RotoWorld 2, 2020 by Jennifer Gibson Hebert

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3 WAYS THE CORONAVIRUS VIRUS IS CHANGING WHO WE ARE

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

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U.S. ROTATIONAL MOLDING: THE ROAD AHEAD Future trend of growth in the u.S. And global economies in a time of pandemic.

THE SEVEN SIMULTANEOUS STAGES OF ROTATIONAL MOULDING

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CONTENTS

FEATURES COVER STORY

U.S. Rotational Molding: The Road Ahead by Dr. Peter Mooney, Plastics Custom Research Services (PCRS) Future trends of growth in the U.S. and global economies in a time of pandemic.

The Seven Simultaneous Stages of Rotational Moulding by Dr. Gareth McDowell, 493K Ltd Improved approach will make way for greater advancements of both a technical and profitable nature.

3 Ways the Coronavirus Pandemic is Changing Who We Are by Arie Kruglanski, Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland No event in recent history has affected us as profoundly and pervasively.

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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS 8 From the Publisher by Susan Gibson, JSJ Productions, Inc. The unimaginable.

12 Global Contributing Editors

Global Contributors, Department Contributors, and Issue Contributors

15 Upfront

Industry News, Trends, and Products

23 Design Comment

by Michael Paloian, Integrated Design Systems, Inc. Introspection in a time of crisis.

34 Industry 4.0 – Episode 1 by Rob Miller, Whitten Battenfeld/RotoLoad It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.

40 ARM Report

ARM’s Offerings and Goals Remain Steadfast

46 ARMA Rotoconnect ARMA Rotoconnect 2020

50 Technically Speaking

by Alongkorn Kanokboriboon, SCG Chemicals Rotomolded boat pontoon.

52 ARMO News

ARMSA, ARM-CE, Nordic ARM, StAR, BPF, IT-RO Plastics Trade Body Publishes First Study of Coronavirus Impact on UK Manufacturing

56 Global Calendar 58 Advertisers’ Index

6 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

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FROM THE

PUBLISHER

by Susan Gibson, JSJ Productions, Inc.

The unimaginable. In January, we watched as the new coronavirus (COVID 19) blazed through China and begin transferring to many other countries with Italy quickly becoming the epicenter in Europe followed by New York in the U.S. The top ten countries most affected are: USA, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, France, Iran, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Turkey. Most all countries were affected by the virus and thus the global pandemic. Some, but not all, countries were extremely challenged with the ‘what to do and how to do it’, necessary to stave off human catastrophes. In March, the virus had fully attacked the already stretched thin healthcare system in Italy, the US, and many other countries as well. By March, America sprang into action and closed schools, offices, businesses, and public spaces in most states as did many other countries. The better news is the widespread “shelter in place” and “social distancing” most of us have engaged in seems to be working as the curve has flattened, albeit thousands of people are still being diagnosed and admitted to hospitals daily with COVID 19 and the worst of it all, the death toll continues. In April, just about 3 months after this awful pandemic began, we find ourselves experiencing cabin fever in our homes and trying our best to be patient for the optimal outcome. We are looking cautiously on as countries start to announce re-opening strategies. This begs the question, when will things get back to normal? Economies, businesses, and families are suffering. People need to get back to work…but they need to be safe. Our hope is for this to happen with a solid plan in place, developed by experts so we won’t see new surges of the pandemic. In our industry, as in most industries, many important trade shows have been cancelled or moved to digital only events. Those that make medical supplies have worked hard to ramp up production. Many of our supplier companies are allowing employees to work remotely to lessen chances for virus transmission. It appears the only end game is to suppress the virus until there is a vaccine, which could take 12-15 months. In the meantime, we applaud our healthcare professionals and frontline workers who are tirelessly putting in the work to ensure the rest of us have food shelter, transportation, and other essential services. While there is a common mindset that “life as we knew it” won’t return in the next 2 weeks or 4 weeks, cities, states, and countries are working to come up with a new, safer normal. All of this, while there are more than 30,000 new confirmed cases daily throughout the world. Kathie Leitz, wife of Jim Leitz, past president of ARM and long-time rotomolder, passed away on March 28, 2020. Kathie was my good friend, as she was to many of you in the industry. She has attended Jim to ARM Shows and industry events throughout the world, and was someone you would never forget. She had a way about her that was infectious and good. In talking with Jim over these past days, I would like to share his loud and clear message: “If you have not witnessed losing someone affected with coronavirus, it is more awful than you can imagine. You must be so careful to use all the precautions and safety measures prescribed to keep from becoming infected. That can’t be said strongly enough as it may truly be the difference between life and death.” Our hearts and prayers are with Jim and his family. There is the economic toll and there is the human toll. They are distinctively intertwined, and both are so important to our security and future. The human toll takes precedence and to that end we are truly all in this together. I wish you and your families health and safety as we journey ahead to discover our new normal. We are strong, resilient, and very capable. We will get through to the other side of what most of us would have never imagined.

Susan Gibson Publisher & Editor 8 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

When Performance Counts... Ferry is a critical manufacturer and open to support critical essential suppliers during the Covid-19 outbreak.

RotoSpeed Advantages

➲ Proven High-Performance, Lowest Cost of Ownership ➲ Highest Productivity, Durability Leader for over 37 Years ➲ Global Sales & Full-Service Support Team ➲ Over 1,300 Machines in Over 60 Countries ➲ Leader in Process Control Systems; RotoCure, IRT & RotoLog ➲ Engineering, Manufacturing & Support from the U.S.A. ➲ Energy-Smart Machines, Fastest Oven Temp Recovery ➲ Remote Ethernet Machine Support ➲ Automated Systems & Solutions

In-Stock Machines

Dispensing Mixers Work Platforms Rocking Ovens In-Line Shuttles

Carousels

Susan D. Gibson

Publisher & Editor President - JSJ Productions, Inc. susan@jsjproductionsinc.com

Technical Editor Alvin Spence PhD MEng aspence@centroinc.com Process Editor Paul Nugent PhD MEng paul@paulnugent.com Michael Paloian

Design Editor President - Integrated Design Systems, Inc. paloian@idsys.com

Celal Beysel

Global Contributing Editors Chairman - Floteks Plastik beysel@superonline.com

Harry Covington Mark Kearns Ravi Mehra

Ferry Industries hcovington@ferryindustries.com

Moulding Research Manager m.kearns@qub.ac.uk

Managing Director - Norstar International LLC maramehra@aol.com

Sergio Zilioli

Sales Manager - Persico S.p.A. sergio.zilioli@persico.com

Advertising and Art Production Marketing/Advertising Director Jennifer Gibson Hebert Vice President, JSJ Productions, Inc. jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com Chief Art Director Anya Wilcox

JSJ Productions, Inc. awilcox@designintersection.com

Circulation & Distribution Administration Sheryl Bjorn JSJ Productions, Inc. sheryl@jsjproductionsinc.com -

Editing & Translations Kristina Gaddy-Kates | Oliver Wandres | Ximena Lobo Website & Online Technology Jason Cooper JSJ Productions, Inc. jason@bound.by RotoWorld® is a JSJ Productions, Inc. Trade Publication JSJ Productions, Inc. 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 Phone: (512) 894.4106; Fax (512) 858.0486 Email: rotoworldmag@rotoworldmag.com and Website: www.rotoworldmag.com Subscriptions One-year subscription (six issues), print or digital, $60 US, $75 Canada/Mexico, $120 All Other Countries. To subscribe or to submit change of address information, call us at (512) 894.4106; fax us at (512) 858.0486; visit us online at www.rotoworldmag.com; or email us at sheryl@jsjproductionsinc.com. You may also write to RotoWorld® Subscriptions, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 Advertising For information on advertising, please contact Advertising Director Jennifer Gibson Hebert, JSJ Productions, Inc. Email Jennifer Gibson at jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com Letters We welcome letters about our contents. Write Letters to the Editor, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 512.894.4106 phone 512.858.0486 fax, or Email susan@jsjproductionsinc.com. Editorial Queries We consider unsolicited contributions. Send manuscript submissions as email attachment to Susan Gibson at susan@jsjproductionsinc.com. JSJ Productions, Inc. bears no responsibility for claim or factual data represented in contributed articles. Postmaster Send changes of address to RotoWorld®, JSJ Productions, Inc., 625 West Market Street, Salinas, CA 93901 RotoWorld® is a JSJ Productions, Inc. independently owned, bi-monthly trade magazine for the international rotational molding and plastics design industries. JSJ Productions, Inc. owns all copyrights on articles published herein unless ownership is otherwise stated. Reproduction of this magazine, in whole or in part, without the express written p ermission of the publisher is not permitted.

10 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

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CONTRIBUTING

EDITORS ROTOWORLD ®

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VOLUME XIV, ISSUE 6 • 2018

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 3 • 2019

How to Calculate Wall Thickness for Water & Chemical Tanks

Delivering proven performance

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

ARM 2019 ANNUAL so you can innovate with confidence. MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Supavent Turns 15 2018 ARM Annual Meeting held in Montreal! Quality Control of Rotationally

Moulded Polyethylene Using Reflected Light Microscopy 2019 ARM Executive Spring Forum

Polyurethanes for Rotomolded Products

can be Environmentally Friendly and still Provide the Performance you Need

Napa, CA WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

MARKETS

Cutting production costs and lessening global warning effects

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

Icons of Contemporary Design

using rotational molding

so you can innovate with confidence.

Smart Cats

Kerala – The Tropical Paradise

PRODUCTS

Delivering performance designing proven underground products soinfrastructure you can innovate with confidence. Delivering proven performance

Brings Forth New Experiences

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

PAINT IT BLACK

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 2 • 2019

FIFTEENTH STAR CONFERENCE

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

DESIGN

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

Hosted by ARMSA in South Africa

Delivering proven performance so you can innovate with confidence.

aldo monetti

An industry colleague ARMO2019 and friend remembered CONFERENCE

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MANUFACTURING

Action-packed conference in Brisbane

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DESIGN

rotomould 2019

Asia’s ROTOMOLDED Ceremonial Coffin

LABOR CRISIS – GET MORE EFFICIENT!

