COVER STORY
Global Machinery Trends 2016
This “roundtable” of industry experts shows where primary plastics machinery markets are headed, region by region
A “Banner Year” for M&A
Mergers & acquisitions in packaging and plastics reached new heights in 2015
By Rick Weil
From SPE
The Virtual Plastics World … When and How?
New business models will change how the plastics supply chain functions
RESIN MARKET FOCUS
Welcome to 2016! Global Considerations for Success in the Chemicals Value Chain
By IHS Chemical
Low oil prices “sow the seeds” for improved economic conditio
GLOBAL LOOK
The European Polymers Market: How Will it Fare?
From China Plastics & Rubber Journal
Supply shortages have put a damper on medium-term growth
The Robots Are Coming
By Jon Evans
Actually, robots have been here for some time, and they’re increasing in capabilities
CONSULTANT’S CORNER
The Role of Plastics Compounding for Injection Molding
By Mark Rosen and Arash Kiani
Some complexities of compounding are demystified in this month’s “Corner”
Student Showcase
Creative Approaches Attract Students to Plastics
By Nancy D. Lamontagne
Companies are using various means for catching the attention of future plastics workers
This “SURE” is a Nice House
By American Chemistry Council
A student team used plastics to hurricane-proof homes of the future
Technical Papers
Impact Resistance Improvement on Modified Recycled PP Using SBS and SEBS Elastomers
By Abel Zúñiga, Juan Manuel Herrera, and Gabriel Hernández
Recycled polypropylene/elastomer blends display improved impact properties
Characterization of Carbonized Electrospun Lignin Fibers
By Vida Poursorkhabi, Amar K. Mohanty, and Manjusri Misra
Researchers study a new approach to making carbon fibers
Automotive Innovation on Two Continents
Two SPE awards programs in 2015 showed where plastics are headed in automotive
INSIDE SPI
A Green Solution to a Billion-Pound Problem
DEPARTMENTS
Industry News
Industry Patents
By Dr. Roger Corneliussen
Energy-Saving Tip
By Dr. Robin Kent
Upcoming Industry Events
Market Place
Advertiser Index
About the cover:
Additives and colorants offer a spectrum of properties and visual effects for 26 plastics; see our cover story. (Cover designed by SPE MarComm Team.)
