Inside Rubber - 2020 Issue 4

S T R AT E G I E S F O R F U T U R E S U C C E S S

2020 Issue 4

Outlook: Markets, COVID and 2021 f Benchmarking Conference Recap f Regulatory Compliance Testing f New Employee Sources

The Official Publication of the Association of Rubber Products Manufacturers

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CONTENTS 2020 ISSUE 4

FEATURES

6 Outlook

The Rubber Industry Outlook: Markets, COVID and 2021

12 Review

Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference

14 Benchmarking

18

Rubber Processors Fight to Regain Balance

18 Strategies

Testing for Compliance: REACH, RoHS, Prop 65 and More

22 Talent

Manufacturing Training and Jobs for the Reentry Population

32 Safety

The Risk of Repetitive Injury

22

32

Departments

www.InsideRubber.com

4 From the President 16 Member News 27 Technical Standards Update 28 Industry 34 Calendar 34 Ad Index

www.arpminc.com 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

F

irst and foremost, I hope you and your families are doing well and staying safe amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The same goes for the businesses that all of you are part of. This disease is affecting us all in different ways, but it gives me confidence to see rubber companies demonstrating resiliency every day in working with customers and other Dave Jentzsch stakeholders. This year of 2020 has tested Blair Rubber our core values as we keep our employees safe and our customers satisfied. Many of us built and executed a pandemic response plan that, in many cases, had to be continuously modified as the situations in our states evolved.

While we work to keep our businesses moving forward, ARPM has continued forward as well. I want to sincerely thank those members who registered to attend as well as our committed sponsors and exhibitors for making the 2020 Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference such a success. Proving that the event tagline was correct – “Opportunity is Knocking” – a recordbreaking 1,000 attendees registered for the online event.

Our next event is the EHS Summit, which will be held virtually on November 11 and 12. We are excited to have over 20 breakout sessions, including a half day on PPE.

in making decisions about your company’s future. The monthly Rubber Industry Pulse Survey benchmarks how our businesses are doing and when we expect to get back to normal. The annual Wage and Salary survey results will be out by November 1, with more than 60 job functions detailed in the report. Please call the ARPM office to get your copy.

In addition, The Rubber Handbook MO-1 revision will be completed by the end of the year, and the mill safety video will be out soon. You can see a full list of ARPM Technical Publication updates in the Member News section on page 17 of this magazine.

To all those who participated in developing the new rubber courses with 180 Skills and those on the Technical Committees, I’d like to extend my sincerest thanks for your contributions.

As we come into the fall and winter, we will encounter new challenges. Even if we face a second wave of the pandemic, we must not panic. We have learned a lot about the virus and, if we follow the proper PPE guidelines and social distancing, we will be in a much better place than we were last March.

Let’s continue to use our leadership skills to cope and adapt to overcome any new challenge successfully. Get involved, make a difference and let us know how we can help you. u

I also want to thank everyone who completed the surveys sent out by ARPM. You will find this information extremely valuable

7321 Shadeland Station Way, Suite 285 Indianapolis, IN 46256

Managing Editor: Dianna Brodine Art Director: Becky Arensdorf Published by:

Phone: 317.863.4072 | Fax: 317.913.2445 info@arpminc.org | www.arpminc.com © Copyright 2020 ARPM Officers and Board of Directors President Dave Jentzsch, Blair Rubber Vice President Steve Nieto, Tahoma Rubber and Plastics Treasurer Marel Riley-Ryman, Southern Michigan Rubber Secretary Joe Keglewitsch, Ice Miller LLP

4 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

ARPM Board of Directors Kirk Bowman, The Timken Group Charlie Braun, Custom Rubber Corporation Chris Buhlmann, Gates Corporation Russ Burgert, MAPLAN USA Joe Colletti, MarshBellofram Randy Dobbs, Sperry & Rice LLC Doug Gilg, Continental ContiTech Lisa Huntsman, Lauren Manufacturing Donovan Lonsway, BRP Mike Recchio, Zeon Chemicals L.P. Mike Smith, Basic Rubber and Plastics John Stourac, Zochem Travis Turek, Bruckman Rubber Corporation Joe Walker, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies James Wideman, MBL (USA) Corporation

2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, KS 66614 Phone: 785.271.5801 ARPM Team Executive Director Troy Nix – tnix@arpminc.org Managing Director Letha Keslar – lkeslar@arpminc.org Marketing Director Marcella Kates – mkates@arpminc.org Project Manager Tony Robinson – trobinson@arpminc.org Director of Publications Susan Denzio – sdenzio@arpminc.org

OUTLOOK

The Rubber Industry Outlook: Markets, COVID and 2021

By Dianna Brodine, managing editor, Inside Rubber

I

struggled to write an introduction to this article because whew, it’s been a year. The pendulum has swung from the highs of an optimistic forecast for a strong continuation of the economic successes of 2019 to the lows of mid-March when the economy… the country… the world… came to a full stop.

As we get closer to the end of 2020 and begin looking at 2021, the global pandemic still looms large. Glimmers of hope are on the horizon as we get closer to an approved COVID-19 vaccine and headway is being made with new treatment protocols. In addition, I recently heard encouraging news from a somewhat unlikely source – an economist.

Chris Kuehl is the managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. Occasionally featured in this magazine and many others, Kuehl recently presented at the Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference I (virtually) attended (read more about the event on pages 12 and 13). Among the nuggets he shared: If we look ahead to the end of 2021, a conservative economic analytical group is predicting 4% growth: That 4% would be almost a point and a half faster than what we experienced in 2019. To get us there, some economists now are predicting a “K” shaped 6 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

recovery, where some sectors (such as manufacturing) recover more quickly, and a secondary recovery will happen for service sectors a little later.

Kuehl also tackled the reshoring issue, predicting that we will see increased reshoring in North America, due to factors such as a desire to diversify supply bases, unreliability of ocean cargo and increased transportation costs. All of this is good news for companies with capacity here in the US.

While Kuehl spends a significant amount of time studying the manufacturing industry, it was important that this article also go straight to the source – rubber processors – to understand where their companies are now, what the opportunities are for growth and how they’re planning to tackle the year ahead.

James P. Wirtz II, president, REP Corporation; Dennis Askew, business development director, Rahco Rubber, Inc.; and Christian Buhlmann, vice president, global product line, industrial power transmission, Gates Corporation, offered their insights.

Current Business Situation

Wirtz: Business has been fairly steady throughout the pandemic.

We didn’t have much downtime – maybe a few days when everything first hit – but as soon as our customers needed support on their machines, our engineers were there. The impact we’ve seen in the US – at least for REP Corporation – was minor.

The sales team wasn’t in the field for a time, but the company did a great job supporting our customers with research and studies, ultimately helping to prepare for the return of business, which we’ve already seen. In the last 30 or 40 days, our sales teams have been inundated with RFQs, and sales numbers have returned to a strong level following the aggressive start-up of our customers’ locations. Our engineering team remained busy throughout, training the next generation of engineers and focusing on new hires. Expanding our engineering team and sales team are a high priority. Currently, we have about 20 employees at REP Corporation, including six engineers, and we’re looking to hire a number of engineers in the upcoming months.

Askew: All here at Rahco are feeling very positive as we close out 2020 and move into 2021. We serve the consumer electronic,

food service, power equipment, transportation, agriculture, municipal, plumbing, safety and marine industries currently and are growing into new markets. Serving a myriad of industries has kept us from the large “dips” some have realized. For instance, we’ve never been deeply entrenched in automotive.

Every product we make is custom and, while every product has a life cycle, the life cycle of products within the industries we’re working with far exceeds an automotive life cycle. Some of the components we manufacture have been around for 20 or even 40 years. This allows us to find and capture efficiencies through the design of the part to benefit both our production operations and our customer. During the last few months, some of our customers did make changes to their products to respond to changing market demands, but our components didn’t change – so, although there were ripples and some customers did push orders off for a time, everything has since gone back to production. Our staff is composed of approximately 100 team members, and we’re certainly planning to maintain that number – although we’re always looking for new impact players. Our president, Steve Anton, continues to support and develop internal personnel for more strategic roles while also looking for high-quality people externally.