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 1 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2019

Mobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 2 • MARCH-APRIL 2019

Present and Future of Rotomolding was Discussed in Russia

Moulded Polyethylene Parts

u safe by noras

ROTOWORLD ®

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 5 • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019

Discovering Opportunities:

for Winter Time

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 1 • 2019

What to do during the

Rotomoulded Life Saving Product

TECHNOLOGY

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

so you can innovate with confidence. Spray Cooling of Rotationally

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VOLUME XV, ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

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ROTOWORLD ®

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 4 • JULY-AUGUST 2019

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VOLUME XV, ISSUE 4 • 2019

SLIDE® ROTOMOLDED NOVELTIES

VOLUME XIV, ISSUE 6 • DECEMBER 2018

About Product Standards

The Industrial Application of Delivering proven performance Internal Mould Water

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

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The Ugly Truth

ROTOWORLD ®

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ROTOWORLD ®

CONVERSION

begin with the quality and esin supply. Start your day with ns that help leading rotomolders o reality. Accomplish more with sive sales support and expert

VOLUME XV, ISSUE 3 • MAY-JUNEL 2019

625 West Market Street Salinas, CA 93901 USA

ven performance ovate with confidence.

o grow your

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2019 Here’sInternational How to Make a Powerful Call to Action in a Business Presentation Rotomolding Congress (IRC) The World’s Most Comprehensive Hotel XCaret Cancun in 2019 Tank Standard to be Released

Russian Rotomoulders Group will Meet Again in St. Petersburg

Large attendance and high marks

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business. © 2016 Exxon Mobil Corporation. All rights reserved. ExxonMobil, the ExxonMobil logo, the interlocking “X” device and all product names herein are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Honorees Conchita Miranda, Operadora Miraplastek, and Jon Ratzlaff, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Inducted into the Rotational Molding Hall of Fame Learn more about how we can work together to grow your

business.

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

technology team.

Learn more about how we can work together to grow your business.

WWW.ROTOWORLDMAG .COM

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and

Your rotational molding capabilities begin with the quality and dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with dependability of your polyethylene resin supply. Start your day with PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders PE products and process innovations that help leading rotomolders bring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more withbring their most complex designs to reality. Accomplish more with our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert our reliable supply network, responsive sales support and expert technology team.

DESIGN EDITOR

TECHNICAL EDITOR

Michael Paloian

Alvin Spence

Michael is President of Integrated Design Systems, Inc., Great Neck, New York. Over the past 25 years, Mike has developed a broad range of plastic products utilizing various processing methods including rotational molding. Mike’s B.S. degree in Plastics Engineering and Masters in Industrial Design, combined with his extensive experience, has formed the basis for his branded and unique insights into the field of plastics part design. paloian@idsys.com PROCESS EDITOR

Alvin Spence is Vice President Engineering at Centro, Inc., North Liberty, Iowa. He provides leadership for Centro’s product development team and quality resources. Alvin received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering and PhD from Queen’s University Belfast. aspence@centroinc.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Paul Nugent Paul is a consultant who travels extensively across six continents assisting clients in many roles from training to expert witnessing. He received his Eng. degree in Aeronautical Engineering and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The Queen’s University of Belfast. Paul developed the Rotolog system, the first complete computer simulation (RotoSim), and authored a book entitled Rotational Molding: A Practical Guide. paul@paulnugent.com

12 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

Celal Beysel Celal is Chairman of Floteks Plastik, the pioneer and innovative leader of the rotational molding industry in Turkey and a Global Contributing Editor for RotoWorld® magazine. Being an ARM member for more than 20 years, he has made many presentations at ARM meetings in various countries. He is also active in business and political organizations in his country. Celal has authored numerous articles published in various newspapers and magazines about politics, plastics, rotomolding, and innovation. beysel@superonline.com

CONTRIBUTING

EDITORS

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Ravi Mehra

Sergio Zilioli

Ravi Mehra has been associated with the rotational molding industry since the early 1970’s. He is a Past President of ARM – Association of Rotational Molders, and has been inducted into the ARM Hall of Fame. He is the Founding Chairman of StAR – the rotational moulding Trade Association of India. He was the Chairman of ARMO – Affiliation of Rotational Moulding Organizations from 2012 to 2014. He consults internationally with companies in the rotational moulding arena to help their global strategy, facilitate technology tie-ups, and business alliances. maramehra@aol.com

Sergio Zilioli is the Key Account Manager at Persico USA. He has a mechanical design background, and in 1998 joined Persico Automotive in the compression moulds assembly department. In 2001, Sergio became Rotomoulding Division Sales Manager for Moulds and Leonardo Machines for the Northern and Eastern European Market. Since 2008, he has been working on sales and marketing development in North America and South America. Sergio is an active participant in ARM and SPE conferences and has presented several papers on the latest technologies developed by Persico. sergio.zilioli@persico.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mark Kearns

M.Kearns@qub.ac.uk

Mark is the Rotational Moulding Research Manager of the Polymer Processing Research Centre at Queen’s University of Belfast. He is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with a M. Phil Degree in Rotational Moulding. Mark manages rotational moulding research and development projects for companies across Europe, Australasia, and North America.

DEPARTMENT EDITOR

Harry Covington Harry Covington is Director and Owner of Ferry Industries, Inc., Akron, Ohio. Harry has served on the ARM International Board of Directors and is a recipient of the ARM International Hall of Fame award. He has been a frequent presenter at rotational molding conferences throughout the world. Harry holds a BSME from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. hcovington@ferryindustries.com

DEPARTMENT EDITOR

Alongkorn Kanokboriboon Alongkorn Kanokboriboon is currently Development Leader at the Rotational Molding Center at SCG Chemicals. He has been involved in the rotomolding industry for almost twenty years from resins development, compounding, and grinding to technical service. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of California and a Master’s degree in Polymer Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast. alongkok@scg.com

Rob Miller Owner President – Wittmann Battenfeld Canada Inc. Rotoload Rob started in the plastics pneumatic conveying industry in 1986. He has spent his entire career developing, engineering, and designing all types of catalog, standard, and custom pneumatic conveying systems for the plastics industry. He started in the Rotational Molding Industry in 2013, and has enjoyed learning the idiosyncrasies of the industry and market, and most of all meeting the people and building relationships for the future. Rob.Miller@wittmann-group.ca www.rotoworldmag.com 13

GUEST CONTRIBUTING

EDITORS

Peter Mooney

Gareth McDowell

Arie W. Kruglanski

Peter Mooney has a Ph.D. in economics. He is the founder and president of Plastics Custom Research Services. He is one of the leading market research analysts in the rotomolding field, and he has served for many years on the board of directors of the SPE Rotational Molding Division.

Dr. Gareth McDowell established 493K Limited to develop and manufacture data acquisition and control systems. These systems improve quality and process efficiency, for the heating and cooling stages of rotational moulding. Advancing a body of research and development work, which started over 25 years ago, 493K is currently offering advanced tools to aid the industry in technical advancement.

Arie W. Kruglanski is a University Professor, recipient of numerous awards, and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. He has served as editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitudes and Social Cognition, editor of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and associate editor of the American Psychologist.

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14 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

UPFRONT Powder King® Purchases Rototron Mixers

ANTHEM, AZ, USA — Powder King®, a worldwide

producer of pulverizing systems for the plastics industry, recently announced that they have purchased the Rototron High Intensity Mixer line from Rototron of Babylon, NY. Included in the purchase will be the name and complete assets of the Rototron mixers. which includes all inventory, drawings, customer lists, equipment lines owned by Rototron, such as Dry Flow testing equipment, and Drop Dart impact testing equipment. “We value the great relationship with Joan Flaxman of Rototron,” says owner of Powder King®, Jim Hummel. “We had worked together over many years selling the mixers, so when given the opportunity to purchase Rototron, we quickly expressed our interest and finalized the sale with the company.” Benefitting both companies, we are excited to make this investment and begin adding the Rototron line to Powder King®,

already a worldwide presence in the Rotational Molding, PVC, Plastic Lumber, Fencing, and Plastics Industry. Powder King® will begin to manufacture the High Intensity Mixers, Flow Funnels, and Drop Dart testing very soon in our state-of-the-art facility in Anthem, AZ. The High Intensity Mixers will be upgraded with a new design to improve the mixer operation and over all look of the mixer. “We will be producing another high-quality product here at Powder King®, states owner Jim Hummel, for the Rotational Molding Industry. “Being that Powder King® has already manufactured a successful line of pulverizing systems for the past 17 years, we plan to continue to grow by adding new equipment to complement our pulverizing mills and our business.” For more information about Powder King®, please feel free to contact us or visit us on the web at www.powder-king.com. www.rotoworldmag.com 15

UPFRONT Noted Plastics News Reporter Bill Bregar Passes Away ASHTABULA, OH, USA — Long-time plastics industry

reporter Bill Bregar died unexpectedly April 5 at his home in Ashtabula, Ohio. He was 58. Bregar was a plastics industry star, known for his extensive industry knowledge and long list of sources and friends. He joined Plastics News as a staff reporter shortly before the publication’s launch in 1989. His beats changed a few times, but Bregar is best known for his years of experience covering plastics machinery. Initially, he covered building and construction, and he has long been one of the publication’s experts on injection molding, thermoforming, and rotational molding. He was promoted to senior reporter in 1996. Even from the start, Bregar was the staff’s resident historian. He interviewed and profiled new members of the Plastics Hall of Fame, almost always in person, and he’s written obituaries for many plastics industry leaders. Bregar has also coordinated Plastics News’ annual Processor of the Year award for two decades, which has involved visiting and judging dozens of North America’s top plastics processors. Bregar has been honored numerous times for reporting and

writing excellence, with awards from organizations including the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the Press Club of Cleveland, and the Detroit Society of Professional Journalists. One recent story, a feature on Procter & Gamble’s Imflux molding technology, won both SPJ and Azbee honors. Bregar wrote the popular Heavy Metal blog on PlasticsNews. com, where he wrote about machinery and workforce issues, and personal experiences. He also wrote a monthly column on best practices. Bregar grew up in Kirtland, Ohio, and was a 1979 graduate of Kirtland High School, where he worked on the school newspaper, played tennis, and performed on the drums in the marching band. He was a 1983 journalism graduate of Ohio University, where he played in the marching band and participated in Students for Peace. He had five years of daily newspaper reporting experience before he joined the trade press, initially as an associate editor of Restaurant Management magazine. Bregar’s wife Nancy passed away in 2019. He is survived by two adult children, Sam and Molly.

