Plastics Testifies On Osha Hazard Communication Standard

The Plastics Industry Association (Plastics) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, representing nearly one million workers in the $395 billion U.S. industry. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability.

Plastics members are committed to worker and product safety and support increased global harmonization, but cannot fully support OSHA’s proposed updates to its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). We urge OSHA to consider modifications to better serve its objectives, reduce uncertainty, avoid unintended consequences, and provide adequate time for compliance. We welcome the opportunity to work with OSHA to achieve this.

Proposed changes to the scope of hazard classification would require chemical manufacturers to classify chemicals based on the hazards of downstream chemical reactions and reaction products. This is beyond a clarification, shifts responsibility and departs from the current regulatory scheme. If adopted, required changes to safety data sheets (SDSs) could create confusion and overwhelm users of many chemicals with excess warnings irrelevant to their use of that chemical.

While more harmonized, the proposed definition of “combustible dust” is unclear and inconsistent with a preferable National Fire Protection Association definition on which OSHA has relied. OSHA took some steps in the right direction to improve container labeling. Further revisions would improve requirements for small containers, in-plant systems, materials “released for shipment” and labels designed to meet the requirements of multiple jurisdictions. Further protection of confidential ingredients and consideration of batch variability is needed. The proposed rule significantly underestimates the costs and time needed for compliance.

For more details: www.plasticsindustry

Xeikon continues on pathway to full digitization of print manufacturing

Xeikon takes another strategic step forward with the announcement of new areas of innovation. The Xeikon vision has always been to offer printers and converters a clear and viable pathway to digital transformation. With its comprehensive portfolio and raft of new and innovative digital printing solutions, Xeikon is now ready to move to the next level. Printers and converters are searching for solutions that will enable them to achieve business growth, provide the highest quality and offer creative products to meet today’s ever-evolving consumer demand. Online ordering has increased the need for automation, high -quality color controls and faster production speeds. Xeikon’s extensive and innovative digital portfolio, in-depth knowledge of digital technology and long -standing experience working with companies that move to digital has positioned them as the world’s go-to advisor for businesses looking to safeguard the future of their print production and manufacturing operations.

Filip Weymans, Vice President of Marketing states: “In the last year, Xeikon has launched several new innovations and products. Now, printers and converters are truly able to see our vision materializing and what that can mean for them. The careful build and structure of our portfolio is about to bear fruit, and we are now ready to present even more exciting innovations that will open up a way toward a digital future and ‘lights out’ production and manufacturing.”

Xeikon Cheetah 2.0 dry toner technology: Now cloud-connected with man/machine and machine/machine interfaces where the machines are in constant communication with each other , driving and monitoring print jobs with full automation. Earlier this year, Xeikon introduced two new models: the CX30 and the CX50 entry level dry-toner presses. Important to note that with each cloud-connected solution, operators can monitor print manufacturing from anywhere on the shop floor by viewing the interfaces/dashboards 24/7 on a smartphone or any other device.

A fundamental and key component of the workflow is Xeikon’s X-800 Digital Front End (DFE). The X-800 unifies every facet of Xeikon’s digital portfolio. Xeikon is now extending the capabilities of its X-800 workflow even further to expand and enhance the range of possible applications. The label version of the X-800 will now include Xeikon VARI ONE variable data workflow – a true differentiator – and combine it with Panther durable haptic printing and with Xeikon’s FEU (Fusion Embellishment Unit). This truly unique development is set to offer the highest levels of variable imagery available today. With this unique capability, the X-800 will drive both the Panther and the Cheetah series of presses towards digital transformation.

Filip Weymans concludes, “With our latest innovations, printers and converters will be able to address the current and future needs of print buyers and brand owners. Having clear insight into their production environments means they can monitor progress and make quick and flexible decisions on the fly. This is why digitization can be a game changer. When we install the first digital press at a company’s site, we are with that company every step of their growth journey. They quickly realize the productivity, growth and profit benefits of implementing a fully automated digital print manufacturing process. Everyone knows that making changes in a company’s strategy and operations can be difficult. Xeikon stands as the go-to advisor for printers and converters looking to the future for their growth and sustainable profitability.”

For more details: www.xeikon.com

Emsur Saymopack optimizes longevity of sleeve-mounting adapter with rotec Eco Xtra rings

Spanish flexible packaging producer Emsur Saymopack has increased their productivity and the lifetime of their adapters with the new rotec Eco Xtra ring from XSYS. This next-generation Eco Bridge technology further improves the durability of the adapters by reducing wear from mounting sleeves.

The rotec line of Sleeves & Adapters from XSYS is under constant development with new innovations introduced to help converters improve press performance and print quality. The Eco Bridge adapter is a patented technology that enables significantly easier sleeve mounting, as well as more efficient compressed air usage. The next evolution of the rotec Eco Bridge maintains these advantages while taking sustainability to the next level. The Eco Xtra is a modified stainless-steel ring that incorporates the revolutionary air supply system of the Eco Bridge, and additionally guards against wear by strengthening the operator-side of the adapter.

The first customer to take advantage of this innovation is Emsur in Spain, who has been testing the Eco Xtra adapter at its Saymopack plant, in Valencia.

“During rough production processes, our adapters were becoming damaged very fast, so we needed to reinforce the operator side. The new ring with the innovative air supply protects the adapter from wear and improves the mounting characteristics quite significantly, as well as the overall lifetime,” says Marcos Gaspar Calatayud, who is responsible for process improvement at Emsur Saymopack.

