February 2006
www.mtdmfederation.ca

Precisely Canadian is produced by the Canadian Machine, Tool, Die & Mould Federation, a Cooperative Initiative of CAMM, CTMA, CPMA and the Mould Makers Council of CPIA.

Table of Contents

1. Conservatives Could Be Supportive of MTDM Industry
2. UK Group Tries to Solve Ongoing Payment Concerns of Industry
3. MoldMaking Technology's Show in Novi, Michigan Coming Up Quickly
4. Engel Technology Expands Capabilities of All-Electrics
5. Indian Auto Show Impresses by the Players and Market Growth
6. Software Technology Maximizes Effectiveness of Team Approach
7. Pavilion for Mould Makers at NPE Has Prime Position
8. Report on Medical Show Offers Insights on New Markets
9. In-Bound Trade Mission With Mexico Continues Successful Pattern
10. Use Electronics to Connect Even More So With Technology
11. Innovative Pavilion at NPE Addresses Emerging Technologies
12. Articles in Leading Magazine’s Newsletter Have Ongoing Relevance
13. Industry Events for the TDM Players
14. Workshop Focused on Cost-Effective Production of Auto Parts
15. Suppliers News and Advances in Brief
16. Share Your Industry Humour With Your Associates
17. Progress Continues on Multi-Stakeholder Council
18. Your Literature is Next Best to Being There for Trade Shows
19. By the Stats, Industry Adjusting to Increased Value of Dollar
20. Industry Expert Looks Beyond the Grit of Change in Auto
21. CPSC Launches On-Line Certification Program
22. Try These Links to Access Technology Solutions

Conservatives Could Be Supportive of MTDM Industry

ED BERNARD
Chairman, CMTDMF (President, Bernard Mould Ltd.)

Canada now has a new minority government which we all hope will prove to be more supportive of the MTDM sector than the Liberals were. We really need some leadership directing our country.

Part of the Conservative platform included improvements to the SR&ED ITC Incentive Program. Members of the Federation Board met with Conservative leaders prior to the election to confirm our support to the party and to solicit their support to our industry.

With your help, or at least those of you who participated in our recent survey, we have identified the top 30 problems plaguing our industry. We will be continuing to work toward solutions for these concerns but we need everyone who is able to join with CAMM and CTMA and CPIA Mold Makers Council to support our Canadian MTDM Federation.

It appears that we have the attention of government on all levels and the importance of our sector is being understood better than ever before but finding ways to bolster our sector remain difficult to define.

• Our top priorities with the new government are to enhance the SR&ED ITC Program, to ensure support from EDC, and to develop a cooperative relationship for registering liens for mould makers and consequently reducing receivables insurance premiums.

Once we’ve addressed the most important issues on our list, we’ll turn our focus to the next most important.

Our companies have weathered the “perfect storm” but there are more tsunamis on the horizon. Despite the efforts of so many of us, our sector still remains too fragmented.

• Each business is now akin to a professional sports team where the combined skills and experience will determine how well they are able to compete in the global arena.

In recent years the metal cutting machinery sector has greatly consolidated and competition in that field has driven rapid advances in MTDM technology. This technology can be purchased by anyone, anywhere.

• The businesses that hire our skilled trades work force do not contribute to the development of these metal forming technologies so the "race" is to apply these technologies and their best practices in our businesses to better compete globally.

A speedy operator, with skill in state of the art software and high speed CNC machining making $30 an hour, can easily outperform 100 speedy operators with skills using chisels and hammers making $0.30 an hour.

Our challenge lies in the fact that third world governments have recognized the same needs that we are identifying here and they are subsidizing their emerging MTDM sector with brand new state of the art software and high speed CNC machining centres, while our MTDM sector struggles to reinvest in new technology with extremely narrow profit margins and not enough assistance from our government.

We currently have the experience to be able to apply more rapidly new technologies, than regions that are at earlier stages of MTDM development, but as we saw with decades of Russian Olympic athletes who were given more opportunity, with top-notch equipment to practice, than our local “unprofessionals,” they took home a lot of “gold.”

We are in a global race and, except for our experience, we appear to be the underdogs. Our government wants to help us but we haven’t been able to find a way for them to support us using existing programs.

• Innovation and education are clearly key issues in both survival and success but we’ll all have to be more ingenious to overcome the competition's attacks on so many different fronts.