New Global Head of Business Line Advanced Surface Solutions at Clariant MUTTENZ, SWITZERLAND — Martin John has been appointed

Global Head of Business Line Advanced Surface Solutions, Clariant BU Additives, as of 1 April 2020. The Business Line Advanced Surface Solutions is offering a wide range of high-performing wax technologies to the Plastics, Coatings, Inks, and Adhesives industries. With his extensive knowledge and experience in managing international businesses at Clariant, Martin and his team will continue to transform the Business Line into a leading solution provider, as it extends its global footprint with a particular focus on innovation and sustainability. Prior to his present appointment, Martin headed Business Line Performance Additives and before this, he gained significant management experience by holding various global and regional business management roles in sales, marketing, procurement, and logistics in Europe and North America. For further information, contact Siria Nielsen, EMG, +31 164 317 036, email snielsen@emg-marcom.com

16 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

UPFRONT Rotational Mouldings Announces Rebrand HIGH PEAK, U.K. — One

of the longest established UK rotational mouldings companies has rebranded completely with a modern and progressive website and new company logo. The Rotational Mouldings brand will encompass both Rotational Mouldings Limited (RML) at Furness Vale, High Peak and what was Haywood Roto Moulding (HRM) in Rochdale, which will also be known under the Rotational Mouldings brand. The new logo design marries the subtle evolution of the ‘Rotational Mouldings’ Limited logo from 1973, encompassing the three rotating arrows in gold combined with the dark blue phased

through to purple in a much more modern rendering. This new design underlines the heritage and power of recognition of the Rotational Mouldings logo that has been built up over four decades. The Company has embarked upon a transformational change, reaching out to engage more actively to serve the wider global demand for rotational mouldings. The new Rotational Mouldings website informs those who are looking to use the rotational moulding process for products and services and want to find out a little more about the organisation behind the name.

CNC Molds YEARS STRONG

Fabricated Molds

1939-2020

Cast Aluminum Molds

www.rotoworldmag.com 17

UPFRONT Perstorp Converts Production to Solve Swedish National Disinfection Crisis MALMÖ, SWEDEN — Malmö April 8, 2020 - Perstorp, a

Lefab Production and transported by Bertschi, Scandibulk och global leader in the specialty chemicals market, has started the Eurolink to Socialstyrelsen, which distributes the products to large-scale production of hand sanitizer and surface disinfectant healthcare services in regions across Sweden. The first delivery is for the Swedish healthcare sector. With a capacity of over 2 expected to reach Socialstyrelsen after the Easter weekend. million liters a month, the aim is to solve the current lack of Ingrid Bergman, Head of Purchasing at Swedish Region disinfectants at a national level. Skåne*, says: “Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic the Leading specialty chemicals innovator Perstorp has converted shortage of disposables such as sanitizers is a major challenge part of the production at its’ Perstorp plant to now produce hand and an issue of great priority. Perstorp has shown tremendous sanitizer and surface disinfectant. Perstorp has the capacity to responsibility and initiative in securing the production chain. produce more than 2 million liters per month. The production They have made production possible by arranging all permits capacity is expected to exceed the healthcare sector’s current disinfection shortage. The products are being offered at cost price. Jan Secher, CEO of Perstorp Group, comments: “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary care. Our large scale production capacity can make a real difference at this time and help to solve the disinfectant shortage in the healthcare sector. This is our contribution to the important work that healthcare professionals are doing every day. I am proud that our innovative staff saw this opportunity to help. They have driven this initiative forward together with valuable help from authorities and partners.” Production has started “Our large scale production capacity can make a real this week and the aim difference at this time and help to solve the disinfectant is to continue for as long as there is an acute shortage in the healthcare sector.” shortage of disinfection products within the Swedish healthcare sector, that regular suppliers cannot fulfill. Permits and agreements for production have been from the healthcare sector in cooperation with us, as well as finalized in record quick time together with authorities and several authorities and other companies.” partners. In order to produce the disinfectant, Absolut Company Region Skåne is responsible for health care and public delivers ethanol, which is mixed together with other ingredients. transport, business development, culture, infrastructure, social This is delivered to the Perstorp industrial plant with help of planning and environmental and climate-related issues in Skåne Univar Solutions and ExxonMobil. The disinfectant is bottled by county, Sweden. 18 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

UPFRONT Jerico Announces new Director of Materials and Sourcing WADSWORTH, OH, USA — Jerico Plastic Industries,

Inc. is pleased to announce that Rea M. Clifton has recently been named to the position of Director of Materials and Sourcing. She will be responsible company-wide for driving operational excellence in supply chain capabilities by managing and implementing all strategic and tactical purchasing activities, materials requirements, and inventory control, as well as the warehousing and receiving of all materials. In her capacity, Clifton will work with Jerico operations and customer solutions departments to ensure on-time delivery based on available raw materials, follow environmental and safety regulations and acts in compliance with the U.S. laws and engage in strategic negotiations to achieve favorable conditions and strong supplier relationships. Clifton’s career in purchasing includes experience in every aspect of supply chain and scheduling within the manufacturing sector. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and is

Certified as Lead Auditor in ISO 9001:2000 and EMS 14001 and has completed Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing training. With manufacturing facilities in Minerva, Ohio and Greensboro, Georgia, Jerico Plastic Industries, Inc. is committed to excellence in compounding for rotational molding. As a custom manufacturer of color compounds, specialty resins, and recycled products, the company currently offers rotational molding PP, cross-linkable PE, flame retardant PE and special effects PE compounds. For more information, contact Brandi Frey, Corporate Operations Officer — 330-334-5244, info@jericoplastic.com or Stephen Copeland, President — steve@jericoplastic.com.

www.rotoworldmag.com 19

UPFRONT Katharine E. Leitz November 26, 1943 - March 28, 2020

WOBURN, MA, USA —

Katharine Erkkila Leitz, age 76, of Lee, NH died on March 28 after a brief illness. Kathie was born on November 26, 1943 in Buffalo, NY to Eleanore and Armas Victor Erkkila. She attended Orchard Park High School where she met her future husband Jim. She was a talented trumpet and piano player as well as an excellent swimmer who loved to perform water ballet routines with her sister and friends whenever they were together in the lake or a pool. Married after graduating from Northwestern University, Kathie raised her family to follow The Golden Rule: “Always do unto others, as you would have them do unto you”. Kathie’s enthusiasm for activity, learning, athleticism, selflessness, and love for her family and friends was obvious to everyone who knew her. Kathie was often the most optimistic and happy person in the room and was proud of her Finnish heritage, which is not surprising, as Finland has often ranked high in surveys of places with the happiest population - it must be genetic. Kathie’s children were fortunate to have her full-time love and guidance while they were growing up. Kathie became a grandmother who loved to be involved with her grandchildren and was an equally active participant with her grandchildren as she had been with her own. Waterskiing, snowskiing, advising, comforting, teaching and mentoring. Kathie loved her experience as an AFS exchange student in Germany and took that lifelong love of languages to the next level becoming fluent in German and Spanish and heading back to school, earning a Masters Degree in Linguistics at UNH and to become a teacher of English as a second language to immigrants and refugees for the Manchester School District. Kathie hosted several exchange students and she enriched the experience of all the students and families she hosted and worked with in Spain, Germany and in countless other countries. Kathie remained lifelong friends with people she met from all over the world and delighted in keeping in touch with them frequently, reaching out with letters and cards as well as email and phone calls to remember birthdays, celebrate special 20 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

occasions and just to catch up and share recent news. Kathie loved to travel and always took care to route her travels to include a visit with friends and relatives. Kathie’s beauty and elegance are timeless, and her lessons and kindness will live on in all whom she has touched. In addition to her husband, James B. Leitz, also of Lee, NH, Kathie leaves her sons and their families, Christopher Leitz, his wife Jessica and sons Keegan, Nils, and Duncan of Melrose, MA and Steven Leitz, his wife Bethany, daughter Victoria and son Curtis of Durham, NH. Kathie was predeceased by her daughter, Martha and also leaves her sonin-law Andrew A. Vogt and his four children, William, James, Anna, and Henry all of Stratham, NH. She is survived by her sisters Margaret, Beth, Barbara, Carolyn and brother Bob. Kathie is also survived by many nieces, nephews, in-laws, and out-laws and a lifetime of loving friends. Burial will be private, and we will each celebrate her life until restrictions are lifted, and we can celebrate together. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Lee Public Library, 9 Mast Road, Lee, NH 03861 or to AFS-USA via https://www.afsusa.org/donate/ to continue her support of public education through local libraries and foreign exchange programs. Arrangements are by the Stockbridge Funeral Home, Exeter, NH at https://www.stockbridgefh.com/

Tank Holding Acquires Rotoplas U.S. Manufacturing Plants Tank Holding, North America’s largest polyethylene tank and container manufacturer has agreed to acquire all the U.S. manufacturing assets of Molding Acquisition Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mexico based Rotoplas, which includes three rotational molding tank plants located in California, Texas, and Georgia. Rotoplas, also known as Grupo Rotoplas is listed on the Mexico Stock Exchange (BMV) under the ticker “AGUA”, is a leading supplier of water solution products in Latin America with 22 plants located throughout the region. They are divesting their US manufacturing assets and product line, so they can focus on and strengthen their leading e-commerce platform in the United States. “The acquisition of the Rotoplas manufacturing plants and product line represents another strategic step in expanding our water tank product offering and increasing our manufacturing capacity, so we can better serve our customers throughout North America,” said Greg Wade, CEO of Tank Holding. This recent acquisition announcement represents Tank Holding’s 4th acquisition in the last 9 months. “In addition to the facilities and product line, we are just as excited to welcome the dedicated employees, and loyal customer base of Rotoplas, this is often understated but of significant value to us, as we continue to grow our organization,” Wade added. Besides being a world leader in the design and manufacturing of polyethylene tank and container products, Tank Holding also maintains major market positions with many other proprietary products, including steel intermediate bulk containers, insulated material handling bins, medical waste containers, and specialty pallet systems. Tank Holding, which includes the brands of Norwesco, Snyder Industries, Bonar Plastics, and Stratis Pallets, is owned by Olympus Partners and the management team, currently operating 22 manufacturing plants and employing approximately 650 people throughout North America. Olympus Partners is a private equity firm focused on providing equity capital for middle market management buyouts and for growing companies. Olympus manages in excess of $8.5 billion mainly on behalf of corporate pension funds, endowment funds, and state-sponsored retirement programs. Founded in 1988, Olympus is an active, long-term investor across a broad range of industries including business services, food services, consumer products, healthcare services, financial services, industrial services, and manufacturing. For more information, contact Tank Holdings at www.tankholding.com

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www.rotoworldmag.com 21

UPFRONT BASF donates over 100 million protective masks

Donations to the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate BASF creates production capacities for 1 million liters of disinfectants in Germany alone and supplies healthcare facilities free of charge

As part of BASF’s “Helping Hands” campaign in the fight against the corona pandemic, BASF is donating 100 million protective masks to the Federal Republic of Germany. The company is also donating 1 million masks to the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. BASF’s corporate headquarters are located in Ludwigshafen, Rhineland-Palatinate. With around 35,000 employees, it is BASF’s largest production site worldwide. The masks will be purchased in China and prepared for shipment to Germany. BASF expects the first delivery of masks at Frankfurt Airport at the beginning of next week. There, they will be handed over to the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn and the Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate Malu Dreyer. “An emergency situation such as this can only be managed by all of us together,” said Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors. “We are therefore using our purchasing networks and logistics in China to help.” BASF is responsible for

22 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

the costs of purchasing and transporting the masks. The masks will be distributed by the Federal Ministry of Health and, in Rhineland-Palatinate, by the State Office for Social Affairs, Youth and Welfare. The mask donation is one of several initiatives of BASF’s “Helping Hands” campaign. BASF is committed to fighting the pandemic worldwide with a total of approximately €100 million. Another focus is the production of hand sanitizer. BASF has created new capacities within a short time at sites such as Ludwigshafen, Düsseldorf and Münster-Hiltrup and is able to produce up to 1 million liters of hand sanitizer with the raw materials purchased. Around 150,000 liters have already been distributed free of charge to hospitals and other healthcare facilities (doctors, nursing homes) in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region and around other BASF sites. For more information, go to www.basf.com

DESIGN

COMMENT

by Michael Paloian, Integrated Design Systems, Inc.