A division of the Spanish multinational Grupo Lantero, Emsur has more than 900 staff across its nine production plants located in the following eight countries: Spain, France, Poland, Russia, the US, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. With over 30 years of experience, its packaging solutions are exported worldwide to customers primarily in the food sector, but also in the industrial, agrochemical and pharmaceutical sectors, in more than 60 countries.

The Emsur Saymopack plant is located in Algemesí, just south of Valencia, and specializes in flexible packaging production, with both rotogravure and flexographic printing presses in-house. Like all Emsur facilities, it has obtained the ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications and is committed to sustainability based on food preservation, waste reduction and the development of eco-friendly products. An ambitious investment plan undertaken over the past few years has seen the company expand its printing and converting capabilities to fulfil a large portfolio of products for its customers.

Through the XSYS regional agent, LR Flexo, Emsur Saymopack has enjoyed the benefits of rotec sleeves and adapters for plate-mounting on its wide web flexo presses for more than 10 years. “We have had a great relationship with LR Flexo for many years and we always get the best service,” says Gaspar. “And now with the new Eco Xtra ring, they even developed something designed specifically for our needs. We can now mount our sleeves much faster and speed up the whole process”.

For more details: www.xsysglobal.com

Toyo Ink Group Issues Its First Integrated Report

Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd., the Tokyo-based parent company of the specialty chemicals manufacturing conglomerate Toyo Ink Group, has released the “Toyo Ink Group Integrated Report 2021,” the first report of its kind for the company. Up to now, the Group had disclosed its financial information through securities reports, financial statements, fact books and financial results briefings, while issuing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports for highlighting its environmental and CSR-related initiatives. To help all stakeholders gain a deeper understanding of the Group, the company has now combined details on its management plans and business strategy, CSR and value creation initiatives, and other factors in an integrated report. The CSR Report and Fact Book will continue to be issued, although in a slightly altered format.

This transition reflects Toyo Ink Group’s commitment to promoting corporate reporting that more clearly shows the correlations between the financial and non-financial aspects of the Group’s operations. To help achieve this end, the content of the Report is based on the framework developed by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, and the Guidance for Collaborative Value Creation of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

 Kazuhito Nakano, Managing Director overseeing CSR initiatives of Toyo Ink SC Holdings remarked: “The shift to integrated reporting was a natural step in this, the first year of our new mid-term management plan called the Scientific Innovation Chain II. We hope the Report helps to provide a clearer picture on how the Group’s management strategy and business activities generate social value, while sustainably driving our corporate value. Through the publication of such reports and proactive corporate disclosure, the Toyo Ink Group is committed to improving communication with all our stakeholders.”

For more details: www.schd.toyoinkgroup.com/en/

Teknor Apex Monprene Serves the Pet Toy Market with TPE Series Offering a Broad Range of Performance and Aesthetic Characteristics

Teknor Apex Company, a privately held firm founded in 1924, is one of the world’s leading custom compounders of plastics. Teknor Apex produces flexible and rigid vinyl, thermoplastic elastomers, nylons, color masterbatches, specialty chemicals, and hoses. The company is headquartered in Pawtucket, RI, U.S.A. and operates thirteen manufacturing facilities worldwide in the United States, Belgium, Germany, China, and Singapore.

The latest series is now specifically designed for use in the manufacture of pet products. Monprene CP-16500 series of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are durable and sustainable alternatives to thermoset rubber for dog toys, with a broad range of performance and aesthetic characteristics. This series includes clear, translucent and opaque grades with low, medium and high gloss. All grades exhibit excellent colorability and are easily moldable. This extensive portfolio includes specialty grades that offer improved durability with superior resistance to puncture and tear—ideal for the demanding applications of dog chew toys. In order to help compare the durability of different materials, Teknor Apex designed a “bite resistance” laboratory test to simulate the forceful action of a dog biting a toy. Based on the ASTM test method F1306 for flexible films, the Teknor Apex Bite Resistance test measures the puncture resistance or the force required to penetrate an injection molded specimen. A “Puncture Rating” is assigned to each material based on this force, and uses a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 having the greatest resistance.

While the general purpose grades offer an excellent balance of cost and performance, the specialty grades offer superior resistance to puncture, tear, and tear propagation. All materials in this series mold with ease, with excellent flow characteristics. In the case that a pet product manufacturer has unique requirements, Teknor Apex will work with them to customize a Monprene TPE solution.

The Monprene CP-16500 series is formulated with only FDA listed ingredients and is not formulated to contain PVC, BPA, latex, phthalates or metals, nor REACH SVHC or Prop 65 listed substances. These grades are also classified and suitable for use in Children’s Toys per the following regulatory standards: Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), European Product Safety Standard EN 71, and the ASTM International’s Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety (F963).

Monprene is also recyclable, offering a sustainable alternative to thermoset rubber dog toys. Scrap recovered from any step in the manufacturing process can be re-introduced into the process or used in the production of new parts. Additionally, used chew toys can be recovered, shredded, and recycled into new ones.

“The pet industry has been growing for years, especially recently with the rise in pet ownership during the pandemic. As a pet owner, I know what an important part of the family they are. We are excited to be integral parts of creating products that are safe, fulfill the durability promise, and help our partners succeed,” said Hilarie Rubin, Senior Market Manager for Consumer Products. “Made in the USA” Monprene CP-16500 Series are manufactured in several ISO-9001 certified facilities in the USA, but are also manufactured in Singapore and Germany to serve local markets all with strict formulation control and traceability.

For more details: www.teknorapex.com