Perhaps we are nearing a time that our industry will have to consolidate, like so many others before us.

ed@bernardmould.com (CMTDMF)

UK Group Tries to Solve Ongoing Payment Concerns of Industry

• The Gauge and Tool Makers Association is located in Princes Risborough, Bucks, UK. Its website is www.gtma.co.uk.

MoldMaking Technology's Show in Novi, Michigan Coming Up Quickly

This is a busy year for trade shows and conferences, just within North America. Coming up very soon is the MoldMaking Expo which is presented by MoldMaking Technology magazine. Both are now owned by Gardner Publications and this is its first full year for the show. The basic details are April 25-26, 2006, at the new Rock Financial Showplace, formerly the Novi Expo Center.

The event includes a two-day technical conference and 27,000 sq ft of exhibits, plus networking events, contests and awards. The conference has been very carefully assembled, for non-commercial, technical panel discussions, seminars and workshops.

There will be over 100 exhibitors showcasing products and services in areas of specific interest to mould makers and related industries. Free seminars will take place on Tuesday, April 25 (Economic and Industry Outlook for Mould Makers) and Wednesday, April 26 (Lead Time Leader Panel Discussion).

On the Tuesday, April 25, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, there is a party with a casino theme in the ballroom, within the center. It’s an open bar and hors d'oeuvres for exhibitors, paid conference attendees and exhibit hall as well as pass holders. My memory tells me this is a lot of fun. (Tickets can be purchased for Exhibit Hall Only attendees.)

The Lead Time Leaders Awards ceremony follows with an evening of casino games, entertainment and prizes.

Here are the details on the conference, first figures show the cost if you act on or before March 20; second figures are March 20 and after:

• Full conference pass, includes conference sessions of choice on both days, exhibit hall pass for both days, two lunch passes, and one Casino Night networking reception ticket ($395 and $445). 
• A one-day conference pass includes choice of any conference session on a selected day, an exhibit hall pass for both days, one lunch pass, and one Casino Night networking reception ticket ($195 and $245). Note that group discounts are available. 
• Exhibit hall only pass includes admission only to exhibits and show floor conference sessions (free and $30). 
• Exhibit hall plus pass includes admission only to exhibits, show floor conference sessions, and one Casino Night networking reception ticket ($30 and $60).

Now for the Expo Basics:

Expo times are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Conference times are Tuesday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; Wednesday, 8:00 am to 4:15 pm
Location: Rock Financial Showplace (Formerly the Novi Expo Center), 46100 Grand River Avenue, Novi, Michigan. Phone 248 348-5600
Parking is $5/day, with directions available online at www.rockfinancialshowplace.com/attend/directions.php
Show hotels are the Hotel Baronette: $115/nt show rate (www.hotelbaronette.com) and the DoubleTree Novi at $89/nt show rate (www.doubletree.com).

(Remember, CAMM has a booth at the show and CAMM members receive a 25% discount on all conference fees. Please enter “CAMM” in the promotion code field when registering.)

• For conference details and to register, visit www.moldmakingexpo.com or contact Tricia Karsay, director of marketing at 646 827-4848, ext 7102 or e-mail: tkarsay@gardnerweb.com.

Engel Technology Expands Capabilities of All-Electrics

It seems that advances in injection moulding equipment ignore the basic function of processing and controlling a resin for a mould. To offset that dilemma, Precisely Canadian will talk from time to time about advances in specific injection moulding machinery.

In this issue, it’s Engel’s turn which replied to our request to explain its latest advances. The company talks about X-MELT which further expands the capabilities of all-electric injection moulding.

The technology is appropriate for the high-speed moulding of precision thin-wall or thin-section parts using highly engineered thermoplastics. Engel’s proprietary X-MELT expansion melt technology can be used in full production to mould thin-wall, lightweight parts, with a wall thickness of just 0.011 to 0.019 in. (0.3 to 0.5 mm) with an injection time of 0.08 sec.

The thought has been that a dedicated micro-molding, or hydraulic accumulator-driven machine, was required for these parts.

• If the plastic melt is kept under high pressure, and suddenly relieved, the plastic will expand “explosively,” with no additional thermal stress to the material. X-MELT achieves this task by moving the screw forward to a desired axial position. The screw is then locked into position to allow pressure to distribute evenly in the melt, in front of the screw.
• In addition, a shut-off nozzle is required to lock up the barrel and prevent the melt from flowing into the cavity, until the desired compression level has been attained and the nozzle is opened for injection.