Buhlmann: Gates has been based in Denver, Colorado, for 109 years, and we’ve always had a pioneering spirit and an ability to evolve and adapt. With that type of history, the company has been through challenges like this before. Given the global nature of our business, many of our large markets were essentially shut down for a period of time by shelter-in-place requirements earlier in the year. Although the vast majority of our facilities continued to operate, we certainly were impacted. However, page 8 u

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OUTLOOK t page 7

we supply critical products into a wide range of applications, which contributed to demand beginning to snap back nicely in the third quarter. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve continued to manage the business for the long term and have kept the focus on where we are trying to drive strategically, and we haven’t really pulled back on investing in our key initiatives. We’ve continued to innovate and anticipate what’s next, and we’re always using materials science to come up solutions to what our customers are demanding of us.

Responding to the Challenges of Coronavirus Wirtz: Because our customer base is so diverse – automotive, medical, defense – many were deemed essential, so they weren’t shutting down at the beginning of the pandemic. The biggest struggle we saw from our customers was more focused on our competitors not being able to support them. I believe we have the largest engineering and field team here in the US, but even so, it was a challenge for us to support customers not only for our own machines, but also for anything the customers needed.

Companies in the industry were laying employees off, and we were hiring people.

Askew: COVID-19 has challenged all of us, yet through this pandemic we have been able to support our business partners effectively and keep our team members as safe as possible. As an essential manufacturer, our leadership quickly adapted to the reality of the pandemic to ensure the sustainability of our supply chains, production demands and safe working environment.

Safety protocols included temperature checks, hand sanitizing, social distancing, staggering of lunch hours and breaks, and constant sanitizing of the facility. We doubled our efforts in terms of janitorial and cleaning, and wore masks, of course. We abided by every intention and letter of the law to make sure we were compliant in giving our team members the safest environment possible. And, one of the first things we did was ensure our supply chain was prepared. We worked to provide forecasts of our needs from our supply chain partners to ensure the end items could be produced.

“

I THINK WE’VE LEARNED TO ADAPT AND OPERATE AT FULL CAPABILITY EVEN THOUGH WE ARE WORKING DIFFERENTLY COMPARED TO WHAT WE WERE DOING EARLIER IN THE YEAR. – BUHLMANN

”

Buhlmann: We immediately had a core emergency response team that first focused on our employees in China as those facilities were affected and temporarily closed down. We were able to learn a lot of lessons about disinfection and quarantines that allowed us to create guidelines and protocols around the ways to do business as safely as possible. Throughout the pandemic, there have been three tenets we’ve followed: Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of each employee; comply with and ideally exceed government requirements related to minimizing the spread of COVID-19; and continue to support our customers, many of whom are in essential industries across the world. Gates has an in-region, for-region manufacturing strategy, meaning we generally sell and service what we make in that particular region. That has served us very well and allowed us to maintain continuity of supply. At this point, no one’s let their guard down, but I think we’ve learned to adapt and operate at full capability even though we are working differently compared to what we were doing earlier in the year.

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Keys to Success in 2021

Wirtz: I think it always comes down to the same thing – finding and hiring the right people who have the knowledge we need and can support our customers with professionalism. Because we’ve worked with our local industrial education school and have created programs specifically for what we need, we have a deep well to draw from. Still, hiring the right people is always the challenge, and I’d like to expand over the next few months.

Askew: Rahco’s ongoing mission to prioritize lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma projects has positioned us to feel less of an impact than many of our competitors. Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma are all about mitigating waste, which is helpful from an environmental perspective. But waste also costs money – whether time, processing or material – which ultimately gets added onto the piece price. We’ve avoided a lot of the price moves that other companies have to make because of their inefficiencies. We are aggressively moving forward with initiatives that will protect our customers, solidify our future and drive an overall value into our business.

Buhlmann: For 2021, it’s pretty straightforward for us. In addition to keeping our employees and communities safe, our focus will continue to be on supporting our customers,

developing innovative new products and bringing them to market and executing on our key growth initiatives. We feel good about the resilience our business showed and the encouraging trends we saw in the third quarter, and we like the way our business currently is positioned.

Opportunities in the Year Ahead

Wirtz: REP has been around for 114 years, and we’re not going anywhere. We have a number of very large opportunities yet for this year and 2021, and I think it’s not fair to label one as our “biggest” opportunity. Our business and client base are diverse, so even though we saw a slowdown, production came back quickly. And, REP International is still working. It gives them the opportunity to work on development and new technologies because the workload is down from last year, giving them just enough room to do those research development projects.

Askew: The onshoring efforts by many OEMs and Tiered suppliers – looking for higher quality, the “Made in America” advantage and secure sourcing – which began prior to the pandemic are now amplified by the disruptions they realized.

Larger companies that 10 years ago said offshore was the key to their success have been challenged by supply chain issues, page 10 u

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OUTLOOK t page 9

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10 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

“

NEW BUSINESS IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF ANY COMPANY, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEEKING OUT BUSINESSES WHERE WE CAN ADD VALUE INTO CURRENT PRODUCTS… – ASKEW

”

especially as raw materials become obsolete and formulations change. The reality is that quality suffered from a material standpoint and there were field failures, which began the initial requests to come back to the US. Now with the added pandemicrelated supply chain disruptions, Rahco has an opportunity. New business is the lifeblood of any company, and we are constantly seeking out businesses where we can add value into current products with our experience, our vertical integration and our chemical development resources.

Buhlmann: Our opportunities all start from our materials science expertise. We’ve been a global leader in bringing forth a new generation of elastomer-based polymers, and that is technology we intend to further leverage. It provides us a number of improvements that our customers are looking for, streamlines our operational ability and also gives us a product that takes less chemistry to manufacture, including chemicals that weren’t as easy to handle. We see that as an opportunity to evolve our platforms to have less environmental impact at the point of manufacture. We also have an initiative aimed to replace chains with belts, which are cleaner, last longer and have other environmental advantages. When we look at our markets – in particular, the transmission belt market – one of the biggest opportunities is targeting a technology that’s been around since the 1890s, which is roller chains. That’s a very large market, and we’re one of a handful of companies with the technology to make those replacements. It’s a tremendous opportunity to help companies become more efficient and quieter. And, as we look at motive industries, from bicycles and ATVs to motorcycles and cars, only around 2% are electric now, but we see the electrification change as a huge opportunity for us going forward.

If you look around any building or any vehicle, there are very few places where Gates doesn’t have an opportunity to be involved and grow. u

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REVIEW OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING

Benchmarking Conference Goes Virtual to Replicate Indianapolis Experience With COVID-19 interrupting travel plans and restricting large gatherings, the ARPM team reacted rapidly to create an online conference experience that not only delivered value, but also ensured connections could still be made among attendees. The Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference was held October 19 through 23, featuring keynote speakers, pre-recorded learning experiences with live question and answer sessions, a virtual sponsor exhibit area and two online receptions for attendees.

The virtual conference allowed companies an advantage over the traditional in-person event: Rather than sending a few team members to Indianapolis, processors were able to register their entire staff. This led to a record-breaking 1,000 registrations, with many new event attendees.

Chat functions were enabled during keynotes and sessions, allowing attendees to interact and share thoughts about speaker content. The receptions, held Tuesday and Thursday after sessions were completed, were in the form of live Zoom meetings with small breakout rooms. Industry friends gathered to reconnect, reflect on the day’s meetings and share their experiences.

More than 50 keynotes, sessions and breakout discussion opportunities offered unprecedented learning during the annual Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference, and a brief look at some of that content is provided here. Event content will remain online and available to registered attendees until late November.

Opportunity is Knocking

Troy Nix, ARPM Executive Director Opportunity is knocking. It’s ironic – We developed this theme months ago, before the pandemic, and suddenly we came into a worldwide crisis.

Over the last seven or eight months, some of us haven’t heard opportunity knocking, but we’ve heard the doors of disappointment slamming loudly.

However, if we can become more self-aware in how we view our own outlook – become more aware of positivity in our mind set – we better understand how opportunity is knocking.

