PMM Insight: A Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing Podcast

Unemployment spikes, new Haitian IMMs, modernizing your plastics business: Machinery Minutes

On today's episode of Machinery Minutes, learn about a spike in the unemployment rate in plastics and rubber, its highest since the pandemic. It's a sudden reversal as not long ago, companies were complaining about a tight labor market.  
Also, Absolute Haitian has introduced new, lower-cost versions of its Mars and Jupiter injection molding machines known as the SE (Special Edition) models; and we share factors to consider if you want to be a world-class plastics manufacturer.

KraussMaffei's U.S.-built extruders; Conair startup service; 'swimming professor': Machinery Minutes, March 3, 2025

On this episode of Machinery Minutes, you'll hear about the two large extruders KraussMaffei is building at its facility in Florence, Ky. The move is intended to reduce lead times in the growing North American market, and enhance regional customer support and access to parts.
Conair's new SureLaunch program sends a technician to your facility for a day to make sure your new auxiliary equipment is started up and optimized for maximum performance. It's the company's third service offering as customers deal with workforce issues and more complex technologies.
Chemistry professor Andreas Fath has been drawing attention to the issue of microplastics and other waterway pollutants through marathon swims, supported by Arburg. Hear more about the "Swimming Professor" and his cause.

Data-savvy workers, automation safety, LSR dosing system: Machinery Minutes, Feb. 24, 2025

On this episode of Machinery Minutes, we focus on our deep dive on the future of your workforce. The need for tech skills to take advantage of increasingly complex equipment is creating new job opportunities, and companies that hope to land these data-savvy workers will need to offer the right mix of pay and perks. 
The Association for Advancing Automation (known as A3) has published updated ISO 10218 standards, the global flagship standard for industrial robot safety, with extensive revisions for a fast-changing field.
You'll also learn about the Elmet Top 3100 dosing system for LSR, the successor to the Top 3000.

Plan for the future of your plastics operation: PMM Insight

PMM Editor Ron Shinn has visited a lot of plastics processors. In this podcast episode, he shares thoughts on what the best plants are doing to prepare for the future of manufacturing, and steps you can take to ensure you have the right equipment and the workers to run it. 

Plastic scrap sourcing, automation sales slump, Wilmington Machinery sold: Machinery Minutes, Feb. 17, 2024

On this episode of Machinery Minutes, you'll hear about U.S. plastics processors and recyclers searching for domestic suppliers of plastic scrap as they face the prospect of significant tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico. 
In other news, sales of automation equipment are in a slump, with few signs that things are going to pick up this year. The Association for Advancing Automation (known as A3) recently released sales figures for 2023. 
And a private investor has purchased Wilmington Machinery, and founder Russ LaBelle has stepped away. The blow molding and injection molding machinery maker pledged to continue honoring contracts with customers, and hopes to double its workforce this year. 

Trump tariff threats, Milacron sale, QC for bright parts: Machinery Minutes, Feb. 10, 2025

In this episode of Machinery Minutes, senior reporter Bruce Geiselman looks at the potential ramifications of President Trump’s announcement that he planned to enact 25 percent tariffs against goods imported from Canada and Mexico.
Though they are currently on hold, the prospect elicited strong reactions from manufacturers, plastic industry leaders and consultants, both positive and negative. We also share ways you can prepare now for potential shocks if those tariffs do go into effect.
We also discuss Hillenbrand's pending sale of an approximately 51 percent stake in Milacron, an Ohio-headquartered manufacturer of injection molding and extrusion equipment, to an affiliate of Bain Capital; and a new spectrophotometer from Byk-Gardner for quality control of small, bright, glossy parts. 

Trump's tariffs and the recycled plastics market: PMM Insight

The proposed tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico have the potential to affect plastics recyclers and the processors who buy their resins.
The U.S. is a net importer of plastic scrap, getting about 40 percent of it from Canada and 18 percent from Mexico, said Emily Friedman, who monitors the plastics recycling market for ICIS. Recyclers would need to realign their sourcing strategies.
It could also affect what processors pay for virgin resin and for various grades of recycled materials.
Learn more in this conversation between Friedman and PMM senior reporter Bruce Geiselman.

Wittmann IMM upgrade, integrating cobots, selling your business: Machinery Minutes, Feb. 3, 2025

On this week's Machinery Minutes podcast, we give you a quick rundown on these three stories:
Wittmann's SmartPower Combimould line of injection molding machines, designed for multi-component molding, now offer servo-electric injection units for improved efficiency and performance.
David Stahl, a wealth management partner at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, offers three personal wealth planning steps owners of plastics businesses should take before selling.
Have you been thinking about adding cobots to your plastics plant? It needn’t be a daunting task, says Chris Buse, Universal Robots’ Applications Engineer Manager for North America West. Learn more on how to add cobots to your plastics plant.

How to add cobots to your plastics plant: PMM Insight

Taking the first step for adding collaborative robots need not be a daunting task, according to Chris Buse, Universal Robot’s Applications Engineering Manager for North America West.
Buse, who has a plastics engineering college degree, outlined the process and talked about the value cobots bring to plastics processing in an interview with Editor Ron Shinn at the inaugural Collaborate conference and trade show in Novi, Mich., on Jan. 28. 

2025 predictions, recycled railroad ties, 3D printing for anyone: Machinery Minutes, Jan. 27, 2025

In this week's Machinery Minutes, senior reporter Bruce Geiselman updates you on a roundtable in which the PMM staff discusses what may lie ahead for machinery makers in 2025. Are they optimistic that interest rate cuts will boost business, or do they see continued tough times ahead?
Another vision of the future comes from Slant 3D president Gabe Bentz, who wants to revolutionize manufacturing in a way that allows anyone to turn an idea into a part.
We also have news on a manufacturer of recycled plastic railroad ties that has attracted an investor.