Alternatively, this shut-off can be integrated into a hot runner system.

Positioning and maintaining the screw at the set position, under high pressure, requires extremely precise control of the machine’s injection unit. Engel developed the X-MELT process to fulfill that requirement for its E-Motion, all-electric machine line.

Engel Canada Inc. has some test figures. If you’d like that information, a contact is Joachim Kragl, manager, processing and technologies, email: Joachim.kragl@engel-ec.com, phone: 519 836-0220, ext 2315. Mention you are responding to an article in Precisely Canadian. Engel’s website is www.engelglobal.com.

Indian Auto Show Impresses by the Players and Market Growth

• The show marked the debut at the show of the Canadian automotive industry with Magna International. The Indian OEMs’ areas of interest centered on emerging technologies in coach manufacturing, embedded electronics, and development of hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles.
• The presence of leading global auto manufacturers and an annual turnover of $31 billion Cdn (nearly 10% of the country’s total industrial output plus significant contributions to the exchequer through direct and indirect taxes) have made the Indian auto industry a major driver of economic growth for the country.

• India is able to attract up to 100% of Foreign Direct Investment (complete exemption from customs duty on industrial inputs and a corporate tax holiday for five years for 100% export oriented units and units in Export Processing Zones).
• Compliance with global automotive standards. 
• Strategically located with an access to the vast domestic and South Asian market.
• A potential synergy in IT/software/ embedded software and auto components.

1. Working with Indian companies, including OEMs and auto component manufacturers who are seeking partnership/alliances for global networking, retailing and service skills. (Products for sourcing include dies and fixtures, engine and engine related components, instrumentation, and braking systems.)
2. Addressing the market need for environment friendly, safe and fuel-efficient products. (Cleaner and greener vehicles with better pollution control devices and use of alternative fuels such as CNG, LPG, CFC free-charging of the a/c system and fuel cells.)
3. Joint ventures, technology transfers, strategic alliances and financial collaborations. (Canada’s leading edge technologies can be successfully marketed and introduced in India. Examples of Canadian companies in India are Dock Levellers and High Reach Trucks.)
4. Export of industrial automation, special purpose machines, tools and dies, tires, belt tensioners and after-market equipment. 
5. Working with the Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers to set up an Inspection and Certification Facilities centre for industry under an Indian federal government-aided proposal.
6. Participate in exchange of missions between APMA and ACMA to develop linkages and target specific partnerships.
7. Investment presentations to Indian firms to set up manufacturing bases in Canada.

• This wrap-up of the trade show is another excellent effort by a government representative. For a copy of the full text, contact the author: Gurbans Sobti, trade commissioner, Consulate General of Canada, Chandigarh, India, email: Gurbans.Sobti@international.gc.ca.

Software Technology Maximizes Effectiveness of Team Approach

Nypro, Inc. of Clinton, Massachusetts, assembles a global network of people and capabilities to develop and implement concepts for the world’s leading companies. This has been a critical link in the company’s journey to expand its capabilities. Project managers can mobilize internal teams at a moment’s notice using standardized templates to start projects and simplify people’s jobs when participating in multiple projects. Every team has instant access to the full slate of its project and product information, speeding its familiarity with the project, and increasing efficiency and productivity.

For Nypro, an expanded role in the supply chain required closer collaboration from customers, suppliers, and partner manufacturers. PTC’s Windchill ProjectLink laid the groundwork for this new model of partnership.

• It allows Nypro to pull these external members into project management as much or little as necessary. Similarly, manufacturers and suppliers are able to share and provide information, working toward clear milestones.

Within 18 months of acquiring the technology, the seat count increased by ten-fold and is now used by Nypro employees, suppliers, and customers in at least 15 countries ranging from Asia to North America to Europe to Latin America. PTC’s Quick Start was used to get the system installed, tested, trained, and into production successfully in six weeks.

The final phase in Nypro’s strategic vision is a complete Product Development System that takes advantage of PTC’s Enterprise Systems Integration to tie all of Nypro’s ERP and quality systems together. With this investment in technology, Nypro will be better positioned to deliver on what it calls the “Start to Finish” initiative.

• For further info, check Parametric Technology Corp.’s website: www.ptc.com.

Pavilion for Mould Makers at NPE Has Prime Position

Visitors looking for design and tooling solutions at NPE 2006 will discover a wide range of alternatives within a new multi-exhibitor pavilion for mould makers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. (Got those show dates: June 19-23 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.)