It’s this concept of hope. When people become more hopeful, they’re able to take the dark lens off their vision, where things are clearer and brighter. You show me a person with an extreme level of hope, and I’ll show you a person that sees more opportunity. I’ll show you a person more fulfilled in their lives. I’ll show you a person who is happier.

12 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

Insight from Chris Kuehl, economist

Q: What does your crystal ball say about trends in reshoring/nearshoring?

A: I think you will see more reshoring. What may not happen is a big job growth, because the companies that are able to reshore are competing with the Chinas and the Indias of the world with technology - they are increasingly using robotics and artificial intelligence. Where we’ll also see more reshoring or nearshoring is with the companies that don’t want to mess with the transportation challenges of supplying from overseas. Ocean cargo is not reliable, and transportation costs have gone up significantly. So, I think we will see a lot of business come back, but it may not mean that jobs come back.

The Unpardonable Sins of Leadership Phil Van Hooser, keynote My definition of leadership is pretty straightforward: Leadership is the ability to offer service and the willingness to take action.

Service is meeting and or exceeding the expectations of our customers. If we meet and exceed expectations, we never have any problems. Think of the leader/follower relationship in the same way you think of the customer/service provider relationship. Every follower, every employee, every person has expectations of their leader. On a broad scale, they always have two expectations of their leader: They want their leader to have a plan, and they want their leader to communicate that plan to those who will be called upon to enact the plan.

The ability to offer service means we have to regularly, consistently and effectively communicate with our followers.

There are things we should never do as a leader – these are the unpardonable sins of leadership.

Insensitivity. Sensitivity is not only important, it’s critical.

To lead effectively, we’ve got to connect with our followers.

Leadership connection is all about understanding who it is that we’re interacting with and what they need. The essential element of leadership is followers. And the essential element of connecting with followers is being sensitive to those circumstances and situations they encounter.

Indifference. If we have a sense of indifference to an employee or to a follower in the workplace, that can be the kiss of death to our ability to lead, influence or impact most effectively. We should never be indifferent, but we also should never give the indications of indifference. The single most important question a leader can ask a follower is: What do you think? But a leader should never ask that question unless he or she is fully prepared to listen to the answer with an open mind and a considerate spirit.

A lack of self-discipline. Self-discipline actually means ‘self-control.’ The single most devastating and damaging self-inflicted wound a leader can experience is associated with anger. When you lose your temper, you lose. You lose credibility, integrity and professionalism.

Moments that Matter

Brigadier General Maureen LeBoeuf, Thayer Leadership This is our daughter. As you can see, Jackie is a baker. Jackie had a baking job at a boutique bakery in Honolulu. She had a 30-minute drive at the end of the day, and one day she was driving home, talking to me, and she said, “You know, mom, there’s a recipe we make sometimes and it calls for coffee. There’s always a little bit of coffee left over and, whenever we make it, whoever makes it will offer the other bakers a little bit of coffee. Except for the head baker. When she makes that recipe, she doesn’t offer any of us coffee – she drinks it all herself.”

And then she said, “You know what mom? It’s not about the coffee.” Jackie knows that leading is about taking care of people. It’s not about the coffee.

Stress Testing the Business in 2020

Scott Walton, Harbour Results The year 2020 has increased financial strain in the processing industry. With economic recovery 12 to 18 months away, take immediate steps to get through this next set of challenges.

Match supply and demand as close to 1:1 as possible. The marketplace will get tighter and forecasting is increasingly challenging, so flexibility of supply is critical to recovery or sustained performance.

Perform an honest assessment of your business in nine critical areas: management, sales & marketing, human resources, finance & administration, operations, engineering, materials, quality and program management. Use the results to develop a roadmap to close the gaps that are exposed.

Focus on financial health. Get your debt under control, manage working capital, gauge capital performance against investment and then redirect strategically. Stabilize the business by being brutally honest about the position you’re in and don’t wait to correct course.

Drive efficiency by looking past equipment, technology and people to PROCESS. Adopt a ‘go see’ mentality and look for physical and transactional waste. u

THANK YOU TO THE EVENT SPONSORS Platinum Sponsors: AMCO Polymers, Carbon, DELMIAworks, Federated Insurance, Harbour Results, MHolland, RJG Gold Sponsors: INCOE, MBS Advisors, PolySource Silver Sponsors: Chase Plastics, Grainger, iD Additives, JSW, Progressive Components, Stout, Vive, Yushin Speaker Bureau Sponsors: Benesch, Epicor, Mueller Prost, Paulson Training Programs, Routsis Training, WayPoint Marketing Communications Interactive Exhibit Sponsors: Conair, Ice Miller, Plante Moran, Plastics Business www.arpminc.com 13

BENCHMARKING

Rubber Processors Fight to Regain Balance

By Tony Robinson, Analytics Director, ARPM

W

hen the Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) released its 2020 State of the Industry Report in January, expectations for the industry were relatively steady, with the possibility of a slight slowdown. Economic indicators were sluggish when compared to 2019, but there were no signs of a serious downturn. Then, March roared in like a lion and the impacts of COVID-19 began to be felt in the manufacturing sector. As the industry enters the fourth quarter of 2020, it is time to look back at the beginning of the year and compare expectations to reality, based on data provided by ARPM’s most recent Rubber Industry Pulse Survey, conducted in September.

The most significant change seen by rubber processors, when compared to their initial expectations for 2020, has been in production levels. Beginning in March and through much of the second and third quarters, rubber processors saw decreased production, mainly due to workforce shutdowns in response to the pandemic. However, the 80% majority (72%) of rubber processors 70% now are back to full operations – the 60% highest percentage ARPM has seen 50% since beginning the Pulse Surveys – and 40% another 25% are between 50% and 75% 30% 20% of pre-coronavirus production levels.

rubber manufacturers had at least one customer shut down. As of September, 65% of rubber processors reported that all their customers were back up and running. This slow and steady return to normal mirrors the reported production levels in the September survey, but it appears it will take more time for the industry to reach predicted performance.

Industry executives also can see the effects of the pandemic in an indicator that correlates to production: revenue. In the 2020 State of the Industry Report, 92% of rubber companies either anticipated a rise in sales revenue or expected sales revenue to remain about the same when compared to 2019, while only 8% expected a decrease in sales revenue.

However, looking at September’s Pulse Survey, only 24% of respondents indicated they will reach their original revenue

Production Levels 72%

25%

10%

Examining the reported production statistics of specific industries, automotive processors were at the lowest levels of production with only 47% at full operations, and construction manufacturers were the highest with over 90% at full operations. Although production for all industries took a serious hit in March and April, things slowly are trending back to normal, at least on the production floor.

The pandemic also affected the customers served by the rubber industry. In ARPM’s first Pulse Survey, conducted in April 2020, only 13% of rubber processors reported that all their customers were intact, meaning 87% of 14 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

0%

3%

We are in Full Operations 6/11/2020

About 50-75%

6/25/2020

0%

About 25-50%

7/8/2020

7/23/2020

Less than 25%

8/20/2020

9/30/2020

Percentage of Customers Shut Down 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

65%

24%

2%

0% 6/11/2020

10% 6/25/2020

20% 7/8/2020

2%

30% 7/23/2020

3%

2%

40% 8/20/2020

50% 9/30/2020

Looking ahead, ARPM’s Pulse Survey also directly asks processors when they expect business to return to normal levels. As of September, 20% of respondents either had not been impacted or already had returned to normal levels, 32% expect the industry to return to normal by the end of the year, and nearly half (47%) believe normalcy won’t return until sometime in 2021.

Percentage of 2020 Revenue Forecast 80%

69%

70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

24%

20%

7%

10%

1%

It is very reasonable to believe that the rubber industry will not return to normal until 2021, especially with varying factors 6/11/2020 6/25/2020 7/8/2020 7/23/2020 8/20/2020 9/30/2020 weighing on the recovery, such as the upcoming election and unknown timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine. Although rubber processors took forecast. Most participants (69%) are anticipating reaching year a major hit in March, production and employment trends are end at about 75% of their 2020 forecast, while another 8% of showing glimpses of hope for manufacturers. While it still is respondents are expecting to be at 50% of forecast or less. At too early to tell if a full recovery is on the horizon, ARPM’s the beginning of the year, 8% of processors expected revenue benchmarking and leadership team is keeping a steady eye on to decrease in 2020, but a much larger 76% are experiencing a both the performance of the industry and the economy overall. u decrease in sales as of the end of September 2020. If production continues the slow but positive trend, then revenue forecasts For more information or to get the latest Benchmarking reports, for the rest of the year should remain where they are now, if not visit www.arpminc.com. becoming slightly more optimistic.

