Engineering Materials

Engineering materials is a discussion led by Design News Contributing Materials Editor Doug Smock on important new developments and applications that affect mechanical design. Metals covered include all types of steel and nonferrous metals, in all shapes. Resins covered include nylons, polycarbonates, polysulfides, polyimides, and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Other materials covered include ceramics and rubber. Topics covered include materials enhancement, new applications, process technology, tooling, sustainability, and economic issues. Posts will include latest news from global events such as K 2007, the Alliance of Plastics Processors Annual Conference, the National Plastics Exposition, and the annual technical conference (ANTEC) of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

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Friday, November 2, 2007

Weak Dollar Revives US Plastics Makers

A weak dollar is charging up US exports of plastics. US plastics exports grew 12.3 percent last year and rose 11.7 percent through July of this year. Imports are down 7.3 percent through July of this year. Even better news: American plastics companies invested $11.3 billion in new capital equipment. I got the new data from Bill Carteaux, the president of the Society of the Plastics Industry, a US trade group. It’s the first really positive sign for the industry in about seven years. Sales of injection molding machines had dropped about in half in that period, and may be bouncing back a little now. Even though imports from China continue to grow, America has a positive trade surplus in plastics, and that number is now growing. A plastics trade surplus of $5.9 billion through July exceeded the entire trade surplus in 2006.

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