for its customers and its suppliers through the ability to supply a true “one-stop shop.”

For more information, call ALEXANDROVITZ at +972.2.9999111

PERSPEX DISTRIBUTION LTD. EXPANDS INTO THE HEART OF ENGLAND

Perspex Distribution Ltd. continues its expansion within the UK plastics distribution sector with the opening of its third stock holding and service centre – this time in the heart of the UK in Tamworth, where it is ideally placed to service the entire Midlands region.

Paul Neal is the man responsible for managing the most recent addition to the growing Perspex Distribution Ltd. network and is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve always been a great admirer of the Perspex® from Lucite® brand and as a former competitor was only too aware of its status in the signs and POP/POS industries,” he said. “Now I am part of the team.”

For more information, visit www.lucitesolutions.com.

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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.

SIMONA® PVC-C CORZAN INDUSTRIAL GRADE PERSISTS WHEN OTHERS GIVE UP

SIMONA® PVC-C CORZAN Industrial Grade sheets and welding rods are semi-finished products made of post-chlorinated PVC. Owing to their increased chlorine content of approximately 67 percent, compared with just 57 percent in standard PVC, they have a high level of chemical resistance. Thus, PVC-C is the material of choice in the chemical process sector, the electroplating industry, paper manufacturing as well as chlorine electrolysis. Moreover, SIMONA PVC-C CORZAN Industrial Grade semi-finished products provide a temperature window for applications ranging from -40 °C to +95 °C. The sheets, which are processed by means of low-stress extrusion, have extremely smooth surfaces, making them less susceptible to chemical attack.

Other advantages in favour of SIMONA PVC-C CORZAN Industrial Grade sheets are their outstanding GFRP lamination capability, excellent welding characteristics (hot-gas, extrusion and butt welding) and good adhesive properties. Moreover, PVC-C is self-extinguishing, produces non-burning droplets and is associated with minimal smoke and flame development.

SIMONA PVC-C CORZAN Industrial Grade sheets in light grey are available in a 2440 x 1220 mm (8 x 4 inches) format. The sheets can be supplied in thicknesses from 3.2 mm to 12.7 mm (1/8 to 1/2 inch). The corresponding welding rod (round) is also available from stock in the sizes 3 mm and 4 mm.

For more information, go to www.simona.de.

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PERSPEX® FROM LUCITE® IS IN THE FRAME FOR 100% DESIGN

Perspex® from Lucite® has been a source of inspiration for designers at 100% Design for many years, and this year a new Perspex solution, Perspex® Fluorescent Anti-Reflective has inspired London-based design group JAM to create a new modular display system.

Using a simple, yet superbly versatile, frame device, JAM created a unique storage and display system that captures and celebrates products and images that have secured themselves a place in the “back catalogue” of iconic British memorabilia.

Each item, ranging from coach clocks to figurines, is displayed in an intricately engraved frame fabricated from Perspex Fluorescent Anti-Reflective, in an array of contemporary colours chosen from the extensive Perspex catalogue of colour. The engravings on the frames are brought to life with a striking fluorescent glow when illuminated and produce a fascinating effect.

The frames were fabricated and laser engraved by Zone Creations, one of the leading exponents of Perspex fabrication techniques, whose skills range from laser cutting to detailed fabrication, forming and engraving.

For further information on the full range of Perspex® from Lucite® solutions, visit www.lucitesolutions.com.

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FROM THE IAPD MAGAZINE

This section features items reprinted from The IAPD Magazine. To see all articles printed in the magazine, go to www.theiapdmagazine.com.

PREPARING YOUR SALESFORCE FOR THE FUTURE
By Adam J. Fein. Ph.D. — Pembroke Consulting

Over the next few years, self-service options will radically change your salesforce and the way you do business with customers. Some customers will simply not value — and refuse to pay for — a wholesaler-distributor’s outside salesforce. This conclusion comes from our findings in the Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity report (available at www.nawpubs.org). Distributors no longer have a lock on information needed by customers to make purchasing and sourcing decisions, since manufacturers and online sources will increasingly make such information readily available. As a result, the salesforce’s perceived value in educating customers about new products and in-use applications will be significantly eroded.

Distributors will be forced to respond as customers take a more active role in the pre-sale and transaction portions of the buying process. This article reviews the customer self-service trend and explains the coming changes for the salesforce, and suggests sales planning strategies for distributors.

Customers embrace self-service options
The Internet changes the definition of self-service. Online ordering is just one aspect of a far-reaching shift by customers from “do it for me” to “do it yourself.” Your customers are trying to do more in less time. Customers gravitate toward self-service when they can perform activities that bring added value or benefits, such as being better informed about product options online regardless of their distributors’ line card. If customers perceive that distributors do not provide enough service or information to justify a margin, they will conclude they can do a better job themselves. Keep in mind that your customers are being trained in self-service through their experiences as consumers.

Consider just three examples from the United States:

• More than 90 percent of gasoline purchases for personal autos are made at self-serve stations.
• There are 352,000 banking ATMs in the U.S. — four times the number in 1993.
• One-third of all supermarkets now offer self-scan checkout.

According to the Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity study for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, customers will accept more responsibility for performing many activities they previously expected distributors to handle. Customers will increasingly want to:

• Communicate with a sales rep via e-mail.
• Gather online product information and specifications.
• Obtain product prices and availability information online.
• Access post-sales technical support information online.
• Review their purchasing history online.

There is more to this article. To view it in its entirety, please go to www.theiapdmagazine.com/pdf/magazine-archives/199.pdf.