The North American Moldmakers Pavilion will be the first such pavilion at an NPE and is jointly sponsored by the SPI Moldmakers Division, the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA), and the Canadian Association of Moldmakers (CAMM). However, you will not see a row of mould makers from countries such as Taiwan or China. This is a pavilion for North American mould makers.

“The North American Moldmakers Pavilion will expand the range of mould making options available to visitors beyond the already extensive array of tooling-related companies that normally exhibit at NPE,” says Walt Bishop of SPI.

“The pavilion provides an attractive opportunity for newcomers, particular smaller companies, to display their capabilities at NPE.”

Those incentives to exhibit in the pavilion include a 25% lower space fee than is normally charged to companies that are not members of SPI, a high-traffic location in the East Hall, and signs and displays for the pavilion placed prominently throughout the Grand Concourse of McCormick Place and the promenade to the East Hall.

MoldMaking Technology magazine is presenting a conference on business and strategy topics of interest to mould makers.

As at previous NPEs, the 2006 show will attract visitors from a wide range of companies that buy moulds, specify mould design, or work with mould makers on product development, according to Jeanette Bradley, executive director of AMBA. Ms Bradley makes a good point when she says that by combining the exhibits of many mould makers in one area, the North American Moldmakers Pavilion will provide easy access to tool making solutions for custom moulders, product designers, and OEMs from around the world.

The pavilion will also showcase the capabilities of North American mould makers to visitors from overseas, according to Cyndi Butcher, president of CAMM. “A number of our members, particularly the smaller mould shops, do not normally have the opportunity to meet face to face with prospective customers from abroad. The North American Moldmakers Pavilion is a way for these companies to take part in a world-scale trade show.”

• To exhibit at NPE, within this pavilion, contact Walt Bishop at wbishop@socplas.org.

Report on Medical Show Offers Insights on New Markets

Precisely Canadian asked for a wrap-up of last fall's ComPaMED. This trade fair for medical device suppliers was held parallel to MEDICA at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Centre. Innovation, as shown by the materials, miniaturized components and increasingly complex systems, is an important driver of this market.

The full report is interesting because it shows off new applications for plastics and that means new business opportunities for Precisely Canadian's readers. The market also seems to be very much about complex systems. Here are just a couple of the trends and products that were on display:

• Telemedicine is increasing in importance such that monitoring and caring for patients as an outpatient is regularly accepted. Telemedicine is based on microelectronics and microsystem technology (MST). (Expert source: Harald Korb, director of Personal HealthCare, Telemedicine Services GmbH in Düsseldorf) 
• The Helmholz Institute for Applied Medical Technology in Aachen had on display intelligent implants for telemonitoring of blood pressure. The system is modular in construction, meaning that additional sensors for measuring glucose levels, for example, can be rapidly adapted.
• The "Intellidrug" system developed by the Institute for Micro- and Information Technology (IMIT) of the Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft in Villingen-Schwenningen created an automatic dosing system for medicines which is implanted in a patient's jaw. The goal is to make the system even smaller and to extend its autonomous effective time, currently 14 days.

ComPaMED attracted over 300 exhibitors and more than 9,000 specialist visitors.
IVAM, the professional association for microtechnology, was represented by ten companies and also organized a well-attended forum "Microtechnology for Medicine."

The next ComPaMED in Düsseldorf will be held Nov. 15-17, 2006; MEDICA Nov. 15-18, 2006. The respective websites are www.compamed.de and www.medica.de.

In-Bound Trade Mission With Mexico Continues Successful Pattern

Just before the Christmas rush, the Canadian Consulate General in Monterrey along with the federal government’s Ontario Regional Office and Ontario Exports organized a buying trip to Ontario for three companies from Mexico’s plastics industry. These processors from the Monterrey region were looking for suppliers of injection machinery, injection and blow moulds.

You might recall there was an outbound mission to Monterrey last June which was preceded by a virtual trade mission. For the November event, individual programs were prepared which meant that each company met with the appropriate group of Canadian suppliers according to their specific needs.

Preliminary results indicated that:

• Industrias Gesta was expected to purchase two injection machines, and source close to 30 injection moulds for two projects they were quoting on.
• Empaques y Envases Industriales was asking for quotes on four injection moulds.
• Contenedores IEM was looking at purchasing an injection machine and evaluating the capacities of blow mould makers for future projects.