Introspection in time of crisis.

I was thinking about an appropriate topic for this design column of RotoWorld® and could not think of anything other then the Corona pandemic which has affected everyone’s life globally. Not much matters when you face death and gradually begin receiving notices of close friends who have passed away probably because of this terrible virus. In just the past three weeks I’ve been notified of three individuals whom I’ve known and unfortunately have passed away. One of these people is Kathy Leitz, the wife of Jim Leitz, whom I loved and respected. Everyone in the rotational molding community knows Jim Leitz, who is a rotational molding Hall of Famer and has been my close friend for many years. Kathy was a schoolteacher for her entire career and was dearly loved by her students. I always knew Kathy as an incredible individual who effortlessly projected high class, dignity, and intelligence. She never made a bad comment about anyone, always demonstrating understanding, kindness, and humor. I had the privilege of enjoying many conversations with her throughout the many years of our friendship. Kathy always accompanied Jim at ARM conferences, providing him support and friendship during these socially focused events. She will be sorely missed by many people who loved her and respected her for the wonderful person she was. May God bless her and her family. This crisis has severely impacted New York state, especially New York City and Long Island where I live. As of this date (April 8th, 2020), New York has confirmed more than 242,570 cases with more than 17,626 deaths. We haven’t officially reached

a plateau yet. The good news is our citizens have united and cooperated with one another, exemplifying the qualities that have made the United States the greatest country in the world. Tens of thousands of volunteers have pitched in to aid those in need of medical assistance or need assistance. We will come though this crisis much stronger then before demonstrating the strength of character is the backbone of our society. I didn’t want this “design editorial” to be an arbitrary, but it’s difficult to write about design when so many people we love are being lost to this dreadful virus. I would like to offer my design skills to anyone out there who would like to work with me to develop medical devices to combat this pandemic. I’ve designed close to one hundred medical devices and will be willing to collaborate with the right team to develop devices specifically to battle this pandemic. The rotational molding community should unite, forming brainstorming groups focused on developing products to help the hundreds of thousands of people being affected by the Coronavirus. Those of us who have been spared contracting this virus should not only protect ourselves but also seek ways to prevent others from getting the disease. I applaud everyone in the industry who has contributed their time, energy, and money to fight this terrible pandemic. May we never forget those whom we lost and loved. Please feel free to contact me at paloian@idsys.com if you want to discuss an idea. www.rotoworldmag.com 23

U.S. ROTATIONAL MOLDING: THE ROAD AHEAD Future trend of growth in the u.S. And global economies in a time of pandemic. by Dr. Peter Mooney, Plastics Custom Research Services (PCRS)

24 ROTOWORLDÂ® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

In early February I was asked to prepare a roadmap of a sort for U.S. rotational molders based on 1) my years of research tracking developments in this business and 2) my background in economics. I prepared and submitted the following piece later that month, with publication scheduled for mid-April. In the interim the U.S. economy and virtually every other economy around the world have been impacted in some way by the coronavirus emanating from Wuhan, China. The advance of the virus has been rapid and virulent; as of this writing there have been over 2,401,400 global cases and over 165,042 deaths reported (which no doubt will have increased by the time this is published). Here in the United States certain regions of the country have become epicenters. Concern among federal, state, and local governments has led to calls for lockdowns, and there is universal cautioning against transmitting the virus to vulnerable segments of the population. The U.S. Congress has passed into law several bills to alleviate this growing economic and humanitarian crisis. In my original piece I agreed with the majority of economists that as of the start of the year the U.S. economy was in a strong position. The U.S. economic growth rate was exceeding the “new normal” of previous years, the unemployment rate was at a historic low, productivity was advancing at a respectable rate, and inflation expectations were low. Some suggested this all added up to a “Goldilocks economy”. Obviously economic conditions since February have been completely overturned. We have yet to arrive at the peak of cases and fatalities associated with this virus. However, I’ve been asked to offer an economic perspective at this point as it relates to U.S. rotomolders.

In my original piece I pointed to 3 factors influencing U.S. economic prospects in 2020 – namely, the Chinese coronavirus, the problems experienced by Boeing, and government gridlock over recent years. Of these 3 factors the uncertainty surrounding the path of the coronavirus is clearly the most compelling. Hopefully the worldwide peak of cases and fatalities will be reached in weeks rather than months. There are several potential short-term remedies in clinical trials. However, regardless of duration, the geopolitical and economic relationship between the U.S. and China has been fundamentally changed. As I noted, U.S. companies took an enormous risk outsourcing much of our manufactured goods to China in order to exploit cheaper labor in that country. Now we learn we are dependent on China for the vast majority of badly needed medical supplies. This is a strategic vulnerability, and it has to change. Ultimately the decision to outsource many other aspects of manufactured goods will be re-evaluated. What does this mean for U.S. rotomolders? The medical members of the U.S. coronavirus response team constantly stress the need for more data. I’m in similar circumstances; until the curve of the virus – not only domestically, but globally – actually inflects and flattens, precise forecasts are worthless exercises. However, for those who know me, I’m preternaturally positive about things. Following the 2.1% annualized U.S. economic growth rate in the first quarter, growth in the second quarter will without question be negative; it could decline by as much as 10% or more. However, I anticipate a rebound in the 3rd and 4th quarters. If one assumes a 10% setback in the 2nd quarter, followed by an average of 4% growth in the 3rd and 4th quarter, the U.S. economy would experience zero growth in 2020. We would at least have avoided a recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Looking ahead there will be greater emphasis on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. It will also come back to Mexico (our #1 trading partner) and Canada. I highlighted a few major markets for rotomolders – tanks, recreational products, lawn and garden products, and so on. We need to add one more going forward. Over the past 3 decades I’ve conducted surveys of all the major – and many of the minor – regional plastics processors. I often ask, what market would you like to be in? The answer is almost universal –

“Now we learn we are dependent on China for the vast majority of badly needed medical Ex esequi deliquiatis magnatia de corum eos estis assuntu riberiorem vel eaqui dis dignis quis et, supplies. This issunt a rest strategic vulnerability, it ut quiae dolut voluptatia qui cus est, ut moluptatiam dolupis dipsae nonet etand latur acest dendiscius verorero te dolenet, utet voluptatem earumen dignatis. has tout change.”

www.rotoworldmag.com 25

“Components for medical devices, hospital beds, medical furniture,

medical waste receptacles, etc. will literally soar. U.S. rotomolders need

to begin now planning strategically

to capture a significant share of this oncoming wave.”

medical products. We can say with absolute certainty the future U.S. manufacturing of medical products will grow strongly. This means components for medical devices, hospital beds, medical furniture, medical waste receptacles, etc. will literally soar. U.S. rotomolders need to begin now planning strategically to capture a significant share of this oncoming wave.

In 2018 I estimated the size of the whole North American rotomolding business in 2017 to be $3,943 million. Although the share of U.S. companies in this business is roughly 60%, they account for the vast majority (say 95%) of regional sales revenue. So the U.S. value of sales as of 2017 would have been of the order of $3,746 million. In my 2018 report I provided a graphic portraying the trend of growth of sales across the whole North American rotomolding business from 1995 to 2018, based on data in the annual PN surveys. What’s remarkable in this graphic is the regularly repeating pattern of rise-and-fall – that is, a growth peak of 11% or more, a gradual deceleration of growth culminating in an actual decline, followed by recovery and eventually a new peak of 11% or more. What’s also remarkable in this graphic is that whereas the winding-down of the growth rate from the peak in 1995 ended

U.S. Rotational Molding: The Road Ahead I’ve had two careers over the past 5 decades – first as a pedagogue and practitioner in the “dismal science of economics” (Thomas Carlyle’s description back in 1849, not mine) and then as a market research analyst covering the plastics industry. In the latter capacity I’ve focused much of my efforts in recent years on charting developments in the regional rotational molding business. I’ve been asked to draw upon these two skill sets to provide some perspective on where we are and what lies ahead for companies in the U.S. rotational molding business.

The Trend of Growth in the North American Rotational Molding Business, 2017-1995

26 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

12 10 8 6

11.9

11.2

11.0

10.2

9.0

8.0 8.3 5.7

7.2

6.6

6.7

6.3

6.1

4.8

4.4

4 1.9

2.9

3.2

3.1

2.2 2.5

0 -2

-1.2

-4 -6 -8 -10

-8.2

19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16 20 17

The Starting Point: 2019 Before projecting the growth and development of this business into the future we need an understanding of the starting point. I’ve prepared several market research reports covering the size and growth of the U.S. rotomolding business since 1995, and I’ve relied heavily on two sources of information – 1) my own phone-based survey of processors, suppliers, and consultants, and 2) the annual Plastics News (PN) survey of rotomolders starting in 1995, conducted initially by mail and eventually by email. Time doesn’t permit a new phone-based survey for this assignment. So my starting point will be based on the data for 20172018 I collected and analyzed in my latest (2018) report, along with data in the latest (August 2019) PN rotomolder rankings report.