0%

95%+ of 2020 Forecast 75% of 2020 Forecast

50% of 2020 Forecast <50% of 2020 Forecast

RUBBER IN MOTION

www.arpminc.com 15

MEMBER NEWS ARPM Welcomes New Member

Please join ARPM in welcoming the allnex USA, Alpharetta, Georgia, as a new member.

Two Long-time Leaders of ARPM to Retire

Richard Batzer, a long-time leader at the Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) and rubber industry veteran, retired as ARPM Technical Coordinator on November 1, 2020.

Batzer worked in the rubber hose industry at Gates Rubber Company for 41 years before retiring from the organization in 2000. He served as Hose Technical Manager, overseeing product development and manufacturing. A successful engineer, he has several patents.

He continued in consulting roles, representing Gates at both SAE and ISO standards meetings for several more years. Similarly, he began representing the Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) hose committees. In a small industry such as rubber hoses, the same people tend to participate on several committees, and Batzer was no exception. The Hose Technical Committee of ARPM, the ISO TC45/SC1 – Rubber and Plastic Hoses group and the SAE Hose and Hose Fittings group have organized their meetings into a single three-day meeting so the same group of participants can complete the standards business for each of the organizations.

As a result, Batzer held various roles on various committees.

For ARPM, he was a member of the Hose Technical Group (1998 through 2020) and Technical Coordinator of that group from 2011 to 2020. Representing ARPM, he was administrator of the ISO TC45/SC1 standards group and, at the same time, was chairman of the Industrial Hoses working subgroup (2010 through 2020). During the same timeframe, he was chairman of the SAE Hydraulic Hose and Hose Fittings Committee (2008 through 2020) and a member of another ISO Committee (TC131/ SC4) pertaining to rubber products.

Also retiring is Dave MacGuire, a 40-year rubber industry veteran who stepped down from ARPM service on October 1, 2020.

MacGuire, an Irish transplant, came to the US with several Irish colleagues when Goodyear closed its Craighavon, Northern Ireland, factory in 1983. His background in chemistry and creative skills earned him 13 patents, the first in 1988 for an endless belt product that used “stretchable fabric” to prevent/ delay flex cracking. His final patent in 2017 came full circle when he was granted a patent for a method to return a conveyor belt back to its individual components (i.e. steel and rubber).

While working at Continental, MacGuire began participating in the Rubber Manufacturers Association Hose technical committee, then later the Conveyor and Power Transmission belt technical 16 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

committees. These standards-making groups oversee about 35 industry standards and guidelines for these products. MacGuire understood the value of this kind of industry association and joined the board of directors, helping non-tire rubber companies through an identity change to become the Association for Rubber Product Manufacturers in 2010.

When the opportunity arose, ARPM applied for and became the representing US organization to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Pulleys and Belts technical committee.

The blend of ARPM guidelines and the ability to influence the related international standards became a perfect role for MacGuire. Until his retirement, he has served at various times as the technical group administrator for the ISO Pulleys and Belts group, the secretary of the ISO Synchronous Belt Drive subcommittee and the chairman of the ARPM Belt and Conveyor Technical Committee, coordinating all participating US companies wishing to influence these areas.

“Richard Batzer’s and Dave MacGuire’s impact on our industry and our association has been unmatched,” said Letha Keslar, ARPM Managing Director. “During their tenure with ARPM, they not only aided in innovating everyday applications of rubber, but also assisted ARPM in broadening its horizon with the world’s rubber industry. ARPM will miss their leadership, knowledge and desire to bring industry experts together on common ground. All the affected organizations are the better for it. We wish them the best in retirement.”

2020 Virtual EHS Summit Coming in November

The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Summit is designed to share the best leadership and safety practices with industry professionals hoping to achieve world-class safety within their companies. For 2020, this annual event will be held November 11 through 12, 100% virtually.

This one-of-a-kind learning and networking conference will focus on uniting manufacturing executives from across the United States. Attendees will focus on best practices in environment, health and safety, along with becoming a better leader.

This year’s slate of topics will include the following: • Maintaining SHS Sheets • OSHA “Sticky Points” • Autonomous Robots and Automation Safety

• Sustainability Drives Innovation • First Responders’ Responsibilities: Do’s and Don’ts • Misconceptions of How OSHA Can or Can’t Utilize Consensus Standards in Citations (ANSI, etc.) General Duty Clause • More ISO 45000 • TSCA 2020 CDR Report – What’s Next?

• Innovative Safety Training • Waste Reduction Policy Act

180 Skills and ARPM Continue Training Program with New Modules

New for 2020, 180 Skills has released the following training modules on its platform: • Quality in Rubber Manufacturing • Safety in a Manufacturing Environment • Material Mixing Technology • Material Mixing Operator Tasks • Injection Molding Technology • Injection Molding Operator Tasks • Extrusion Technology • Extrusion Operator Tasks These training modules are exclusive for ARPM members.

In addition, ARPM members who sign up for ARPM training through 180 Skills also will gain access to the 180 Skills’ library of over 700 online, competency-based courses. This library covers everything from baseline to advanced manufacturing content, all in a very engaging format, promoting mastery in each skill set.

Learn more at 180skills.com/ARPM or call (317) 735-3370.

ARPM Technical Publications Receive Updates

ARPM technical committees have been working through the 5-year systematic review process on the following publications: • Hose Manufacturers Identification Codes – Colored Yarn Assignments (Commonly known as the Yarn Codes) • IP-1: Conveyor and Elevator Handbook • MO-1 Rubber Handbook • IP-7: Rubber Welding Hose • IP-11-1: Guide for Use, Testing and Inspection of Steam Hose • IP-11-2: Manual for Use, Maintenance, Testing and Inspection of Anhydrous Ammonia Hose • IP-11-4: Manual for Maintenance, Testing and Inspection of Oil Suction and Discharge Hose • IP-11-5: Guide for Use, Maintenance and Inspection of Welding Hose • IP-11-7: Manual for Maintenance, Testing and Inspection of Chemical Hose • IP-11-8: Manual for Maintenance Testing and Inspection of Petroleum Service Station Gasoline Dispensing Hose and Hose Assemblies • IP-14: Specifications for Anhydrous Ammonia Hose

• IP-3-18: Installed Run-Out in Curvilinear Synchronous Belt Drive Systems • IP-20: Specifications for Drives Using Classical V-Belts and Sheaves • IP-22: Specifications for Drives Using Narrow V-Belts and Sheaves • IP-27: Specifications for Drives Using Curvilinear Toothed Synchronous Belts • OS-1-3: Oil Seal Technical Bulletin – Referee Method for Correlating Radial Load Devices • OS-5: Garter Springs for Radial Lip Seals • OS-6: Radial Lip Type Shaft Seals Radial Force Measurement • OS-9: Effect of Test Variables Guide for Rotating Shaft Seals • OS-11: Referee Measuring Guide for Rotating Shaft Seals • OS-18: Environmental Exclusion Test Procedures for Radial Shaft Seals To request a copy of these publications or the over 100 other standard publications, visit arpminc.org.

ARPM Recognizes Tenured Members

The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) Board of Directors and its staff recently recognized the following companies who are celebrating a continuous membership of five years or more.

“We sincerely appreciate the active participation in the ARPM organization over the past five years from these companies. We especially want to recognize the contributions these companies have provided to other member executives, and are grateful for their overall support over the years,” said Letha Keslar, Managing Director.

