Seizures of counterfeit goods gain momentum
SHANGHAI (January 6, 2009) -- Officials fighting parts counterfeiters in China know the ports where the parts leave the country. And they know where parts are most likely to go. But they lack the
manpower to check every container and truck that leaves China´s ports and roads. So an organization of automakers and suppliers is trying to work closely with various local governments to inspect
more containers and trucks to slow the trade in counterfeit parts.
SGMW pushes auto suppliers for price cuts
GUANGZHOU (January 6, 2009) -- To reduce costs amid the current market downturn, General Motors´ China joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co. is forcing its suppliers to bring down prices of
their parts in 2009 by more than 10 percent.
China suppliers see opportunity in slumping U.S.
SHANGHAI (January 6, 2009) -- For Chinese suppliers, dark clouds over the North American auto industry have a silver lining. Cost cutting in Detroit, they believe, could push more business their way.
Hi-Essence Cable expanding in Malaysia
PUCHONG, MALAYSIA (January 6, 2009) -- Plastics wire and cable manufacturer Hi-Essence Cable Sdn. Bhd. has increased its previously announced investment in a new facility in Kertih, Malaysia.
Construction is nearly complete, with machinery to arrive in the first quarter of this year.
LyondellBasell mulls restructuring options
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (Jaunuary 6, 2009) -- Resins and chemicals giant LyondellBasell Industries AP SCA is considering filing for bankruptcy protection. In recent months, the Rotterdam-based firm has
been hurt by a decline in chemical prices while it carries a heavy debt load. LyondellBasell is the world’s largest maker of polyolefins. It recently opened a compounding plant in Nansha, Guangdong
province, and has 50,000 metric tons of annual compounding capacity in China alone.
As Estane turns 50, new uses for TPUs abound
 TPU go-go boots
Mexican inventor a man of thousands of innovations
 Beutelspacher
Chesapeake files for bankruptcy protection, plans sale
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA (January 6, 2009) -- Specialty packaging manufacturer Chesapeake Corp. will sell its operating businesses to a group of investors for about US$485 million (3.3 billion yuan) after
filing for reorganization. Richmond-based Chesapeake filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors December 29 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond. Non-U.S. units are not included in the filing.
Chesapeake supplies paper cartons and plastic containers for the health-care, beverage and food markets. The firm has 44 locations in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa and employs about 5,400.
California bag maker collects, processes scrap
VERNON, CALIFORNIA (January 6, 2009) -- In what Command Packaging says is the first program of its kind for plastic bag makers in the U.S., the custom bag manufacturer has created an onsite center to
collect and recycle film and bag scrap from other area businesses. Much of what Command collects is linear low density polyethylene, and much of that is shrink and stretch wrap. The company turns it
into pellets, mostly for internal use.
IDES goes green with natural cooling, wind power
LARAMIE, WYOMING (January 6, 2009) – A U.S.-based plastics materials information management company is turning to natural cooling and wind power to make its computer operations more environmentally
friendly. IDES Inc. recently opened a naturally cooled computer server room and collocated its backup servers at a nearby facility powered by a local power company’s wind farm.
Bikebins targeting bicycle commuters
 Bikebins are molded from recycled plastic in several colors.
Kuwait nixes K-Dow joint venture
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN (December 30, 2006) -- The Kuwait Supreme Petroleum Council has canceled the planned K-Dow Petrochemicals joint venture with Dow Chemical Co. and its partners Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
and Petrochemicals Industries Co. The venture was supposed to close January 1.
Wasted energy costing firms big bucks
 Kent
Designer fosters global advocacy movement
 Casey
DuPont-Teijin shutting down PET film line
CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO (December 30, 2008) -- DuPont-Teijin Films U.S. LP will close its polyester film line in Circleville on January 31. Officials with DuPont-Teijin -- a 50-50 global joint venture
between DuPont Co. of Wilmington, Delaware, and Teijin Ltd. of Tokyo -- cited lower product demand.
Lubrizol to buy Dow’s TPU business
WICKLIFF, OHIO (December 30, 2008) -- Lubrizol Corp. has confirmed that it has signed an agreement with Dow Chemical Co. to purchase Dow’s thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) business. The acquisition
will expand Lubrizol’s Estane Engineered Polymers business. Wickliffe-based Lubrizol also recently acquired the assets of the TPU business of South Korean company SK Chemicals and doubled its TPU
capacity at its plant in Shanghai. Lubrizol’s other TPU manufacturing sites are in Seremban, Malaysia; Avon Lake, Ohio; Wilmington, Massachusetts; and Oevel, Belgium.
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