The president of Contenedores IEM is the current president of a plastics association in Monterrey. The group is developing a technology park where training, technology and best practices will have a major role.

• CPIA will have a trade pavilion at the upcoming Plastimagen show, March 28-31, in Ciudad de Mexico, a new location. Space at press time was still available at a special rate for Federation members. For information on the exhibit options, contact Ms Sally Damstra at sdamstra@cpia.ca.
• For information on Mexico’s plastics industry, contact David.Valle@international.gc.ca.

Use Electronics to Connect Even More So With Technology

Last fall, Makino produced a very successful trade and conference event outside of Detroit. Now, it is offering new and existing customers, the chance to advance their metalworking capabilities with a series of on-line seminars. There wasn’t unfortunately very much advance notice so some have already taken place however there are more to come. The seminars are archived at Makino.com for you to view later.

“We'll use this as a continuously-updated tool for shops to train new employees and implement new processes,” says Mark Rentschler, marketing manager at Makino.

The seminars are ideal for operations involved in production machining,
metalcutting, automotive, aerospace, micro-machining, medical product and
die/mould industries.

• The on-line seminars will concentrate on such areas as machine tool integration and automation, machine tool technologies and metal cutting processes. Shop efficiency, getting the most out of your machine tools, asset utilization and many other processes will also be addressed.
• The presentations will be given by Makino's application engineers, product managers, and guest speakers invited by Makino to discuss business and shop efficiencies. The events will be held free of charge to registered attendees.

“We’ll show people how to get the most out of their machine tools and processes, without requiring them to set foot outside their shop,” says Bill Howard, product manager, vertical machining centers, for Makino.

Howard will be a presenter several times in the 2006 series, including “Competing Globally in the Die/Mould Market” on February 16 and “Hard Milling Solutions” on March 9.

• The first quarter schedule is as follow (and remember the ones you missed are to be archived): January 19: Automation and Integration; January 26: Wire EDM; February 9: Micro-machining, Micro-milling; February 16: Competing Globally in the Die/Mould Market; March 9: Hard Milling Solutions; March 23: Built for Die/Mould. Each seminar is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. EST, 10 a.m. CST.

Upcoming seminars are listed on the Makino website at www.makino.com/events. The site lists both on-line and in-person seminars. All that is needed to participate is an Internet connection on a computer that has audio capabilities such as a sound card and speakers.

• To sign up, visit www.makino.com/events and click “Register,” next to the event for which you would like to participate. Once you've submitted your information, Makino will contact you via email with detailed instructions.
• When you visit the website, look for its latest technology advance, the hybrid automatic tool-length measuring system that is available on its precision Hyper-2J, V22 and V33 VMCs.

Innovative Pavilion at NPE Addresses Emerging Technologies

A multi-exhibitor pavilion at the NPE 2006 will explore four technologies that will have a major influence on the plastics industry. NPE is of course sponsored by SPI and runs from June 19 to the 23rd at Chicago's McCormick Place. (Those dates mean it’s time to book your hotel space.)

The New Technology Pavilion will be organized around innovations or technical issues deemed by SPI to have broad implications in the plastics industry for years to come, according to Lynne Harris, SPI's vice-president of science and technology. These include four themes:

Nanotechnology: Tiny fillers that could yield big dollars. By incorporating filler particles of molecular size in polymer matrices, materials scientists are creating new types of nanocomposites that expand the performance of plastics.

You’ll want to find out their affect on the resin’s processing nature, and how it affects the mould design.

Other themes: bioplastics: innovative resins from abundant sources; energy efficiency at a time of increased fuel costs; recycling, because of a resurgence of conservation mandates.

Each of the first four days of NPE 2006 will be devoted to presentations on one of the themes in the pavilion.

“We have set aside a large and prominent area in the South Hall of McCormick
Place for the pavilion,” says Walt Bishop, SPI's vice-president in charge of trade shows.

At least 2,000 companies are expected to exhibit at NPE with one-third of them coming directly from outside the U.S.A. That means you have a chance to see many, many new suppliers, all in one shopping trip.

Also, don’t forget to sign up to receive the NPE Advisor newsletter. I just received my first copy. Very helpful. And, when you check out the NPE site at www.npe.org, check out the pavilion for mould making.