ARPM Five Year Members Akron Rubber Development Laboratory Bruckman Rubber Company Grace Technology & Development Hosepower Longwood Elastomers Inc. - VA Maplan Rubber Machinery USA Marsh Bellofram Performance Polymers Innovations Inc. Rahco Rubber Inc. SKF Sealing Solutions Southern Michigan Rubber VIP Rubber Company Inc. u

www.arpminc.com 17

STRATEGIES

Testing for Compliance: REACH, RoHS, Prop 65 and More

By Erick Sharp, president, ACE Products & Consulting

I

f you sell into the European market, then chances are you know the terms REACH and RoHS. REACH is a European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of Chemicals. It went into effect in 2007 and has been expanded upon each year since. REACH works with the European Chemicals Agency (ECSHA) on the determination and implementation of regulations.

One element of REACH is the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) list. This list contains materials of concern due to environmental, health and safety risk factors. The substances are restricted both in pure chemical form and within a product or article.

REACH requires chemicals and chemical components being produced or imported to the EU to be registered and, depending on the type of chemical, there can be various requirements for reporting. The current list can be found here: https://echa.europa.eu/substancesrestricted-under-reach.

Gas chromatography (GC) testing

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) also is a compliancy regulation within the European Union. It originated as Directive 2002/95/EC, which focused primarily on the electrical and electronics industry. RoHS has a more focused target, regulating the limits of 10 restricted substances.

1. Cadmium (Cd): < 100 ppm 2. Lead (Pb): < 1000 ppm 3. Mercury (Hg): < 1000 ppm 4. Hexavalent Chromium: (Cr VI)Â < 1000 ppm 5. Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB):Â < 1000 ppm 6. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE): < 1000 ppm 7. Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP): < 1000 ppm 8. Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP): < 1000 ppm 9. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): < 1000 ppm 10. Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP): < 1000 ppm Failure to fall within the limits of these substances can prevent companies from selling their product within the EU. California Proposition 65, originally known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a state law that was passed by voter ballot in November 1986 and is managed by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments (OEHHA). The law was formed to help protect drinking water 18 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

from substances that cause cancer, birth defects or other chemical harm.

The Proposition 65 List is an official list of all restricted substances and required limits. Currently, the law does not restrict the sale of products that fail to meet the requirements; instead, only requiring them to be accompanied by a letter stating that they do not comply with the Proposition 65 requirements.

Additional labeling and notifications often are required. OEHHA regularly updates the materials and limitation thresholds on the Proposition 65 List. The most up-to-date list always can be found on their website at https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/ proposition-65-list.

Testing and analysis

Determining compliance with these regulations requires testing of products to obtain quantitative values for regulated elements, typically done by an accredited independent laboratory. These laboratories will use a variety of analytical equipment to perform the analysis.

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is the most common method page 20 u

About Rubber Division, ACS Rubber Division, ACS (American Chemical Society) is an international association of chemists, engineers, technicians, scientists, plant managers, sales and marketing professionals and others in the rubber, polymer or related fields within industry, academia and government.

Our organization enhances science, technology and business across the evolving elastomeric community by working to expand the elastomeric profession and individual development through educational, technical and interactive activities. For over 100 years, we have delivered exceptional value, service and support, and have become an indispensable resource to our industry.

Conferences & Expos Our highly respected conferences, expos, technical meetings and educational symposiums attract professionals across all areas of the rubber and elastomeric industries. We host a technical meeting in the spring and our International Elastomer Conference in October.

Student Services We are proactive in attracting, educating, training and recruiting talented and qualified students into the rubber and affiliated industry to be part of the future workforce.

Scholarship, networking, leadership and education opportunities are some of the student support we provide.

Continuing to develop and improve upon student-oriented programs and resources is a primary focus of ours.

Journal Stay informed about the latest rubber industry issues trends and events through a subscription to Rubber Chemistry and Technology, the leading industry journal on rubber science and technology research. Articles date back to 1928 - print and online available.

Training & Development

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When it comes to elastomers education, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re your best resource. We offer instructor led and e-Learning training covering materials supply to end-use production in rubber, plastics, polymers and other advanced materials. From basic to advanced rubber technology to hot industry topics, we cover it all.

Visit rubber.org for more information.

Join Now Individual & Corporate Memberships Joining Rubber Division, ACS is an investment that pays big dividends through exclusive members-only savings and benefits, including free online access to the Rubber Chemistry and Technology journal, a members online community and significant discounts on our events, services and products.

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STRATEGIES t page 18

for analysis for metallic substances. Prior to analysis, the ICP samples need to be digested into a solution. This can be done in a hot block using concentrated acid or by using a microwave digestion unit. The ICP decomposes the sample into constituent elements and then into ions. Those ions then are analyzed by spectroscopy.

ICP analysis can detect trace level amounts of hazardous heavy metals, such as lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Berylium (Be) and chromium (Cr+6). Detection of mercury compounds is another common analysis. ICP also can analyze for residual catalyst, such as tin or platinum.

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) An XRF (x-ray fluorescence) can be used for some levels of elemental detection. Depending on the unit, detection may not reach trace level. Analysis by XRF is a nondestructive method and typically does not require any sample preparation. The XRF works by emitting an x-ray beam strong enough to affect the atom shells within the sample. The beam displaces the electrons from the orbital shell. This causes the electrons from the next shell up to displace it. When this occurs, there is an energy loss.

The amount of energy loss between the two electrons is used to identify the element. Individual proportions of energies are calculated to determine the quantitative value.

Gas chromatography (GC) Gas chromatography (GC) can be used to detect nonmetallic substances of concern, which includes phthalates, nitrosamines, siloxanes and phenyls. Like ICP analysis, samples, have to be prepared before testing. Instead of digesting samples, as is done for ICP, samples must be extracted for gas chromatography analysis. Methylene chloride often is used to perform these extractions. For best quality results, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) equipment should be used.

In gas chromatography, there is a gas separation phase that carries the sample molecules through the columns for analysis.

This is done using an inert gas, such as helium. The sample passes through solid (liquid) phase analysis, followed by a vapor (gas) phase analysis.

Mass spectrometry (MS) Mass spectrometry (MS) often is coupled with other analytical equipment, such as an ICP (ICP-MS) or a GC (GC-MS). MS analysis uses electric and magnetic fields to measure the mass of the ions.

Not all environmental testing is related to a regulatory standard.

There are industry-related and application-specific standards as well. An example would be the evaluation of leachable contaminants for drinking water-related gaskets and seals.

20 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

Medical applications have stringent requirements on many of the same substances listed in regulatory compliances. Limits for these substances often are much smaller. This requires a greater detection capability for the test equipment.

It is important to select a laboratory that has a strong understanding of the regulatory standards, reporting levels and testing methods. A skilled analytical chemist will be needed to analyze the data and interpret the results. Equipment that has the proper detection levels and calibrations is critical to gaining accurate data.

As global initiatives grow for environmental awareness, compliancy regulations will expand. The REACH list continues to grow every year. California Proposition 65 likely will expand over time, going from a notification requirement to restrictions.

It is likely that other states will begin to adopt these regulations as well. As long-term effects of substances are discovered, limits and regulatory controls will be adjusted.

Environmental and compliancy regulations are not going away.

Design, develop and formulate your products with future expanded regulations in mind. Products meeting the minimum level of requirements today soon will fall out of compliance as regulations grow. Innovation is being driven by these growing regulations. Phthalate-free plasticizers, nitrosamine-free accelerators and low-metallic activators are the wave of the future for our industry. u Erick Sharp is the founder and CEO of ACE Products & Consulting. In January 2015, Sharp founded ACE to provide accredited testing and development services to the rubber industry. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the rubber industry, previously holding key roles within Lauren International, Edgetech UK and Portage Precision Polymers.

Sharp has a passion for innovation, technology and developing the next generation within the rubber industry. For more information, call 330.577.4088 or visit www.aceprodcon.com.

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TALENT

Manufacturing Training and Jobs for the Reentry Population

By Liz Stevens, contributing editor, Inside Rubber

T

he skills gap in US manufacturing is a real hurdle for manufacturers looking to expand their workforces to meet increased business opportunities or to make up for the loss of retiring Baby Boomer workers. Enterprising manufacturers are beefing up their apprenticeship programs, connecting with high schools and colleges to help train a pipeline of skilled potential employees, and recognizing that the discipline and work ethic of former military personnel make them excellent employee material.

