By Laurie Harbour, partner, Wipfli Advisory LLC The plastics manufacturing industry is navigating an increasingly complex business landscape. Economic pressures, shifting global trade dynamics and structural labor challenges are squeezing profitability and forcing leaders to rethink strategies for sustainable growth. Economic pressures and tariff impactsGlobal trade … [Read more...] about The State of Plastics Manufacturing: Challenges, Shifts and Opportunities Ahead
Market Trends
The Future of Plastic Packaging Decoration
By Paul Uglum, president, Uglum Consulting, LLC Plastic packaging in its various forms is pervasive; everywhere one looks, products are packaged in plastic. This is because plastics are singularly effective in meeting the packaging needs and customer expectations in a wide variety of applications. These include a broad range of markets from foods and medications to … [Read more...] about The Future of Plastic Packaging Decoration
Colors in Decorated Plastics – Pigments and Dyes
By Paul Uglum, Uglum Consulting, LLC What would plastic decorating be without color? At its core, plastic decorating relies on the ability to produce a wide range of colors and to place them wherever wanted. This is in a world where plastics themselves are relatively bland and where the resins and other components of paints and inks also are relatively without color. Since … [Read more...] about Colors in Decorated Plastics – Pigments and Dyes
Durable Decorating Trends in Automotive and Appliances
By Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, Plastics Decorating Decorated plastic parts intended for the automotive, appliance, outdoor recreation or electronics industries have different durability requirements for their appearance than many packaging applications, such as a yogurt container, that will head to the recycling bin after consumption. When long-term durability … [Read more...] about Durable Decorating Trends in Automotive and Appliances
Secondary Education Options in Plastics Decorating
By Liz Stevens, writer, Plastics Decorating The US manufacturing industry continues to face workforce recruitment challenges. Colleges and universities are helping to address the shortage by offering plastics decorating-oriented subject matter in their plastics and polymer programs. What are institutions offering, and what might they need from industry partners to support … [Read more...] about Secondary Education Options in Plastics Decorating