(At press time, Precisely Canadian was told Federation members are entitled to a special rate to exhibit in the Government of Canada/CPIA pavilion. This special rate applies to other events by CPIA. For details, contact Ms Sally Damstra at sdamstra@cpia.ca, or Ms C. Entine at centine@cpia.ca.

Articles in Leading Magazine’s Newsletter Have Ongoing Relevance

Having gone through more than a few websites for the December issue of Precisely Canadian, a series of articles carried in the newsletter of Modern Machine Shop a while back came to mind very quickly. The articles talk about what your website should say.

First point: If your business is being judged against two others for the same project, and the prospective buyer only finds a listing of equipment for each company, their tolerance capabilities, length of time in business…then that’s all you will ever be judged on.

So don’t just list your equipment. Say what you can do with it. Give examples of what you have done to serve the needs of your clients.

Second point: In a survey with major customers, the remark was made that machining capability can be bought. Customers are looking for dependable, technically proficient partners. They’re more interested in what is done with the equipment, within the overall system, that is the business itself. To read the full insights, use the following links:

• http://www.mmsonline.com/columns/1003web.html
• http://www.mmsonline.com/columns/0304weba.html

Industry Events for the TDM Players

• The Metro Toronto Convention Center is the site for this year’s Health and Safety Canada, IAPA’s Conference and Trade Show. The event takes place May 1, 2, 3. Check the site for further details including registration, www.iapa.ca.
• The LuxePack event is a show that you might check out. There’s one in New York on May 17-28, and then another in Sao Paulo May 31 and June 1. Monaco was the site of a show last November. A contact for further details is Nataly Joubert, e-mail: nataly.joubert@wanadoo.fr, otherwise try www.luxepack.tm.fr. 
• Plans are underway for your Federation’s annual meeting and conference. A possible date is in mid-September. We’ll keep you informed.
• CAMM’s Moldmakers Trade Fair in Windsor is always a successful event and is scheduled this year to take place on Thursday, November 9 at the Ciociaro Club. The event typically includes a room full of tabletop displays from important suppliers and service companies, seminars, and dinner.

Workshop Focused on Cost-Effective Production of Auto Parts

A customer workshop hosted by the Polyurethanes Business Unit of Bayer MaterialScience AG last fall in Heiligenhaus near Ratingen, Germany, focused on the production of instrument panels for automobiles.

The guests saw the back-injecting of outer instrument panel skins with the polyurethane foam system Bayfill®, and the latest trends in mould construction, processing technology and quality assurance.

The two-day event attracted about 50 participants.

To kick off the event, guests were taken through the Technical Service Center facilities in Leverkusen where they saw instrument panels for the Volkswagen Golf manufactured in a closed mould using a Bayfill polyurethane mixture that cures in 60 sec. Production in an open mould was also explained using a video on a multi-media wall.

Partner companies gave talks on the advances made in mould construction and processing technology. Rupert Hune from WIS Tooling GmbH presented electrically operated foam moulds which are reported as combining superior ergonomics, easy operation, high productivity and a low maintenance.

Gero Willmeroth from Hennecke GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bayer MaterialScience, reported on polyurethane processing in high-pressure machines. He gave a detailed explanation of the process used to backfill the skin with Bayfill on a rotary table and TransFlex equipment.

In addition to its own polyurethane processing equipment, Frimo Lotte GmbH showcased a new technology for producing grained Class A surfaces which is based on a further development of the negative thermoforming method. This Frimo In-mold Graining Technology (FIT) involves a cost-effective method in which three-dimensional PVC, ABS or TPO (thermoplastic polyolefins) skins are first produced by means of thermoforming and are then given a texture.

• Further details on this symposium can be reached at WWW.NEWS.BAYER.COM/News/News.nsf/pressaccess?Open&id=2005-0635.

Suppliers News and Advances in Brief

It’s been a busy time for Progressive Components. A few weeks back it announced its first edition of an electronic publication, Tooling Product News, at http://www.tooling-product-news.com. TPN was formerly a tabloid, North American Tool & Mold Making Product News. Progressive has a sister publication, Tooling Press Release, formerly the the Tooling Progress Report,  http://www.tooling-press-release.com. TPN will offer the latest product offerings from vendors around the world.

Progressive Components Canada has also made an announcement with the appointment of Innocente Fabbro as sales manager with Cy McGrath as Progressive's general manager in Canada. Fabbro will be based out of Montreal.

McGrath said that this new team will be evaluating new locations across Canada to better serve the company’s customers. Progressive’s website is www.procomps.com.