Source: PCRS, “The North American Rotational Molding Business” Review and Outlook”, December 2018

“Here at the start of 2020 U.S.

economic data relative to the

4th quarter of 2019 are just now

becoming available. So we have

a useful trend-line of the growth momentum in the overall U.S. economy heading into 2020.”

in a trough in 2001 at the same time the U.S. economy was economy heading experiencing a minor recession and the winding-down of the into 2020. This is growth rate from the peak in 2005 ended in 2009 when the critical information for U.S. U.S. economy was experiencing a major recession, regional rotomolders since the vast majority of rotomolders’ sales growth reached a nadir of 2.2% in 2015, and their customers are U.S. citizens then it rebounded. In other words, this time there was no U.S. and OEMs. recession, so rotomolders’ sales growth stayed positive. Later I’ll In the table below I set out the trend of seasonally return to this topic of the “missing” recession. adjusted annualized rates of growth in key sectors of the U.S. The previous graphic relates to the whole regional rotomolding economy over the 4 quarters of 2019. business. I’ve isolated PN data for U.S. rotomolders (roughly 100 companies) over the Quarterly Growth of U.S. Real GDP and Selected Components in 2019 period 2015 to 2019 for our purposes here. The Sector Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 pattern of growth over this period was as follows: Year

Growth Rate %

2015

2.7

2016

2.1

2017

4.6

2018

3.9

Gross domestic product (GDP

3.1

2.0

2.1

Personal consumption expenditure Durable goods

1.1

4.6

3.2

1.8

Non-residential

4.4

-1.0

-2.3

-1.5

Residential

-1.0

-3.0

4.6

5.8

Final sales to private domestic purchasers

1.6

3.3

2.3

1.4

Domestic personal income

4.5

1.5

2.9

1.5

Gross private domestic investment

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

The growth registered in 2015-2016 was 2.1N.B.: These are annualized and seasonally adjusted data. 2.7%, and then the growth rate doubled in 20172018. I’m going to assume the growth of sales of U.S. rotomolded output in 2019 was of 4.0%, in line with those of When the U.S. economy recovered from the deep recession the two previous years. If I apply the growth rates for 2018 and of 2009, the universal expectation was there would be a strong 2019 to the estimated value of U.S. rotomolded output in 2017 recovery in 2010 and subsequent years, based on post-recession cited above ($2,366 million), I arrive at $4,048 million as the trends in the past. However, that never happened. Economists estimated value of U.S. rotomolded output as of 2019. This is our and business analysts termed this phenomenon “the new starting point. normal”. Normality seems to have been the order of the day for U.S. real GDP in 2019 as well insofar as following a burst of 3.1% Where We Stand: 2020 annualized growth in the first quarter the growth rate over the Here at the start of 2020 U.S. economic data relative to the 4th next three quarters was constant at 2.0-2.1%. Once the tax reform quarter of 2019 are just now becoming available. So we have a of 2018 played out, growth in the U.S. economy returned to useful trend-line of the growth momentum in the overall U.S. “normal”. www.rotoworldmag.com 27

Later I will provide data relating to major markets for U.S. rotomolders. The previous table offers noteworthy insights with regard to recent trends in some of these markets. Consumer products is one such market. Consumer spending was strong in the first half of 2019, but then growth decelerated over the course of the year. The same pattern was in evidence in final sales to private domestic purchasers. Durable goods are another key rotomolder market; indeed almost all rotomolded output can be categorized as durable or structural plastic products. Spending on durable goods was particularly strong (13.0% growth) in the second quarter, yet thereafter the growth rate wound down to 2.1%. Investment in non-residential structures and equipment was weak after the first quarter whereas investment in housing and housing-related products finished strongly over the second half of the year. U.S. and global organizations almost uniformly forecast a continuation of this 2.1% growth rate in U.S. real GDP cited in the table below into 2020, and they don’t stray far from this rate in their forecasts for 2021 and beyond. In the table below I cite 2020-2021 forecasts from major domestic and international organizations. The range of forecasts for growth in 2020 is 1.8.0-2.2%, and for 2021 it is 1.7-2.0%. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) foresees a steady decline in U.S. growth momentum to 1.5% in 2025, reflecting concern over inexorably rising U.S. debt. And yet at the same time it determines U.S. potential growth over this period to be 2.0%, made up of 1.5% productivity growth and 0.5% population growth. Presumably current and future government policy accounts for the difference between the forecasted and potential rates (e.g., rising public debt). Forecasts for U.S. GDP Growth in 2020 and 2021 Put Forward by Various Organizations Organization

2020

2021

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

2.2

1.8

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

2.0

1.7

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

2.0

World Bank

1.8

1.7

Factors Influencing U.S. Economic Growth in 2020 The Chinese Coronavirus Crisis China being the second largest economy in the world and a critical trading partner for the U.S., what happens in China has huge ramifications for the U.S. and global economies. When the Chinese leadership learned from local authorities in Hubei province in the fourth quarter of 2019 that a potentially deadly coronavirus was detected, they attempted to cover it up rather than alerting the public to this health threat. By now several thousand Chinese have died, tens of thousands Chinese have been sickened, and the virus has spread to other countries. 28 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

“China being the second largest economy in the

world and a critical trading partner for the U.S., what

happens in China has huge ramifications for the U.S. and global economies.”

“The Boeing Company is

a long-time advocate of

rotomolding as a means of fabricating interior aircraft

parts (e.g., galley and other

interior parts). For years it has had an in-house rotomolding capability to control the

design and production of these parts.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) regards this virus, named COVID-19, “a very grave threat to the rest of the world”. However, the risk of a pandemic seems remote since the Chinese government has belatedly imposed stringent measures to confine the outbreak, and there is a worldwide search for a vaccine. Medical experts testifying before a House subcommittee suggested developing and testing an effective vaccine could take more than a year. Ultimately this episode has further shaken faith in China’s authoritarian state-capitalism system. It raises questions as to China’s willingness to abide by the terms of the recently concluded Stage I trade deal with the United States. The Federal Reserve Bank is monitoring global disruptions linked to the virus and considering the option of lowering interest rates, depending on the effects on the U.S. economy. Goldman Sachs economists expect first-quarter annualized global and U.S. growth to be reduced by 2% and 0.5%, respectively, with the loss of output recovered in subsequent quarters. The other conclusion one draws from this episode is perhaps it wasn’t wise for U.S. companies to outsource so much of their component and final product requirements to Chinese suppliers, putting so many eggs in the one basket. For many U.S. companies (e.g., Apple) China is a vital cog in their global supply chains. The virus exposes the extent of the risk these companies took – not just with consumer products, but also high-tech and medical products. Now the search is on for alternative suppliers. U.S. rotomolders may benefit if some of this work comes back home.

The Boeing 737 Max Dilemma The Boeing Company is a long-time advocate of rotomolding as a means of fabricating interior aircraft parts (e.g., galley and other interior parts). For years it has had an in-house rotomolding capability to control the design and production of these parts. In 2019 two of Boeing’s 737 MAX planes crashed, killing 346 people. The problem was traced to software, and all MAX units have been grounded to arrange a fix. The FAA is investigating how this problem arose, and it may be the end of the year before these planes (roughly 400) are delivered to customers and in the air. In the meantime production of the 737 MAX has stopped. Moreover, Boeing’s defense, space, and security division (BDS) has also encountered difficulties – this at a time when the U.S. military budget has been boosted by the current administration. The problems confronted by Boeing will not materially affect overall U.S. rotomolder sales. However, they have already forcefully affected U.S. airlines, and there will be a “knock-on effect” from this source on U.S. tourism and business travel. U.S. factory output fell 0.1% in January, due in part to a 9.1% fall in the production of aircraft and parts. Excluding the aircraft market U.S. factory production rose a respectable 0.3%. If the FAA agrees to let the redesigned 737 MAX back in the air by the end of the year, the overall effect on annual U.S. real GDP growth may be a wash. Government Gridlock Needless to say, the start of the year has been tumultuous in the www.rotoworldmag.com 29

“U.S. rotomolders have

multinational customers, and they export either

rotomolded parts or finished products with rotomolded components. Thus good

global growth ultimately

redounds to the benefit of U.S. rotomolders.”

nation’s capital. The Democrats in Congress attempted and failed to impeach the president, and since this is a presidential election year tension is extraordinarily high among the political parties. As a result the odds of Congress agreeing to and implementing improvements in the nation’s infrastructure within the current year are now nil. This will lead to a lowering of economic growth compared to what could otherwise be achieved in an atmosphere of political peace. Factors Affecting Future U.S. Economic Growth: The Goldilocks Economy So, there are clearly economic “headwinds” in 2020 which U.S. rotomolders will have to confront either directly or indirectly. Be that as it may, the economic environment U.S. rotomolders are likely to confront over the course of the next few years is actually quite rosy. Most economists support economic growth; it’s in our DNA. An economist at Morgan Stanley refers to near-term economic conditions as “a Goldilocks environment” with nary a bear in sight. Here are some of the fundamental factors at play. Global Economic Growth Due to the nature of the process and the generally hollow and semi-hollow parts it produces, few U.S. rotomolders have export customers beyond those in Canada and Mexico. However, many U.S. rotomolders have multinational customers, and they export either rotomolded parts or finished products with rotomolded 30 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

components. Thus good global growth ultimately redounds to the benefit of U.S. rotomolders. There is evidence the global economy is bending the growth curve back up. The World Bank foresees a gradual rebound in global growth from the low point (2.4%) recorded in 2019. It forecasts global growth adding 0.1% annually out to 2022 when growth will be a still subdued 2.7%. Yet the pattern is positive. U.S. Economic Growth: What Happened to the Recession? “A recession is coming, a recession is coming, be prepared!” This has been the mantra among some economists, business analysts, and media pundits for the past few years – mostly those with a political agenda. In their view history foretells such a setback. In fact there have been 12 U.S. recessions of minor and major scope since 1945. The logic (or illogic) has been the U.S. economy has never gone more than 10 years without a recession. So surely the pattern of consistent growth since June 2009 must come to an end. It didn’t. None of these Cassandras was very clear as to the forces that would lead to a recession. All the organizations cited above believe the U.S. economy has the fundamental strength to continue growing over the next few years. Here are some of the reasons. The U.S. Energy Pricing Historically U.S. recessions have been caused by disturbances either on the supply side (e.g., the oil crisis of 1973-1975) or the

demand side (e.g., the Great Recession of 2008/2009). Today, thanks to the recent energy revolution (fracking, now oil field discoveries, and so on), the U.S. is essentially energy independent. So it can survive any decision by Saudi Arabia, Russia, or anyone else to restrict global oil supply. We’re in a far better position today to tap into the U.S. oil reserve if needed. The revolution in the U.S. production of oil and natural gas is an incredible boon to U.S. plastics processors, including the rotomolders who depend so heavily on the polyolefins. There is more concern over glut than scarcity in U.S. resin production, and this is reflected in subdued resin pricing. U.S. rotomolders are better able to budget more accurately their primary cost of production. U.S. Pricing of Everything Else Like all U.S. manufacturers rotomolders conduct strategic planning with an eye to the current and likely future trend of Trends of Annual Percentage Changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index and the U.S. Producer Price Index, 2010-2019 Year

