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Disruptive plastic products rapidly emerging in green building field
Don Rosato EngineeringGreen building technology redefines how we make and live in buildings. From a plastics material and processing perspective, we can both reduce a building's energy consumption and simultaneously provide for a building's energy production. These plastic material and process advances "disrupt" an existing market by displacing earlier technology. Let's delve into some emerging green building technologies that involve plastic material and processing aspects.
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US manufacturers in a ‘sweet spot’ heading into holiday season
Chelsea Adams ManufacturingU.S. manufacturing surged in October, marking the second month in 2014 it reached 59 on the Institute for Supply Management's PMI Composite index. Plus, production hit a 10-year high, and new orders rose 10 points. The index reading of 59 matched that of August and was the highest reading since March 2011.
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Report: Global food logistics market poised for growth
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageNo matter how well technology and communications are interwoven with daily business, the circle cannot be completed without robust logistics. That is even truer for the food industry where logistics is the backbone for survival. With increasing e-commerce influences, every industry segment is geared up to meet increasing logistic demands.
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Bending neon: Fading light on a special skill
Domenic Urbani ManufacturingI have been working in the sign industry since 1984. I began my apprenticeship as a neon bender two years later. During that period, neon was the predominant light source for channel-letter signs — with the exception of the occasional channel-light system, an early version of what we now know as CFL. Since neon was pretty much the only reliable and efficient product available, neon work was abundant, and the neon tube bender was in demand.
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Solar roadways: Better for show than practicality?
Lauren Swan EngineeringWith the new solar road opening for cyclists in the Netherlands, a debate has been reignited that was initially begun by the Dutch's installation of solar panels into their roads. On the one hand, the government is trying to practice energy conservation and go "more green," while on the other hand, there are plenty of engineers who believe this is not a feasible option due to the mathematics supporting the installations.
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Green building regulatory trends drive plastics use
Don Rosato EngineeringThe construction and operation of buildings has a significant impact on the environment. In the U.S., buildings account for 39 percent of total energy consumption and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Buildings also use a tremendous amount of natural resources to construct and operate.
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European cooling industry pledges to take action on HFCs
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingYou may recall last month that I drew some comparisons between the work that was going on in Europe and the U.S. over getting to grips with high-GWP refrigerants. At the time, I praised the U.S. for the recent actions on cooling — both the government and agencies for "wielding the stick" in hastening the moves toward lower GWP, and the cooling industry for committing some serious investment to low-GWP projects.
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Chinese outsourcing may lead to textile resurgence in Carolinas
Stephanie McKenzie ManufacturingNorth and South Carolina were once the center of the American textile industry. This changed completely by the late 1990s, when the textile mills closed, moving their operations overseas where labor and raw materials were cheaper.
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Dual laminates gaining in corrosive environments
Alan Kelsky EngineeringWhen it comes to the handling, storing and distribution of all types of liquid solutions within chemical manufacturing plants, composites enjoy a well-earned place for durability. In general, they are among the most cost-effective anti-corrosion materials used in the chemical industry today.
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Bioplastic applications rapidly developing across major markets
Don Rosato EngineeringThe bioplastics industry is experiencing a sense of arrival confirmed by a growing volume and variety of applications from disposable packaging to durable goods. Bioplastics are no longer viewed as a mere fad, a "green" public relations stunt or a feel-good ecoluxury. They are proving to be legitimate tools of the plastics industry.
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