In mid-January, according to a report in a European newsletter, Planit Holdings acquired the Pathtrace organization. Planit is a holding company for a range of software businesses in global CAD/CAM markets and has furthered its strategy of CAM consolidation with the acquisition of CAM software specialist Pathtrace plc.

There’s another software purchase with DP Technology Corp. acquiring Auton. DP Technology Corp. has merged its Esprit CAM software for milling, turning, wire EDM, and multi-tasking machine tools with the complementary Auton CAM system for 3-axis, 5-axis, and high-speed machining. DP Technology’s website is www.dptechnology.com.

Share Your Industry Humour With Your Associates

Several years ago, I did a 50^th anniversary issue for the plastics industry. My research had me heading off for the Rare Books Library at the University of Toronto where I would go through back issues of a plastics magazine.

I was expected to treat the issues, some going back to the 50s, as carefully as I would a book from mediaeval times.

A meeting to plan the anniversary issue included the late Ron Evason, president of SPI Canada, now CPIA, who talked about an ”expanding” belt, made from a material that just stretched and stretched. Very encouraging I guess for those were dieting, or maybe the other way around.

Many of you should have a story, a tale or two. You are welcome to share it with your associates in Precisely Canadian. A bit of humour in tough times is always welcome. With your permission we’ll publish them in subsequent issues. Your company can be identified or not so. Your choice. A few sentences or more are welcome.

Progress Continues on Multi-Stakeholder Council

At the conclusion of the Great Lakes Manufacturing Forum last March, participants agreed to work together for the benefit of the manufacturing industry in the Great Lakes region. There have been three teleconferences since then, during which key representatives of the seven Great Lakes States and Ontario have been working to design a body to define and promote an agenda for manufacturing in the Great Lakes region.

Most of the participants have been partners from the very beginning, helping craft the concept of the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council. For several months the council has been moving forward with this project, bringing together a multi-state, international executive body to drive the concept forward, helping form the council at large. This body is referred to as the Secretariat.

Significant progress has been made in defining the council. The schedule calls for a general council meeting in Chicago for late March. This event will be used to present the ideas developed since the Forum, and establish the Council for Great Lakes Manufacturing as a permanent institution, with defined purposes and processes.

• Rainer Kunau, trade commissioner, Canadian Consulate General, Detroit, sent in this copy. He can be reach at rainer.kunau@international.gc.ca. Editor’s note: The council has an impressive list of members available from Mr. Kunau.

Your Literature is Next Best to Being There for Trade Shows

This year has begun with what seems to be trade show after trade show with a pace that has kept the Canadian Plastics Industry Association and the Government of Canada very busy. For the first time, Canada’s plastics industry has a national pavilion at the Plastindia trade fair, that takes place this February in New Delhi, India.

If you’d like to start your entry into this country or others where there is a Canadian pavilion, consider introducing your company through your literature. Yes, there’s your web but face to face is still best and your print material is a good alternative.

The price for this “exhibit” is modest. For example, for the Plastindia event, the cost was $200 (US) for CPIA members and $300 (US) for non-members. That amount covers 100 pieces of your literature. There is even a poster option.

Plast 2006 which also takes place in February offered this option as well through CPIA and also had a revolving exhibit area which allows you to exhibit for part of the show. Show dates and location are February 14-18, 2006 in Milan, Italy.

Canada had an information booth at the latter show the last time it was held in 2003. Based on very positive feedback from the 2003 show, it was decided to have an expanded presence this year with a mini-pavilion. It is offering rotating exhibitor space to Canadian companies. Companies have their own exhibit space within the pavilion for one or more days, depending upon their interests and the overall demand for space.

• Your prime contact for these Canadian pavilions is Ms Sally Damstra at sdamstra@cpia.ca. Because the CPIA produces a regular set of trade pavilions each year on behalf of the Canadian government, it is worth checking with Ms Damstra for future events. The big one next year of course is the K show.

By the Stats, Industry Adjusting to Increased Value of Dollar

The following update comes from a regular newsletter by Industry Canada’s John Margeson. Margeson reiterates a fairly common experience that despite significant economic challenges due to the increased value of our dollar, the volatility in resin prices, and certainly increased competition from developing countries, the plastics industry has “generally fared well.”

