Letter from the Chair In a recent article in this magazine, Ed Crutchley, an author and expert in technology innovation in plastics decoration, made several good points. One is the size of the plastics industry - third largest in the US - and another is the variety and fragmentation of the knowledge base that supports the decoration and assembly of plastics. That fragmentation … [Read more...] about Association News
2015 Oct/Nov
Increasing Pad Printing Productivity and Efficiency
by John Kaverman, Pad Print Pros, LLC Specializing in the pad printing process for nearly 20 years, I've had the opportunity to visit hundreds of companies, review thousands of different applications and train thousands of people at various levels within each organization. What I've learned is that a majority of problems experienced with the pad printing process … [Read more...] about Increasing Pad Printing Productivity and Efficiency
Laser Texturing Adds Another Level of In-Mold Decoration Possibilities
by Chad Hase, GF Machining Solutions Laser texturing allows for intricate and consistent designs to be added to injection molds for decorative purposes. These textures enable individualization of products ranging from automotive components to packaging by mimicking the look of leather, wood, geometric patterns and much more. When compared to conventional surface treatment … [Read more...] about Laser Texturing Adds Another Level of In-Mold Decoration Possibilities
Market Trends for IMD and IML
by Dianna Brodine, Plastics Decorating Surveys from the In-Mold Decorating Association (IMDA) and Alexander Watson Associates (AWA) both show growth in the use of and market for in-mold labeling (IML) and in-mold decorating (IMD). Anecdotal evidence points to development in both the automotive and appliance sectors, with interest due to demands for lightweighting and lower … [Read more...] about Market Trends for IMD and IML
Overreaching on a Non-Compete Can Be Costly
by David Carr, Ice Miller LLP In a recent decision illustrative of the war on overbroad language in employee non-compete agreements, one court made it clear that trying to use "catch all" language and "blue pencil" provisions may backfire in a big way. Casting a wide net may spell serious trouble for the employer. In this case, a salesman worked for a high-end appliance … [Read more...] about Overreaching on a Non-Compete Can Be Costly