Consumer Price Index

Commodity Producer Price Index

2010

1.6

6.8

2011

3.2

8.8

2012

2.1

0.6

2013

1.5

0.6

2014

1.6

0.9

2015

0.1

-7.3

2016

1.5

-2.6

2017

2.1

4.4

2018

2.4

4.4

2019

1.8

-1.1

Average 2010-2019

1.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor

prices – both the commodities they buy and the output they sell into competitive markets. As set out in the prevoius table below, the trends of the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI) since the end of the Great Recession have been remarkably benign. Annual changes in the CPI have moved in the narrow range of 0.1% to 3.2%, averaging 1.6%. Annual changes in the PPI have been much more volatile, and yet the annual average since 2009 has again been 1.6%. Ironically the Federal Reserve Bank has for years been trying to conduct monetary policy in a way to raise the U.S. inflation rate to its target of 2%. So far they’ve failed. The problem is low inflation expectations are so deeply embedded that consumers and business managers fiercely resist price increases. Markets may not be perfect, yet the internet has made them much less imperfect with regard to potential suppliers and the prices they charge. This will go on. I might add recent wage inflation has also been benign. Average weekly earnings of employees in U.S. durable goods manufacturing industries were $1,211.46 in January 2020. That’s only 2.5% higher than in January 2019. Most U.S. rotomolders would be quite satisfied with that rate going forward. The U.S. Labor Market Ever since the Great Recession ended in mid-2009 the average annual U.S. unemployment rate has declined year-after-year – from 9.6% in 2010 to 3.7% in 2019. There are clear signs this latter figure is close to the minimum; economists have always regarded 4% as the lowest possible unemployment rate without causing wage and price inflation. Unemployment may stay within the range of 3.5%-4.0% for the next few years as long as current policies (e.g., fiscal, monetary, trade) are maintained. Set against this positive forecast the U.S. Bureau of Labor projects the labor participation rate declining slightly out to 2028 due to changing demographics (an aging population and slower population growth). A low unemployment rate is good news for all U.S. manufacturers as it enlarges the pool of potential new hires; fewer folks are “sitting out” the growing economy. In one sense www.rotoworldmag.com 31

The Trend of the Labor/Capital Ratio in Regional Rotational Molding, 2017-1995 13.5

13.0

12.5

12.0

11.5

11.0

10.5

20 17

20 15

20 16

20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14

20 07 20 08

20 04 20 05 20 06

20 01 20 02 20 03

19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00

9.5

19 95

10.0

19 96

this is good for U.S. rotomolders. However, in another sense this is leading to a strange work environment at these companies. Rotomolding is a labor-intensive process compared to most other plastics processing methods. As the cost of capital (machinery and equipment) goes down and the efficiency of capital goes up, one would imagine U.S. rotomolders would favor the introduction of labor-saving modes of production. And yet, counter-intuitively, I discovered as part of my 2018 rotomolding report research program the ratio of labor to machines among regional rotomolders has actually been going up from 1995 to 2017. It declined during the Great Recession of 20082009, and then it started rising again. I’ve updated this analysis; the pattern continued into 2018 and 2019 when the regional labor/ capital ratio rose further to 13.7 and 14.2, respectively. Why is the rotomolding labor/capital ratio

Source: PCRS, “The North American Rotational Molding Business: Review Outlook”, December 2018

going up? One troubling reason behind this phenomenon is the number of machines (i.e., the denominator of this ratio) operating at a large sample of regional rotomolding companies was stagnant over the period 2013-2018 – literally zero change in the total number of machines in their plants. I updated this analysis for the year 2019, isolating U.S. rotomolders, and the result was more encouraging. The number of machines actually rose by 1.2%. Another factor at play is the labor/capital ratio among the larger regional rotomolders is much higher compared to that among the smaller companies. This could be attributable to a number of factors such as more administrative staff, more sales and marketing personnel, and more plant operatives required to handle increasingly sophisticated operations (e.g., double-layered parts, those requiring inserts) at the larger companies. It’s also worth noting the low U.S. unemployment rate is a double-edged sword for rotomolders. On the one hand, there are more people entering the labor market, adding to the number of potential plant operatives. On the other hand, rotomolders historically have encountered a high labor turnover rate. Today existing and newly recruited rotomolding plant operatives have other options if the pay and other conditions of work don’t suit them.

32 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

U.S. Rotomolder Markets In the course of my periodic surveys of regional rotomolders I’ve learned of myriad applications in the various markets they serve – both captive and proprietary products as well as those designed along with their customers. The annual PN survey asks regional rotomolders if they participate in 21 specific markets. In the table below I provide a summary of replies from U.S. rotomolders as of 2019. I leave out replies relating to consumer products and industrial products since these categories are too generic and therefore uninformative. A Ranking of U.S. Rotomolder Market Index and the U.S. Participation Rates, 2019 Market

# of Companies Participating

Tanks (Agricultural/Industrial)

Recreational/Sporting Goods

Lawn & Garden

Food Processing Containers

Pallets/Skids/Material Handling

Non-Tank Agricultural Applications

Refuse Containers

Government/Defense

Liquid Waste

Toys

Dot Approved Containers

Medical Furniture

Highway Safety

Aerospace

Electrical/Electronic

Medical Waste

Marine

Other Transportation

Source: PN, August 2019

I’ll provide some brief comments on a few of these markets. Tanks: This is a market in which rotomolders clearly excel and will continue to dominate. Industrial blow molders cannot match the design flexibility and size dimensions of rotomolded units, and the processors of reinforced thermosets can only compete at the cost of heavier weight and more expensive materials. Toys: Depending on the extent to which Chinese manufacturing is affected by the coronavirus, there may be an

opportunity for U.S. rotomolders to re-capture some of their former leading market. Recreational/sporting goods: The demand for these products should remain strong as living standards improve, youth are encouraged to participate in sports, and retirees become more physically active. Lawn & garden: Demand for these products is largely determined by U.S. demographic shifts among urban, suburban and rural populations. Whereas the long-term U.S. trend has been an increasing urban share, in recent years this trend has reversed somewhat. The share of population in large metro areas has declined while the shares of population in small metropolitan and suburban areas have increased. Most demographers expect this recent turnaround to continue as families flee the high cost of living (including taxes), crime and sub-standard schooling in major cities. Automotive: The trend in automotive engine technology has been from gas-combustion to partially electric (hybrid) to allelectric. The share of plastics in cars and light trucks has gone up as part of the effort to take weight out of these vehicles for both economic and environmental reasons. The battery packs in all-electric vehicles are extremely heavy, and this will put more of a premium on weight-saving in automotive components – both original and replacement parts. Summary U.S. rotomolders would appear to be “in a good place” heading into 2020 and the next few years, notwithstanding the affects of the coronavirus, which is yet to be learned. Sales growth in recent years has been of the order of 4.0-4.5%, and ceteris paribus (all other things being equal) one would be justified extrapolating that rate forward. A 4% growth rate made up of, say, 2% real growth and 2% price enhancement, would yield total sales revenue of over $4.5 billion registered by U.S. rotomolders in the year 2022. I have focused in this article on external forces at work – namely, the likely future trend of growth in the U.S. and global economies. At this point all seems quite benign. Yet ultimately internal forces at work will matter more for every company in this process – rotomolders, mold-makers, machinery, and material suppliers. Rotomolding is a mature and highly competitive business. Company management must make a commitment to ensure their machines and equipment embody the latest technology, their plant operatives have the training they need to run these machines and equipment efficiently, they are willing to experiment with new materials coming on the market, and they are ever watchful for opportunities to not only produce existing parts more cost-effectively, but also create whole new applications for this unique process.

www.rotoworldmag.com 33

INDUSTRY 4.0

EPISODE 2

by Rob Miller, Whitten Battenfeld/RotoLoad

When I wrote this, I was enjoying a time with family at Disney. Perhaps, at the risk of being a little cliché, as you can see above, I may use a few Star Wars terms! As I have been thinking of this episode, it has been clear to me that one of our common human tendencies is to continue to strive to make ourselves better. Whatever the topic, family, financial, employment, residential, 34 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

personal development, spiritual, or relational, I believe that most of us, always want to strive to be better. If there was a detailed, and exhaustive DATA set that we as individuals could review, to see exactly what worked for us, and what didn’t, what times in our lives were at the top of the mountain, and what times were in the valleys, we would likely see benefit from that in some

way, either minimal or perhaps more significant. We do have our memories, but sometimes our human memories are not faultless. They can be convenient and other times they can be forgetful. But as above, DATA can be detailed, exhaustive, recorded, and organized. Imagine what might be possible if we could examine that data in a very constructive way to help us to make our life decisions. That

INDUSTRY 4.0

EPISODE 2 A NEW HOPE may be good and may be bad. One of the things that makes life exciting is that we can learn from our mistakes, and some of those learning experiences work strongly to form who we are as individuals. As I consider relating these same principles to our manufacturing businesses, many of the same experiences can be applied. The difference is that in our businesses, we don’t want to fail. We don’t want to waste money, or to lose valuable production resources. It’s fairly easy to narrow down our business goals into a short list of categories. Produce more, for less money, with better quality. We of course can merge the business goals with our humanity, our human goals, and say that some of our purpose driven goals are to provide jobs, make our colleagues and employees lives better, create a community, and build a valuable team. It is quite possible that one of these components can be missing, or at least, not at the peak of its potential. We use our memories and capabilities to try to make the right decisions to improve one or more of these three primary items. Using some of what we have learned in the past, what we have tried in the past, but that may not always work. It could actually result in additional costly failure. One of the realities of our industry is that there is a lot of data potentially available, and collectable with the right technology that we may not be collecting and utilizing to our benefit. I am sure that most have documented ideal production specifications for each part that we make, to do our best to get a good part every time. Mold positioning, shot weight, resin recipes, oven temperature profiles, rotational profiles, cooling times, operator process steps, finishing operations, QC functions, etc. Some, perhaps more than others. However, I am, at the same time, reasonably sure that most do not have

actual recorded data to be absolutely sure that we are actually achieving and tracking each of these specified goals. Some may have some method of ensuring oven data is consistent, but a lot of the other processes are solely reliant on human capital. Capital, that as above, can be flawed, or at least, conveniently, or perhaps inconveniently memory based. If we look back for a few seconds at the Industry 2.0 process, I am quite sure that Henry Ford had people writing manually, recording exhaustive data to show him what processes worked to improve the production line, and what didn’t. If you look at the progression of the cost of manufacturing the first Model T, it clearly demonstrates how the production line, based on manually recorded data, was able to drastically reduce cost and improve efficiency. In 1909, the equivalent cost (in today’s dollars) was $ 23,476.00 per unit, and in 1925, the same car cost was reduced to $ 3,790.00 per unit, (again in todays dollar’s). A 600% reduction in cost! I am sure, through the early 1900’s, and the early science of fertilization, farmers recorded some daily data manually to measure what amounts of fertilizer gave them the best yield, related to the amount of rainfall, sunshine, and temperatures. A quick google search will show that modern farms are very technologically advanced, with extremely complex systems to ensure the absolute most productive yield. Everything from robotic drone machinery, to very complex systems to adapt their processes to their specific variable micro-climate to ensure that best possible product outcome for the lowest possible cost. They have two very basic goals, decrease input, maximize output, A New Hope… This is where there is hope for our industry, and it is, and has to be the

adapting of Industry 4.0 principles to our processes. The question is, where and how do we start. Unfortunately, a long list of questions. The first question, or process of questions needs to be priority and goals based. I don’t believe that the best approach is to paint this topic with a wide brush. There first needs to be a decision that this topic is worth investigating. Our businesses need to be worthy of improving. As mentioned above, we need to have the desire, drive, and commitment to invest the necessary resources to increase production, at less cost, and with better quality. Why wouldn’t we want to achieve those fundamental goals. Essentially, as a team, a manufacturer needs to make a determination of where they are currently, and what is the priority. I am sure that most have some kind of regular management meetings to discuss issues, quality, production levels, employee issues, etc. There typically would be some trends that can be evaluated to work towards improvement goals. What goals and how can those goals be applied to develop an initial plan for automating and adopting Industry 4.0 principles. The Rise of the Resistance But the resistance is the GOOD GUYS, you and I, the ones that we are all cheering for. The future depends on OUR decisions, and our success. The problem is that we all have our human natures, our convenient and inconvenient memories. We can find it difficult to admit that we are not always doing everything perfect. We are a proud generation, and there may be a little pain mixed in with the optimism of taking our companies to the next level, with the knowledge that we may not have all of the answers…

www.rotoworldmag.com 35

The Seven Simultaneous Stages of Rotational Moulding by Dr. Gareth McDowell, 493K Ltd