Shipments were up in all three published sub-sectors compared to the same period in 2004. Two-way trade expanded in all areas except for a decline in the imports of moulds. Margeson suggests that the more rapid growth of imports (exclusive of moulds) against exports is likely due to the higher value of our Canadian dollar.

Cumulative shipment, export and import data for each of the four sub-sectors up to the end of the third quarter is shown below, along with the percentage change compared to the same period in 2004.

• Mould shipments: not published; Exports: $833M (+2.0%); Imports: $354M (-7.3%)
• Synthetic resin shipments: $6.43B (+10.3%); Exports: $5.04B (+9.8%); Imports: $4.94 B (+10.7%)
• Plastic product shipments: $16.94B (+3.0%); Exports: $7.20B (+0.2%); Imports: $5.32B (+4.4%)
• Machinery shipments: $968M (+9.7%); Exports: $765M (+0.7%); Imports: $404M (+10.6%).

Industry Expert Looks Beyond the Grit of Change in Auto

Dennis DesRosiers is a prolific author on the automotive industry. His December “Observations” was something of a Christmas present after the Ford announcements. The headline read: “The Canadian Automotive Industry is Not in Crisis.”

This is the beginning of a new year so let’s start with some positive news. Here are just a few of the points I pulled from his remarks:

• It is the increasing dominance of import-nameplate manufacturers that will allow for the maintenance and growth of Canadian new vehicle market volumes.
• It is important not to confuse a cyclical downturn with the market’s structural integrity.
• The current decade will eventually represent about a 20% increase in sales over the previous decade, with an accompanying 10% increase in production.
• Offshore imports will continue to climb in popularity and market clout. North American facilities produced 88% of the vehicles purchased here during the nineties but that number is likely to settle around 80% in the coming years.

DesRosiers says it is a concern that we have not increased our North American production share appreciably within the past decade but, we are holding onto what we’ve got. He goes on to talk about the high investments by the industry as an indicator of future industrial health.

Canada is now attracting about 20% of new North American automotive investment. But, with all the positive indicators, there are some negatives.

The parts sector is not according to DesRosiers investing in Canada to the same degree as the assembly sector.

“Whereas Canadian assembly investment is consistently above 20% of the North American total, the parts sector attracts less than 10% of the continent’s new parts-related capital expenditures.”

That’s a big deficit and it’s translated by using the concept of the glass half-filled with water: the deficit shows in fact there is still a great deal of room left in the industry for positive growth.

CPSC Launches On-Line Certification Program

Job-specific certification is coming to our industry, says Charles Brimley, executive director of the Canadian Plastics Sector Council (CPSC) and the reason is obvious: it benefits everyone.

The certification program is said to be the first of its kind to recognize the skills and knowledge of plastics-industry workers. It took three years to develop the program which will help maintain continuous competency.

A visit to a classroom isn’t necessary since the program is provided on-line. The “Certification E-Tool,” is a four-step program which allows employees in 13 of the most popular job categories to achieve certification in as few as eight weeks.

Candidates are eligible if they meet two criteria: they must have a Grade 12 diploma or one year of experience in the occupation for which they seek certification. They must be working in this job or studying for an academic credential in that type of work.

Anton Mudde, president and CEO of Baytech Plastics in Midland, Ontario, and a member of the board of the council, says the first thing employers think of is the cost. They want to know if they will have to pay more for the certified employee.

Mudde’s answer: perhaps. “But now you have a worker who is better at what they do, more efficient, more motivated and, with an ability to earn more money for you.”
Turnover is another issue. If an employee is certified, are they likely to be going to another employer for better pay?

Mudde’s answer again: Maybe. “But they are pretty mobile as it is.”

However as Mudde sees it, helping your employees certify their skills sends a strong signal that you care about their development. Certification should then improve loyalty and reduce turnover.

The program is expected to be in place by the summer with the cost relatively inexpensive. Brimley sees the fees not as a cost but an investment.

“You are improving your company, your workforce and the satisfaction levels of both your clients and employees. There is no better way to spend your money than to spend it on your most important asset, your people.”

• Mr. Brimley can be contacted at c.brimley@cpsc-ccsp.ca. The website for the council is www.cpsc-ccsp.ca.
• The council’s certification program dovetails perfectly with a report by the C. D. Howe Institute of Ottawa. The report “Better Literacy and Numeracy Equal Economic Growth: C.D. Howe.” It can be sourced at www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_217.pdf.

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Disclaimer: All information in this publication is accurate to the best of our knowledge.
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