Some of those enterprising manufacturers have found an additional source of eager applicants with fresh manufacturing training – the state prison systems and reentry support organizations that prepare soon-to-be-paroled inmates and former inmates for work opportunities. To get an idea of the players collaborating to prepare parolees to reenter society with marketable skills, we looked at programs in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Ohio: MAGNET in Cuyahoga County

An example of Ohio’s training programs for re-entering citizens is in Cuyahoga County, where a collaboration among national and regional organizations supports manufacturing training and placement with interested employers.

A lead organization in the collaboration is MAGNET, a nonprofit consulting group with a mission to help small and midsized manufacturers succeed. In operation for 30 years, MAGNET recently has taken the lead in a sector partnership in Cuyahoga County to address the skills gap and create career pathways in manufacturing. It added the Access to Manufacturing Careers program to focus on the reentry population.

Adam Snyder, managing partner for Sector Partnership at MAGNET, has a background in plastics manufacturing. Snyder explained that the Sector Partnership plays “an intermediary role for an employer-led, employer-owned solution to the talent gap in manufacturing. Our role is to bring the manufacturing employers together, facilitate them setting their strategies around how they can close the skills/talent gap for manufacturing, and then help align the partners in the community that can contribute to those strategies – including education partners, workforce development partners and public entities.”

22 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

In Cuyahoga County, where the program was created in 2019, the manufacturing employers set a strategy to create innovative on-ramps into manufacturing for populations that have been historically underrepresented in the industry. “The primary focus,” said Snyder, “was how do we recruit more African Americans, more women and more young people into manufacturing?”

The manufacturers became especially passionate about reentry as a focus population because, as Snyder explained, “historically, African Americans are overrepresented in the reentry population, so hiring them would help with the employers’ diversity and inclusion efforts. Also, manufacturing has a competitive advantage in that a lot of the healthcare and financial employers here that are looking to hire entry-level talent tend to not hire out of the reentry population or have limitations regarding employing folks who have a background with the criminal justice system.”

Since people who have been in prison often struggle to get high-quality jobs that pay well and offer career advancement opportunities, the manufacturers stepped up to be part of the solution. “Manufacturers asked how to create opportunities for reentering citizens,” said Snyder, “in a way that prepares them and educates them and brings them to the top of the recruitment stack – to the top of the list of applicants.”

The manufacturing employers collaborated with workforce and education partners, including Towards Employment, a nonprofit workforce agency, and PMA, the Precision Metalforming Association, which took the lead to deliver a training program.

“The manufacturers,” said Snyder, “are a diverse group that ranges from a 30-person metalworking shop, to an 85-person stamping shop, to a 250-person machining and custom equipment builder, to a 5,000-person international manufacturing company.”

Snyder was impressed by the collaborative spirit of the manufacturers who, theoretically, are competing for talent. “They set those agendas aside and asked, ‘How do we raise all boats?’ If we can build a pipeline like this with partners that can sustain it, we’ll all get the talent that we need in the long term.”

The recruitment process involves a number of community organizations and nonprofits in the area that serve the reentry population with support services and wraparound services. While some training programs reach out to the prisons, this program has been limited to former inmates. For the first cohort of trainees,

the applicants outnumbered the available training slots almost three to one. The selected trainees were slated to attend the program for four weeks, five days a week, in Cleveland.

The curriculum for the Access to Manufacturing Careers program is about 40% work readiness, with a local workforce agency doing training on core job readiness topics such as workplace behaviors, resume writing, interview skills, conflict resolution and time management.

Another 40% of the curriculum is technical learning through PMA’s online learning platform. “The coursework that was selected was hand-picked by the manufacturers,” said Snyder, “to include A program in Ohio brings together regional and national organizations to provide a manufacturing process overview around training and placements in manufacturing jobs for former prison inmates. stamping, machining and welding core processes that are good to be familiar with, and shop math, the workforce and also offers assistance to employers in the blueprint reading, quality systems and metrology.” The remaining community.

20% is hands-on engagement with the employers; employers visit the class to deliver lessons on safety, the use of quality The Indiana Department of Correction offers four manufacturing instrumentation like calipers and micrometers, and process design training programs that award certifications for inmates who and quality inspection. complete vocational training: MSSC Certified Production Technician, Welding, CNC Operator and Purdue University’s “The final component of the program,” said Snyder, “is an onSkills for Success Program. In addition, web programming the-job training component. Over a candidate’s first 90 days on training is available through The Last Mile. the job, each of the employers does competency validation with the employee to make sure that what they were taught in training The MSSC Certified Production Technician program covers is translated into how it applies in this job. That competency core competencies of manufacturing production at the frontline check is the final component toward the credential, which is a level. Four modules make up the MSSC CPT training: Safety, certificate issued by PMA.” Quality Practices & Measurement, Manufacturing Processes & Production and Maintenance Awareness. These are geared This year, the program graduated its first cohort of nine to prepare participants for work as machine operators, material participants. Recruitment for the next cohort is in the works, with handlers, press helpers, production workers, assemblers, applications, screenings and recruitment for a target of 15 new composite technicians, fabricators and more. trainees.

The Purdue University Skills for Success Program helps wouldSnyder noted that with the success of the program geared for be employees learn workplace skills to communicate effectively, reentry, the participating manufacturers have asked to use the think critically and work in teams, as well as basic technical skills. curriculum for a similar program aimed at the young-adult In courses led by facilitators with manufacturing experience, population – 18- to 24-year-olds who are looking for a good job students learn a variety of manufacturing-oriented skills via and a solid future. discussion and hands-on activities. The program trains participants for work as machine operators, material handlers, press helpers, To learn about Ohio’s MAGNET and Access to Manufacturing production workers, assemblers, fabricators and more.

Careers programs, visit www.manufacturingsectorpartnership.org.

Inmates who wish to prepare for work in welding participate in Indiana: Department an American Welding Society program with nine certification of Correction Takes the Lead categories – from inspectors, supervisors and educators to The Indiana Department of Correction has a Re-Entry Division radiographic interpreters, welding engineers and fabricators. This that includes vocational training programs. In addition, the program, offered at Madison Correctional Facility, is one of the department has a program called HIRE, the Hoosier Initiative first correctional welding programs in the US for women. for Re-Entry, which helps reentering citizens transition to page 25 u www.arpminc.com 23

180 SKILLS AND ARPM ARE PROUD TO RELEASE

NEW FOR 2020

Learn more at 180skills.com/ARPM or call (317) 735-3370

• • • • • • • •

Quality in Rubber Manufacturing Safety in a Mfg. Environment Material Mixing Technology Material Mixing Operator Tasks Injection Molding Technology Injection Molding Operator Tasks Extrusion Technology Extrusion Operator Tasks

Take advantage of the exclusive

ARPM MEMBER DISCOUNT ARPM Members who sign up for ARPM training through 180 Skills will also gain access to the 180 Skills’ library of over 700 online, competency-based courses.

This library covers everything from baseline to advanced manufacturing content, all in a very engaging format, promoting mastery in each skill set.

Learn more at 180skills.com/ARPM or call (317) 735-3370

p u n g Si y! a d o t

TALENT t page 23

The National Institute for Metal Working Skills program is geared for future CNC operators, training participants for future work as brake press operators, CNC lathe operators, CNC machine operators, CNC mill operators, machine set-up and more. Participants in The Last Mile program learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. This program trains participants for work as programmers, analysts and Java developers.

The HIRE program helps participants prepare for employment with resume development, interviewing and job application assistance, and training in financial literacy, computer literacy and conflict resolution. Community employers can take advantage of HIRE’s virtual job fairs, as well as prerelease candidate reviews and interviews.

To learn more about the programs at the Indiana Department of Correction, visit https://www.in.gov/idoc/re-entry/.

Michigan: Two Sites Create Vocational Village The Michigan Department of Corrections has a skilled trades training program for current prisoners called Vocational Village.

There currently are two Vocational Village sites, at the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia and at the Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson. A third Vocational Village was to be dedicated in 2020 at the women-only Huron Valley Correctional Facility near Ypsilanti, but the schedule has been delayed due to COVID-19 precautions. The site will train women prisoners in computer coding and 3D printing, among other fields.

