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Feature article

4 January 2012 | 11:31 AM
Automotive Composites

*From the September 2011 issue of Plastics Engineering

By Jennifer Markarian

The driving force for using plastics composites in automotive applications is the ability to reduce weight by replacing metal.  As government mandates for fuel efficiency become increasingly strict, automakers ask the question again, “What else can we replace?”, and composites are proving their capability in more applications.   As composites show they can replace metal to not only save weight, but also to increase design freedom and save production costs, the industry is seeing more commercial activity using existing composite technologies as well as new developments taking composites to the next level. 

News Updates

30 April 2012 | 8:51 AM
Metabolix Awarded Two U.S. Patents for Technology to Produce Biobased Polymers and Industrial Chemicals

Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), an innovation-driven bioscience company focused on delivering sustainable solutions for plastics, chemicals and energy, announced that the company has been awarded two new patents from the U.S.


5 April 2012 | 6:00 AM
Americhem Introduces nBalance™ Sustainable Solutions

Americhem Inc., a global provider of custom color and additive solutions for the plastics and synthetic fiber industries, is addressing  issues of compostability, renewability, reusability, and degradability with its nBalance™ sustainable solutions.


4 April 2012 | 4:02 AM
Pinnacle Polymers™ Leads the Charge with Milliken’s Advanced Millad® NX™ 8000 Clarifier, Converting Customers and Launching PP Grades

Yesterday at NPE 2012, booth #25023, Milliken & Company announced that Pinnacle Polymers™, a major polypropylene (PP) manufacturer based in Ridgefield, Conn., and a longstanding customer, has fully migrated its customer base to Milliken’s Millad® NX 8000 clarifier and is launching new PP grades featuring the advanced Millad technology.


3 April 2012 | 3:20 AM
Styrolution premieres new high-impact polystyrene resin at the 2012 International Plastics Showcase

Styrolution – the leading global styrenics supplier – will launch its new high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) called Styrolution™ PS 6220, created specifically for its customers in the food service packaging industry, at the 2012 International Plastics Showcase in Orlando, which runs from April 2-5.


27 March 2012 | 4:07 AM
Putnam Plastics Introduces Clear Polyimide Medical Tubing

Putnam Plastics Corporation, a leader in advanced extrusions for minimally invasive medical devices, introduces clear polyimide tubing for medical applications that require visual monitoring, UV transparency or imaging transmission. Unlike traditional dark, amber polyimide which has limited options for pigmenting, clear polyimide also allows for a wide range custom colored tubing options.