PMM Insight: A Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing Podcast

In this week's episode of our Machinery Minutes podcast, learn about a reorganization at thermoformer maker Kiefel , which will include 100 job cuts at it German headquarters; the third-quarter report from PLASTICS' Committee on Equipment Statistics , which showed a significant jump in twin-screw extruder shipments; and the latest in our series examining 10 trends from PMM's first decade, a look a...

In this episode of Machinery Minutes, we give you the rundown on these three topics: Hasco, a supplier for tool and mold making, is supporting Hurricane Helene relief efforts by opening up its warehouse to store and distribute donations. Learn how you can help .  Artificial intelligence software from EverestLabs is helping robots sort recyclables at California’s Cedar Avenue Recycling and Transfer...

Injection molding machine manufacturer Netstal builds machines that are precise and have a high degree of repeatability: “We do not take shortcuts and we do not do partial solutions,” said Nadeem Amin, president of North and South America for the Swiss company. In terms of machine cost, the new Netstal top executive said processors need to look at the total value the machine is giving the company...

In this week's Machinery Minutes, learn about these stories from  plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com: No. 1 – The return of Donald J. Trump to the White House has some plastics machinery makers feeling optimistic in the wake of the Nov. 5 election, expecting minimal impact from tariffs and increased confidence among processors to order new equipment. Read more: “ Plastics machinery makers express...

Welcome to Machinery Minutes, a quick roundup of three stories from Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing. No. 1 – Injection molding machine manufacturers can help plastics processors reduce their energy use, leading to lower energy bills and improved competitiveness. OEMs offer advice and new machinery technologies to optimize energy consumption. Read more: “ IMM makers offer help for cutting en...

Welcome to Machinery Minutes, where at the beginning of each week Senior Reporter Bruce Geiselman shares three things you need to know. No. 1 – Could a microgrid keep your plastics processing operation humming when your electrical power fails? PMM Editor Ron Shinn thinks it's wise to consider one. Read more. No. 2 – Arburg introduced a slimmer version of its Allrounder Alldrive 630 A injection mol...

Senior reporter Bruce Geiselman discusses with Matt Flanigan, director of APenergy, how plastics processors might be able to trim energy costs by undertaking upgrades that could cost them nothing… thanks to energy incentive programs. The plastics industry is a “target-rich environment” when it comes to energy efficiency, Flanigan said. APenergy is a consulting business that helps industrial plants...

Welcome to Machinery Minutes, where at the beginning of each week Senior Reporter Bruce Geiselman shares three things you need to know. No. 1 -- Sensors that detect melt conditions in real time can help processors reduce cycle times and waste, according to sensXpert, a German company that provides equipment, artificial intelligence software, and machine-learning technologies to optimize plastics p...

Welcome to PMM Insight: Machinery Minutes, a quick look at three important stories from Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing. New episodes drop every Monday. On today's episode, Senior Reporter Bruce Geiselman discusses these stories: APenergy, a consulting company, is helping plastics processors get utility incentives to undertake energy savings projects, which can trim their bills at little to...

The weaknesses of the U.S. electrical grid have never been more apparent, as natural disasters cause outages and EVs, cryptocurrency farms and other energy-hungry activities boost demand. Going dark, even for an hour or two, can deliver a significant hit to your plastics plant. Microgrids are small, local energy delivery systems that are built on Industry 4.0 technology and can reduce your energy...

Senior reporter Bruce Geiselman rounds up five essential stories, including a look at the bioplastics supply chain, new service options and smart technology from Conair, the return of Rethink Robotics to the cobot market and a leadership change at Husky Technologies.

Bioresins are currently a small fraction of the resin market, but their use is likely to grow as companies face pressure to improve sustainability. What does that mean for plastics processors? Will they have to make big new investments in machinery? Senior reporter Karen Hanna interviewed several equipment OEMs who said for the most part, your current machines should do just fine with the new mate...

John Erkert, Piovan’s regional CEO for North America, expects the plastics industry economy to accelerate in 2025.   Piovan is world’s biggest supplier of auxiliary equipment to the plastics industry. The Italian-based company had revenue from its polymer related businesses of $574.4 million in 2023, with $333.9 million coming from North American sales. Its brands include UnaDyn, Conair , Doteco a...

Senior reporter Karen Hanna researched biomaterials for our September cover story package. She says that while these new materials may be a solution for the future, production is too low so far to make a dent in the problem of plastic waste, and we need to focus on recycling the more common materials that are right in front of us.

Senior reporter Bruce Geiselman highlights five of PMM's recent top stories, including innovations in blow molding, Novatec's newest drying and conveying equipment, and a combined cobot and laser that automates tooling repair. 

Blow molding machinery makers at NPE2024 approached sustainability from multiple angles. Some emphasized energy efficiency, others their capabilities to work with PCR and biomaterials, or with lightweighting technologies. Industry 4.0 technology is slower to come to blow molding than to other processes, but it is making inroads.  Hear what machinery makers had to say about their newest technologie...

An election year always brings arguments about immigration. If you earn a living in the plastics industry, you should be in favor of opening our borders to anyone who wants a job, especially a manufacturing job, says Editor Ron Shinn. We have a serious labor shortage in the manufacturing sector and demographic trends tell us it is not going to get better. Sensible, bipartisan immigration reform wi...

When SencorpWhite departed the thermoforming market last year, other OEMs saw opportunity. BMG, Illig and Kiefel are now offering solutions to SencorpWhite users that allow them to keep their tooling and in some cases even improve upon their performance. Senior reporter Bruce Geiselman discusses the three companies' efforts in this episode of our PMM Insight podcast.

Conair president Jason Ganim talks about the changing role of auxiliary equipment manufacturers, the new collaborative relationship processors expect and responding to needs for specialized solutions. New technology, including artificial technology in auxiliary equipment, is helping processors deal with labor and skill shortages as well as improve product quality. Ganim talks about Conair’s smart...

Senior Reporter Bruce Geiselman shares some of the top stories on our website this month, including innovations in extrusion equipment and news regarding a major thermoforming machinery manufacturer. 

Robert Schad, founder of Husky and Athena Automation/Niigon, left an indelible mark on the plastics industry and a legacy of philanthropy. He died July 11 at age 95. Editor Ron Shinn looks back on his encounters with Schad over the years, his colorful personality and his drive for perfection. 

Artificial intelligence, process monitoring and other digital technologies were a major theme at NPE2024. Senior reporter Bruce Geiselman talked with three extruder makers -- Colines, Reifenhäuser and Collin -- to learn about the benefits of their Industry 4.0 technologies.

If you want to know the state of the plastics machinery business, don't look to pundits or economists; ask a salesperson. Good ones listen closely to their customers and often defy conventional wisdom, says Editor Ron Shinn, and we are wise to listen to what they had to say recently.

Editor Ron Shinn rounds up five top stories from Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, including a look at Industry 4.0 technology in injection molding, comments from OEMs on the state of the economy and their businesses, and equipment debuts from Dri-Air, Conair and Athena.

Artificial intelligence can be hard to define, but it's coming to plastics processing. Doug Anger, engineering manager for training provider RJG Inc., says processors should look beyond the headlines and buzzwords and start viewing AI as another innovation to add to their toolboxes. Part quality, efficiency and profit margins can be improved by technologies like predictive maintenance and real-tim...