Rotational moulding “beginner theory” often describes the process as characterised by seven stages, and more often than not, these discrete events can be identified on an internal mould air temperature graph, see Figure 1. These unique steps can be described as follows: 1. Powder heating 2. Powder laying down (sintering/melting) 3. Consolidation 4. Melt cooling 5. Solidification 6. Releasing from the mould 7. Post release cooling Note: Points A & B in Figure 1 indicate when the mould wall has reached the melting and solidification temperatures for polyethylene (120°C/248°F) Internal Air Temperature Measurement Mould internal air temperature measurement is a well-established method by which the process can be controlled. Temperature sensors can be easily mounted through the vent port, without having to drill holes in the mould or compromising the polymer wall. The internal air temperature measurement provides an overall average of the state of the moulding and reflects the actual temperature of the inner surface of the polymer melt. Thus, it provides a very dependable, repeatable and comparative measurement, i.e. consecutive mould internal air temperature traces are very similar. Polymer & Mould Wall Temperature Measurement Another method to control the process could be to take a direct temperature measurement of the polymer during the moulding cycle. The same could be said of the internal mould wall. However, these have not typically been the parameters by 36 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

Figure 1: The Seven Stages of Rotational Moulding

which the industry has used to control the cycle. The reasons for this are as follows:

• If a temperature probe is used, it could leave a hole or intent in the polymer wall.

• The powder is moving, so until it melts and lays down there would be nothing to measure. • As the powder lays down the wall continuously grows, creating an open system (until all of the powder has melted) that would be difficult to measure. • Once all the powder has laid down, and wall growth is complete, there is now a thin melt wall; this would be difficult to measure accurately for consecutive mouldings. • There is a large temperature difference across the mould wall, with oven temperatures on the outside and internal air temperatures on the inside. For simplicity, if assumed to be a linear relationship, then the temperature could change as much as 50°C/mm (90°F/ mm), thus a small change in sensor position could make it a large difference to the measurement.

Most process decisions based on the mould’s internal air temperature assume that every section of the polymer wall within the mould behaves in the same way. However, moulds are three-dimensional, with complex surface geometries, which results in non-uniform heat transfer. How moulds are mounted on the arm of a machine and the type of oven heating system used can also contribute to how consistently and uniformly moulds conduct heat. Therefore, it is imperative that any interpretation of the mould’s internal air temperature is made with a complete understanding of the process. The Seven Stages of Rotational Moulding The Seven Stages of Rotational Moulding can be described as follows: 1. Powder heating This stage of the process is the heating

up of the powder from its starting temperature to the point that it sticks to the mould wall. This starting temperature is usually the ambient factory temperature or the temperature where the powder was stored. Research has shown that a cycle time advantage can be made when the powder is preheated. However, the implementation has practical challenges and it is not something that is readily practised within the industry. It is also worth mentioning that the success of the process depends on the powder being significantly cooler than the mould wall. If this were not the case, then the powder particles might adhere to themselves before adhering to the wall. 2. Powder laying down (sintering/ melting) The powder lays down, or adheres to the mould wall, whenever the mould wall reaches a temperature high enough to cause powder to stick to it, and not necessarily when the mean temperature of the bulk powder reaches or nears the powder melting temperature (120°C/ 248°F). This temperature may not be as high as the melting temperature but just high enough to make the powder tacky. The particles of powder that stick first will be those particles that heat up fast enough to stick to the mould wall before getting transported away by the tumbling avalanche of powder. Those particles first to stick are the smallest ones, also known as the ‘fines’. The rate of heating must be such that the powder is given enough time for the predetermined number of rotations to distribute it evenly over the inside of the mould. If heated too quickly for a given rotation speed, then the moulding may have a variable wall thickness. It is important then that as the speed of heating increases so too does the speed of rotation. Note: If wall thickness variation is out of specification, then an increase in the rotation speed or a reduction of the heating rate may help. If not, then rotation ratios may need adjusted and/or reverse rotation added. At the end of the lay down stage the wall thickness growth is complete, there may still be movement of the polymer melt for higher MFI materials, but this will be limited.

3. Consolidation Consolidation refers to the densification of the fused powder and the removal of bubbles. At this stage the mechanical and structural integrity of the part is being developed. Consolidation is often thought of as happening during Stage 3. However, it would be more correct to say that consolidation is happening from the moment the powder has adhered to the mould wall and continues until solidification is complete, i.e. during the time any part of the wall is in the melt state. Consolidation actually begins in Stage 1 and continues all the way through into the beginning of Stage 5. As the part consolidates within the oven environment it heats up and approaches a critical point in time when it must be removed from the oven. If it is not removed in time, the polymer will be overcooked and chemically degraded due to oxidation of the internal polymer surface. What makes this key control signal (the oven removal signal) difficult to manage is that there is a significant delay between the oven removal signal and when the internal air temperature noticeably responds. Furthermore, once the moulding exits the oven it is subject to uncontrolled cooling mediums making the desired Peak Internal Air Temperature (PIAT) a more challenging target to hit. Experienced rotomoulders will know the correct delay times for each of their moulds and will be adept at adjusting the oven removal temperature in order to hit the correct PIAT for different moulds, shot weights, ovens, oven temperatures, pre-cool times and cooling regimes. Since the PIAT is reached when the mould is outside of the oven chamber, it is the cooling phase which is the critical process control stage of the cycle. Some machines have a station between the oven and the cooler bay which is often referred to as a pre-cooling, sintering or wait position, and it is often here where a part graduates with its final PIAT. Thus, during what is arguably the most important phase in the process, the mould is found in an area with little environmental control simply waiting for the real cooling to begin.

4. Melt cooling Disappointingly, the real cooling is often only a promotion to a state of faster cooling, still with uncontrolled cooling air temperatures. The cooling process often lacks any demoulding target temperature, and though constrained to fixed cooling times, it is without any adjustments for shifting ambient temperatures. Melt cooling could be defined as when the polymer is still in the melt phase and has no forced heating applied to it. Therefore, as soon as the mould exits the oven and begins to cool, the outer melt wall, which is in contact with the inner mould wall, will soon sense a cooling force. This does not mean that the internal air temperature will sense this almost immediate cooling as there is a delay due to the low thermal conductivity and the high thermal capacity of the melt. During this phase the mould’s internal air temperature reaches its peak. There is much discussion on what the PIAT should be in order to give the optimum part properties. However, the PIAT cannot be considered as an independent or absolute quality marker. It must be considered within the scope of a complete and complex set of process variables, such as the rate of heating, the wall thickness, oven temperature, pre-cool time and cooling rate. Melt cooling continues until the inside layer of the polymer has solidified as indicated by an internal air temperature of less than 120°C/248°F, reached at Stage 5. 5. Solidification When the polymer melt solidifies it begins to crystallise. Polyethylene is described as a semi-crystalline polymer; that is to say, it is not fully crystalline nor fully amorphous but rather somewhere in between. Where exactly it ends up on this scale depends on the rate at which it is cooled. Fast cooling limits the time available for crystal growth, and so crystals are less dense. Whereas, slow cooling allows further time for the development of more dense crystals (see Figure 2). The density of crystals is known as the crystallinity and how it impacts the final part is by how much that part will shrink. In general, the following statements apply: www.rotoworldmag.com 37

• fast cooling creates a lower density material and lower shrinkage. • slow cooling creates a higher density material and higher shrinkage. Although the application of this relationship, between cooling rate and (%) shrinkage, may appear relatively straight forward, in practice it is not so dependable or at least controllable. The low thermal conductivity of the PE melt sets up a steep temperature gradient across it, meaning that there is a considerable temperature difference through the wall thickness. Therefore, the faster the cooling rate is, the steeper the temperature gradient between the outside and inside of the polymer wall becomes. Now the application of the above relationships dictates that there will be a difference in densities, as the outer half of the wall is cooled quickly, and the inner half is cooled more slowly. This introduces a new relationship, or at least a new application of the former relationship: • fast cooling creates a steep temperature gradient and large difference in densities and (%) shrinkage across the wall thickness. • slow cooling creates a shallow temperature gradient and small difference in densities and (%) shrinkage across the wall thickness. (see Figure 3)

Figure 2: Crystal Growth for Fast & Slow Cooling Rates

This separation is known as mould/ part release and can be seen on the internal air trace as a slowing down of the cooling rate. This reduction in cooling rate is brought about by an extra layer of insulation in the system in the form of a thin air gap. The release point is difficult to control or foresee and the unpredictability of the time or temperature at which it occurs is often the reason for relatively wide dimensional tolerances of the finished part.

Post release cooling After the point of release, which may not happen to all surfaces of the moulding at the same time, the part will cool slower than before. This reduced cooling rate is difficult to improve on as at this late stage in the cycle a water mist is not attractive, simply because there is unlikely to be enough time for the mould to dry off prior to demoulding. It is often asked at what temperature or time demoulding should occur.