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EUROPEAN PLASTICS AND RUBBER DIRECTORY 2005 NOW AVAILABLE

The European Plastics and Rubber Directory contains an excess of 5,000 European companies, all individually contacted annually for up-to-date information about their business, which makes it the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the European plastics market available. To purchase this directory, contact Asia Pacific Infoserv at +61.24934.6290 or e-mail aapi@aapi.com.au.

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UPDATED IAPD SOURCE GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

The IAPD Magazine’s most popular issue, October and November’s Source Guide, is now available for purchase.

This informative annual guide to the plastics industry is divided into three sections and serves as a complete cross-reference for products, materials and suppliers. The first section lists names for more than 1,000 distributor locations. The second section is a listing of generic plastic materials, as well as an alphabetic list of manufacturers who produce those materials. The third section features a list of trade names, along with a brief description and the product’s manufacturer.

Copies of the Source Guide were mailed to all subscribers to The IAPD Magazine, but there are still a limited number available for purchase separately. IAPD members may purchase additional copies for $25. Nonmembers may purchase a copy for $50. An order form is available online at www.theiapdmagazine.com/pdf/source-guide-order-form.pdf or contact IAPD at +913.345.1005.

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GROWTH RETURNS TO THERMOPLASTICS PIPE MARKET

As the building industry emerges from a long period of recession, AMI has published a timely update of its unique guide to the thermoplastics pipe extrusion industry in Europe. The report lists details and activities of over 550 pipe producers in Europe. Polymer demand from these companies in 2004 increased by 2 percent, resulting in a material usage of 2.8 million tonnes. Similar growth is expected in 2005 as the market is driven by increased construction activity in EU accession countries and also a strong showing in Scandinavia, especially Sweden.

Consolidation and restructuring remains a constant theme in the thermoplastics pipe extrusion industry with AMI recording a 10 percent decline in the number of companies operating since it lasted published this report in 2001.

Many of the plants in the decline include operations belonging to the leading pipe producing groups as these companies reorganise and streamline activities to improve efficiencies and returns. There have also been a number of bankruptcies and closures in the face of rising raw material and energy prices and very tight margins. Although the thermoplastics pipe extrusion business is already characterised by a particularly high degree of consolidation, far greater than for many other sectors of plastics processing, the competitive nature of the business, and slowing economic growth in Europe continues to fuel corporate change in 2005.

Approximately one-third of the companies listed in the guide are owned by the top 50 pipe producing groups, and these companies account for nearly 80 percent of output. Indeed, the level of consolidation in the pipe industry is such that the top 10 groups alone account for over half of plastics pipe production. Despite the high level of consolidation and restructuring, over capacity remains a major problem in many sectors of the plastic pipe market and with it low profitability.

For more information or to order this report, visit Applied Market Information Ltd. at www.amiplastics.com.

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“DOING BUSINESS WITH CHINA” REPORT NOW AVAILABLE

This fifth edition of “Doing Business with China” focuses on developments in China’s business and regulatory environment over the past three years (since the country’s WTO entry) and on the key industry sectors where China is already a global player or that offer good opportunities for foreign investment and trade.

For a complete index of this report, click on www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c26014.

Written by top international law firms, banks and consultants with hands-on experience in China, Chinese experts and academics and others with a detailed knowledge of the country, this book provides a unique survey of commercial opportunities in China and authoritative advice on how to do business there.

The report is available for Euro 404. Go to www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c26014 to purchase the report online.

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Industry Events

For a list of all events, please visit www.epda.com/industry.cfm

EQUIPLAST
14 to 18 November 2005, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, the city of knowledge, will be the starting point for industrial research and development. Equiplast is a specialised exhibition that features all information on the plastics and rubber market. With more than 957 exhibitors and 34 represented countries, Equiplast is a major showcase for new products in the plastics and rubber transformation industry.

For more information, visit www.equiplast.com.

EUROPLAST 2005
14 to 18 November 2005, Paris, France
The European plastics, rubber and composite materials show promises to be an outstanding showcase for advanced technologies and new trends. Bringing together almost 1,000 exhibitors and occupying 50,000 m2, this year’s show will feature production versions of many of the innovations first seen at the last K Fair.

This will be clear in the packaging field, which will feature an expanded array of exhibitors offering film extrusion machinery, high speed injection presses, sheet and web printing presses (gravure or flexo), as well as thermoforming and heat sealing machines, plus machinery and equipment for recycling.

For more information, visit www.europlast-paris.com.

MUOVI PLASTICS 2005
15 to 17 November 2005, Lahti, Finland
The International Muovi Plastics 2005 trade fair is the number one Nordic meeting place for the plastics industry. The 2005 exhibition is aimed at professionals of the plastics industry. In addition to the materials, machinery and auxiliary devices on show, there will also be a wide-ranging display of finished products. The Finnish Plastics Industries Federation and the Finnish Plastics Association are the driving forces behind the event.

Detailed information is available at www.lahdenmessut.fi/eng/fairs/upcomingevents/plastics2005.html.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PLASTICULTURE AND
PRECISION FARMING
17 to 21 November 2005, New Delhi, India
The International Conference on Plasticulture and Precision Farming (ICPPF) at The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, India, will be held 17 to 21 November 2005. The conference will showcase the latest technological developments in the field. More than 1,000 delegates — consisting of scientists, policy makers, industry representatives and farmers from about 30 countries — are expected to converge for the event. Visit www.icppf2005.com for more information.

EPDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
12 to 15 May 2005, Marriott Forest of Arden, The Midlands, England, UK
The European Plastics Distributors Association’s Annual Conference 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. Registration information will be available in January. Visit www.epda.com for information.

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Copyright 2005
European Plastics
Distributors Association
Beethovenstraße 12
63846 Laufach Germany
Phone: +49.6093.9942852
Fax: +49.6093.994077
epda@epda.com
www.epda.com