Vocational Villages currently in operation train prisoners in three manufacturing-relevant disciplines: CNC machine tool and robotics, computer coding, and commercial driver license and forklift operation. Students in CNC machine tool and robotics training learn to program and operate manufacturing industry machines that fabricate parts and also learn to use manual milling machines and lathes. These students may obtain nationally recognized credentials for the use of HAAS CNC mills and lathes. Prisoners in Vocational Village computer coding training learn coding and front-end web development through a program supported by Google.org and The Last Mile.

CDL and forklift operation trainees receive virtual instruction via simulators for driving scenarios and road conditions. They also complete coursework and hands-on exercises in forklift training.

Prisoner students complete their over-the-road training with a partnering truck company to become fully licensed. Those taking part in classes at Michigan’s Vocational Village sites put in full days of classroom instruction and training, and then receive state and nationally recognized certifications in their trades.

For more information, visit https://www.michigan.gov/ corrections/0,4551,7-119-33218_75514---,00.html. u

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www.arpminc.com 25

TECHNICAL STANDARDS UPDATE

Key Industry Handbooks Receive Significant Updates

A

RPM has been publishing rubber industry handbooks for more than 60 years. The oldest of these – the ARPM Rubber Handbook – has been in print continuously since 1958. Together with its counterparts, the Hose Handbook (first published in 1962) and the Conveyor and Elevator Belt Handbook (1973), ARPM has maintained the industry’s Greg Vassmer collective knowledge of these non-tire ARPM rubber applications. All handbooks at Technical ARPM are updated on a five-year review Coordinator schedule, similar to the ARPM standards.

Changes sometimes are minimal, but new editions are created as technology moves forward. 2020 is such a year. Let’s take a look at both.

ARPM Rubber Handbook

The ARPM Rubber Handbook (MO-1) covers molded, lathe-cut, extruded and cellular rubber products. Each product section has a description of the manufacturing method, extensive dimensioning tolerances, typical performance standards and packaging/storage guidelines. A chapter at the end of the handbook describes quality methods recommended for all rubber products to ensure products delivered meet specification and that an out-of-spec product has a corrective process.

Updates coming this review cycle focus in two areas: The first is related to specific issues when injection molding, and the second is a significantly increased focus on quality, with the goal to deliver correct products every time.

In traditional compression and transfer molding, excess rubber can squeeze into cracks between mold plates and cause lines of excess material that must be removed (flash). With injection molding, there is additional flash caused by the sprues and gates through which the rubber is injected. The placement of these on the part surface control how the mold is filled and, if not carefully designed, will leave pits, deformities or protruding rubber. The new edition of the Rubber Handbook now will include a section discussing these features and suggesting techniques for correctly placing them on the part.

The second significant update is in regard to quality. Previous editions made a passing mention that manufacturers should follow a total quality program but allowed them to pick and choose the elements of the quality system applicable to their businesses. The new edition much more strongly recommends a

manufacturer follow a robust quality system, such as ISO-9001, as the minimum requirement. These standards and similar ones ensure quality is built into a product from the beginning. It also adds expectations that preventive measures are used to stop defects from recurring.

Finally, there are several new sections that will assist engineers when specifying, inspecting, approving and qualifying their purchased rubber prior to molding. These new sections are critical to ensuring the rubber used for molding is what was intended. The Rubber Handbook has taken a big, modernizing step with this edition.

Conveyor and Elevator Belt Handbook

The Conveyor and Elevator Belt Handbook (IP-1) is going through a similar process. The handbook covers the full range of belt technology, including belt construction, belt reinforcement (cotton textiles, Kevlar-like fibers, steel cord), methods used to splice a belt for strength and, finally, belt operation, maintenance, monitoring and storage.

Industrial conveyor belts can be very long (the longest single belt is 19 miles) and are built to withstand highly abrasive and/ or heavy materials, such as coal, gravel or your airport luggage.

Weighing 1 lb. per square foot, a 2-foot-wide belt that is a mile long will weight over 5 tons. At this size, the transport and storage of belting is important – to avoid deformation (flatspotting) and for safety when transporting. The new handbook will contain specific recommendations on stacking rolls that detail requirements.

In addition to the revised handbook, there will be a new Technical Bulletin. A belt is not the same rubber material all the way through. The “cover” is the side of the belt exposed to the material being conveyed, and it has different properties than the core rubber material. The cover material is so important that ARPM has nine different classifications, ISO has eight – which is similar to several national standards systems. Why is this important? Some belts must not hold an electrical charge or they may cause a dust explosion. Other belt types have to be flame resistant; still others cut- and gouge-resistant. And, there are a surprising number of surface types. The new Technical Bulletin will collect the designations for all the types – together for the first time to make specifying the correct belt type much easier.

There are no other industry-vetted resources like the ARPM handbooks, which always are up to date and full of data. If you don’t have them, you should. u www.arpminc.com 27

INDUSTRY process and serve small order quantities. The Minibags are produced in Germany and are available for purchase immediately.

For more information, visit www.orioncarbons.com.

ACE Products & Consulting Acquires GEOAnalytical

Grand River Announces Robert “Bobby” Nelson as Lathe Cut Production Manager

Grand River Rubber & Plastics, a 100 percent employee-owned lathe-cut gasket and vacuum cleaner flat belt manufacturer in Ashtabula, Ohio, has announced Robert “Bobby” Nelson as its lathe-cut production manager. Throughout his 27 years at Grand River Rubber & Plastics, Nelson has touched nearly every department at the company. Nelson spent his first 20 years at Grand River in drum & pail and lathe-cut gasket production.

After two decades on the plant floor, Nelson transitioned to the sales department, where he has worked for the last six years. In his new role, Nelson will oversee the lathe-cut department and work alongside COO Keith Wyatt to optimize plant efficiency and grow the company’s lathe-cut gasket footprint both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit www.grandriverrubber.com.

Orion Engineered Carbons Launches New Packaging System for Dust-free, Sustainable Handling Orion Engineered Carbons S.A., Kingwood, Texas, a supplier of specialty and high-performance Carbon Black, has introduced a new packaging system with soluble and meltable Minibags for dust-free and sustainable handling.

Carbon Black is a dusty and fluffy substance, often presenting handling and packaging challenges.

Minibags mitigate these challenges by allowing for direct incorporation into the production process without the need for opening the bags. Minibags are suitable for both powder and beaded Carbon Blacks – designed to optimize the production

ACE Products & Consulting, Ravenna, Ohio, a rubber and silicone industry material testing laboratory, has acquired Ravenna-based GEOAnalytical, Inc., an environmental testing laboratory. GEOAnalytical will maintain its environmental analytical testing services within ACE’s 22,000 sq. ft. state-ofthe-art, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory in Ravenna. For nearly 30 years, GEOAnalytical, Inc., has focused on soil and groundwater testing. The EPA-certified company was a key player in establishing the rules for the Ohio Voluntary Action Program (VAP). By acquiring GEOAnalytical, ACE Products & Consulting expands its services into a new market, while growing its current offering within the rubber and silicone market. The physical resources that GEOAnalytical brings will increase the analytical options ACE can provide to the rubber industry. For more information, visit www.aceprodcon.com.

Sulzer’s Processing Technology Enables Green Rubber Production

Fluid engineering technology provider Sulzer, Winterthur, Switzerland, has delivered a customized mass transfer solution to PT Enerco RPO Internasional’s grassroots plant for the production of treated distillate aromatic extract (TDAE) in Batam, Indonesia. The facility features the world’s largest agitated extraction column type KuhniTM (ECR), which has been designed and built

by Sulzer. This piece of equipment plays a crucial role in the manufacture of eco-friendly rubber process oils (RPOs) for the tire and rubber sectors. Sulzer has completed the design, installation, commissioning and start-up of an innovative processing line to produce TDAE. This is a type of RPO with low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that offers a nonhazardous alternative to conventional DAE. For more information, visit www.sulzer.com.

Smithers Announces New Medical Device Functional Testing Laboratory in North America, Hires New VP

Smithers, Akron, Ohio, a provider of testing, consulting, information and compliance services, has announced plans to expand its medical device physical and functional testing with page 31 u

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a new laboratory in Akron, Ohio. The laboratory will offer extensive standard and custom testing to qualify a wide range of devices, including pen, jet and auto injectors; prefilled syringes; needle-based injection systems (NISs); cartridge/pump dispensers; injection vials and caps; small bore connectors for liquids and gases; transfusion and IV sets; smart patches/patch pumps; metered dose inhalers (MDIs) and Peron device packaging. This lab is an extension of the company’s global medical device testing services in North America and the United Kingdom, and it will be located at the Bounce Innovation Hub in Akron.

In addition, Smithers has announced the appointment of Gaël Peron to the role of vice president of the Medical Device Testing Division. The Division was announced in July of 2020.

Smithers has appointed Peron to lead the division and develop an integrated strategy to expand the division’s geographic reach and portfolio of capabilities. Peron has over 15 years of experience, with most of his career pent at Sartorius Stedim Biotech and Charter Medical, including four years as president of Charter Medical. Peron will be based in Akron, Ohio. For more information, visit www.smithers.com.

Chatillon Offers New Generation of Force Testing Software

Chatillon, Largo, Florida, a brand of AMETEK Sensor, Test & Calibration (STC), which offers materials testing and force measurement equipment, has introduced the new generation of its ForceTest 2.0 force testing software. When combining ForceTest 2.0 with a digital force gauge from the Chatillon DF II Series, the user will achieve a flexible force testing system while expanding functionalities from the force gauge, and also benefit from live test graphs and data analysis functionality. ForceTest 2.0 features an intuitive user interface ensuring that tension, compression, torque, peel and friction tests are simple to set up, and that test results are accurate and easy to read. For more information, visit www.ametektest.com. u

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SAFETY

The Risk of Repetitive Injury

By Liz Stevens, contributing editor, Inside Rubber

R

epetitive tasks on the plant floor can lead to overuse injuries for employees – and increased medical costs for employers. Awareness of the major risk factors is the first step toward reducing these strains and pains, but minor changes in workstations or training procedures significantly can reduce incidences of repetitive injuries in the workplace.

Delia Treaster, Ph.D., CPE, ergonomic technical adviser for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, explained that “ergonomics is simply no more and no less than fitting the work to the worker,” and that the goal of ergonomics is to “reduce wear and tear on the human body from the work that people do.” An employee’s size and other physical attributes are common factors in the mismatch between workers and their work, noting that everybody – every body – is different: tall, short; strong, not so strong; left-handed, right-handed.

These variations often are at odds with a workplace that was designed for the average worker (there is no average worker) or that was designed with an unconscious bias – that is, an unconscious tendency to build something to suit one’s own height, strength or dominant hand.

Ergonomic injuries

The objective of ergonomics, as it applies to fitting the work to the worker and reducing work’s wear and tear on the body, is to prevent or reduce the risk of injuries. These injuries generally develop slowly and affect the soft tissues. “Tendons are really high in the list of structures within the human body that can get hurt,” said Treaster. Ligaments also are common injury sites, as well as nerves and blood vessels, and sometimes bones.

Injuries can go by a variety of names. “A lot of ergonomic injuries are called musculoskeletal disorders, MSDs,” said Treaster. They have been called cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), and they are also called RSIs – repetitive strain injuries.

The words cumulative and repetitive hint at the slow development of these injuries. Low back pain is an extremely common type of MSD. As Treaster puts it, “Eighty percent of the entire working 32 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 4

population at some point in their working life will have back pain,” which could stem from many root causes including pulled muscles, overexertion, a sprain or strain, or an underlying disc disorder.

Musculoskeletal disorders also include carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, tennis elbow and deQuervain’s syndrome (also called Blackberry thumb). While MSDs are usually mild and temporary, some of them – such as those arising from heavy exposure to vibration – can lead to complete disability. Whether they are mild or extreme, they are so common that they account for about 30% of workplace injuries.

These MSD injuries can be costly for employers, with indirect costs dramatically compounding the direct cost. Treaster cited direct cost figures from 2013, noting that a carpal tunnel syndrome would cost about $18,000 for a lost-time injury; a

cervical disc displacement was about $64,000; a lumbar region sprain could be about $3,000; and a rotator cuff sprain might be $35,000.

Treaster used an injury with a $63,000 direct cost to illustrate how indirect costs factor into the equation. “The indirect costs can be up to four times that,” she said. “So, if it’s $63,000 in direct costs, you are well over $240,000 in terms of indirect costs.”

While direct costs are medical payments and compensation, indirect costs are not in plain sight. Treaster described direct costs as “the tip of the iceberg versus what’s below.” She noted that indirect costs include things like hiring costs and training for a replacement worker, overtime to make up for slower-than-usual production, missed deadlines, damage to equipment and tools, and loss of goodwill.

Major risk factors

The three major risk factors for ergonomic injuries are force, posture and repetition. Treaster stressed that these are the big culprits, and that at least one is present on any given job. In a situation where a worker lifts and places a box, for instance, force equates to the amount of muscle force required for the task.

Posture comes into play if the worker must, for example, reach over something to lift or place the box in an awkward way or in a way that moves the box away from the worker’s center of gravity. Repetition can, of course, amplify a task’s wear and tear on the body.

When major risks are combined, the likelihood of injury can skyrocket. “If you just have just one – bad posture – that’s a lower risk,” said Treaster. The risk increases dramatically if a task includes two of the three major risk factors. Treaster explained that “going from having one to having two risk factors increases the risk of an MSD something like 16 times.”

Applied ergonomics

In using ergonomics to fit the work to the worker, Treaster explained that this includes accommodating workers’ physical differences such as height, strength, age and dominant hand.

Achieving the right work-to-worker fit may require adjustments to what Treaster called engineering controls or may take changes in administrative controls.

Engineering control changes are those that affect the workplace itself. “You are looking at changing the workstation,” said Treaster, “by changing the design, the layout, the dimensions or the physical geometry of the workplace in some cases.

Sometimes you are looking at tools, at changing the tools you are using. Or you may need to bring in some mechanical assists.”

Changes in administrative controls might be the correct solution, including training, doing job rotation or job enlargement. The process itself may require review and adjustment. Treaster said

“

ERGONOMICS IS FITTING THE WORK TO THE WORKER.

”

that the pace of work often is an issue to be addressed, especially in industries where workers are paid on a per piece basis and are therefore inclined to work at a rapid pace.

“This can cause people to work through their breaks or cut their breaks short,” she said, “Breaks are intended to literally give your body a break, to stop doing whatever it was you were doing and give your body a chance to recover. When people are paced by machines or externally, and they don’t have the ability to rest or take a micro-break, that can actually be detrimental.”

When reviewing the workplace for ways to improve the ergonomics, Treaster advised manufacturers to seek progress, not perfection. “Don’t look for perfection when you make ergonomic changes,” she said. “You are looking to incrementally improve the ergonomics of the workplace.” And in making those changes, Treaster made this point: “Ergonomics is like golf; it’s a game of inches. Two or three inches can make a huge difference.”

Treaster mentioned some simple ways to fit the work to the workers. A scissors lift can be used to raise a workspace so that excessive bending is eliminated. Work areas can be outfitted with turntables (including those that are set in the floor to accommodate forklift traffic) so that workers can rotate a pallet, for example, rather than reaching across or walking around it to load items. A third example is a simple, inexpensive idea: add wheels to long ladders in a way that allows a worker to move the ladder by rolling it rather than carrying it.

“Ergonomics is fitting the work to the worker,” said Treaster in summing up the presentation. “You want to accommodate individual differences. That’s key to this concept of ergonomics.

You reduce risk factors – force, posture, repetition. You can redesign the workplace, the tools, the equipment or the process.”

“Be aware,” she said, “it’s not always a one-time solution.

Sometimes, you have to iterate. You make a change, and then you realize, ‘Well, I was close but not quite there, so I have to make another change.’” u Editor’s Note: Delia Treaster, Ph.D., CPE, Ergonomic Technical Advisor from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, presented “Essential Ergonomics” at the 2019 Environmental, Health and Safety Summit for the manufacturing industry in Columbus, Ohio. This article is an approved summary of her presentation. The 2020 EHS Summit will be presented virtually on November 11 and 12. For more information, visit www.arpminc.com/ehs. www.arpminc.com 33

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