The predicament is that although fast cooling would appear preferential for the lessening of global part shrinkage, there must be a compromise otherwise excessively steep temperature gradients would cause large shrinkage differences across the wall. This will be problematic and may have an impact on the final part quality in the form of deformation, also known as warpage. 6. Releasing from the mould As the end of the cycle approaches both the tool and the plastic moulding are cooling. With the cooling comes thermal contraction of both the tool and the plastic moulding. Fortunately, the plastic moulding contracts more than the tool and invites a parting between the two. 38 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

Figure 3: The Effect of Cooling Rate on Shrinkage & Warpage

However, demoulding has less to do with targeting temperature or time and more to do with targeting the point of release. It is after release that demoulding must occur, though not too soon that a freestanding part will slump or deform under its own weight. In practise, the moment of demoulding is usually the point when the part can be removed without causing injury to the service operator. Conclusions As the internal air, mould temperature and polymer temperature are measured with greater frequency, and as they are understood more in terms of the cycle stages or phases (see Figure 4) rather than simply just bands of temperatures, then this improved approach will make way for greater advancements of both a technical and profitable nature. Although it is generally accepted that internal mould atmosphere control (both temperature and pressure) is the key to successful rotomoulding, it would be more accurate to claim that a fundamental understanding

Figure 4: The Seven Simultaneous Stages of Rotational Moulding

of these processing parameters is of much greater benefit and is where real progress should be made. Therefore, mastery of this newfound advanced process knowledge will help to deliver reduced cycle times,

optimise part properties, mould multilayer parts, and process novel materials, which have long since been publicized as benefits of internal air temperature monitoring.

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www.rotoworldmag.com 39

ARM

REPORT

Serving the Rotational Molding Industry Worldwide for Over 40 Years

The mission of the Association of Rotational Molders is to promote, educate, and inspire the rotomolding industry. For more information, visit ARM’s website at www.rotomolding.org or contact the Association at 630-942-6589 or info@rotomolding.org.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

ARM is adapting to unprecedented change To give this message context, I am writing this on 03/18/20. The US has 6,519 confirmed COVID19 cases, there have been 204,000 cases worldwide, and the DJIA is at 20,315. Schools, restaurants, bars, and other “non-essential” businesses are closed nationwide. Tom Brady just signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; the world is in chaos. We made the decision to postpone the Spring Executive Forum three weeks ago today. At the time, there were fewer than 500 confirmed cases in Italy. We were hearing rumblings of border closures and quarantines. As crazy as it felt, we thought there was a risk of ARM members getting stuck abroad, so we made the decision to postpone. What seemed like a possible overreaction three weeks ago seems like a simple decision today. Things are changing quickly. As we are facing unprecedented changes in our daily lives, ARM is working hard to adapt to this fluid situation. We are working to determine how ARM can deliver value to its members in the world of social distancing. Personal interaction between members will be limited for a period of time, which is very unfortunate given that we constantly hear that “networking” is one of the greatest ARM values. ARM has hosted webinars for more than 10 years. These sessions are free and available online to our members to view at their leisure. This has proven to be a successful way to interact with our members, and we see this as a continued viable meeting method in the near term. In addition to webinars, ARM has built an impressive knowledge library that is accessible to our members. The knowledge library has information on almost any topic that applies to your business. I encourage you and your team to explore its offerings. In my last letter, I wrote that ARM’s goals remained unchanged; we are dedicated to making incremental and sustainable changes that increase the value that ARM offers its members. The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t change this. ARM’s delivery methods and personal interactions are going to be different for a period of time. ARM will try some new ways to interact with its members, some of which will work and some that will teach us what to do better next time. Finally, ARM is on solid financial ground. We have worked diligently to build cash reserves in preparation for times like this. We have analyzed our projected cashflows, and we know we will weather this storm and come out the other side in great shape. Thank you for your continued support of ARM! Sincerely, Rick Carlsen Solar Plastics, LLC ARM President 40 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

ARM

REPORT Five Webinars Added to ARM’s Library this Spring

In the first four months of 2020, ARM is scheduled to add five new webinars to our online library. The following three webinars will be conducted in April and immediately added to our library. Process Tuning 101 presented by ARM Technical Director Nick Henwood • How can we get more parts per shift from an existing machine setup? • How can we maintain, or even improve, consistency and quality? • Can we reduce environmental outputs and energy consumption? While fully optimizing a particular machine, or even a full rotomolding operation, will be site-specific, there are general principles that form the bedrock of any successful optimization project. This webinar will explain the basic concepts of optimization in a rotomolding context and will provide some practical pointers on how to set up an optimization process within a manufacturing environment. Mold Trends Europe vs. North America presented by Sergio Zilioli (Persico) This presentation is based on a discussion planned for the ARM and IT-RO collaborative spring meeting. What can North American molders learn from the differences in mold trends between Europe and North America?

Selling in Uncertain Times presented by Paul Reilly (Reilly Sales Training) ARM has hired our top-rated sales speaker from two 2017 ARM meetings to provide this timely presentation that covers: • Identifying three mistakes salespeople make in tough times • Understanding buyer concerns in tough times • Embracing the tough times attitude • Behind-the-scenes strategies for tough times After this training your salespeople will be able to: • Discuss how to overcome the top mistakes salespeople make in tough times; • Describe seven concerns buyers have in tough times; • Detail three ways to mentally prepare for tough times; and • Describe three ways to protect existing business in tough times. The titles below were conducted in February and March and are available in our library at the time of this writing. The Seven Stages of Rotomolding by Gareth McDowell (493K) Gareth McDowell of 493K presented this webinar which addresses process control, what happens to the powder in the mold, and takes a closer look at mold temperatures. In-mold applications for label-free graphics and coatings for Polyolefins presented by Konstantina Asteriadou (Lysis Technologies) www.rotoworldmag.com 41

ARM

REPORT Ask Dr. Nick: Warpage in a polypropylene tank Dr. Nick Henwood serves as the Technical Director for the Association of Rotational Molders. He has 25 years-plus experience in rotomolding, specializing in the fields of materials development and process control. He operates as a consultant, researcher, and educator through his own company, Rotomotive Limited, based in UK.

Question In a cylindrical tank made of PP powder, we have experienced a problem of warpage (internal and external waves). I wonder if you could give me your technical opinion. The inside part of the mold is welded with an additional metal stripe and in this part of the mold we are facing warpage in the molded part. The warpage area is focused in the middle part of the welded metal stripe. In the warped area, the wall thickness is between 7.5 – 8.5 mm. In order to eliminate the warpage problem, our customer has added externally a metal plaque to prevent overheating. The part is cooled up to 80-85 oC (176 – 185 oF) inside the mold. Then, the part is moved from the mold and is left for cooling in the environmental temperature.

Dr: Nick I’ll try to give an opinion on this problem. 1. I’ve previously seen warpage problems when molding a particular grade of PP. The shape I was molding was a simple cylinder. The material supplier told me that PP has “natural lubricity”, by which I understood that something in the polymer migrates to the mold surface and provides what amounts to an internal release agent. However, I have successfully molded many other grades of PP, without seeing the problem. 2. Generally, PP shrinks less than PE, so you would expect that warpage problems (which are caused by unequal shrinkage rates in different sections of the molded part) would be less. 3. Warpage effects tend to occur more often with thick parts; at 7.5 – 8.5 mm, I would consider your part to be pretty thick. 4. The area of the mold containing the welded metal stripe may result in a different heating condition compared to the rest of the mold surface. This may result in a lesser or greater wall thickness building up at the stripe. It’s not clear from your description which it is, although the fact that the problem was fixed by reducing the heat to the stripe area (by adding the external metal plaque) indicates that the stripe area was

previously heating up more than the rest. Did you measure the wall thickness of the part in this area, compared to the rest of the part? In any case, thickness variation around the part is another cause of warpage. 5. You’ve not mentioned anything about mold release agent (mra); your choice and level of application may be a factor. If the PP grade you’re using has this natural lubricity (see note 1 above), then reduce the level of mra applied. You can immediately reduce the release properties of an existing surface (i.e. one which already has mra applied) by gently abrading with a scotch pad or similar non-metallic product. 6. Slower cooling can reduce warpage; you don’t specify how you cooled or the cooling rate. In extremis, don’t apply any external cooling and allow the mold to cool naturally in ambient conditions. Worth trying, just to see if it helps, even if this is not practical in production. I hope the above list gives you some pointers to the problem. Whilst the root causes of warpage are similar across production, the way these causes come together to manifest a particular warpage problem can be complicated.

ARM continues to deliver value to its members in the world of social distancing. 42 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

ARM

REPORT The Benefits of Membership

Train your employees, reduce scrap, connect with customers, learn from experts and peers. This is what comes with membership and the return on your investment is tremendous. Complimentary Registration to the 2020 Annual Meeting Provided for one employee for each new member company. This is your free entry to the world’s pre-eminent rotomolding meeting, held once every three years. Sales Inquiry Notifications We review sales leads typically from companies seeking molders – and email them to our member companies. We actively advertise for leads on behalf of our members. Sample Operator Instructions An 80+ page document calling out the highlights of nine company’s operator instructions. Also more than 700 documents and presentations from past Annual Meetings. Immediate Free Access to more than 60+ on-demand webinars Topics range from Determining Your True Cost to Proper Sampling Techniques. A dozen new titles were added in 2019. Immediate Free Access to ARM’s classic training video library Includes programs on curing, venting, and good manufacturing practices. All videos include Spanish subtitles. Free Access to Troubleshooting Calls These moderated teleconferences are conducted every six weeks (eight

per year) and allow you to troubleshoot your process and discuss HR issues with other molders, suppliers, and rotomolding experts. Networking with Industry Peers The greatest ARM benefit: Informal learning at a coffee break could revolutionize your process or reduce your expenses by tens of thousands of dollars. We hear it from members again and again. Awards and Awareness Showcase your company in our online member directory and through awards including Safety Award, Product Competition, and more. Discounted Registration to all ARM Meetings Includes regional meetings, the in-depth Hands-On Rotomolding Workshop at Penn College, and our Executive Forum which will be held in Italy. Rotolink Our weekly e-newsletter announces upcoming programs, shares important industry news, and profiles our members. Annual Meeting The premier event for rotomolders, their suppliers, designers and educators. Programming includes professional and industry speakers, valuable networking, group workshops, and exhibition. To apply for membership, please visit www.rotomolding.org

www.rotoworldmag.com 43

3 Ways the Coronavirus Pandemic

is Changing Who We Are by Arie Kruglanski, Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland

44 ROTOWORLDÂ® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

or most Americans, the coronavirus pandemic represents a completely unprecedented circumstance, as novel as it is life-changing. No event in recent history has affected us as profoundly and pervasively. Not only does it remind us of our physical fragility, it undermines economic security, throws daily routines topsy-turvy, wreaks havoc on plans, and isolates us from friends and neighbors. I am a psychologist who studies human motivation and its impact on what we feel, how we think, and what we do. I see that little by little, the stressful external forces this pandemic unleashed are exerting a deep internal effect. Little by little, they are changing who we are and how we relate to people and the world. The pandemic affects our psyches three ways: It influences how we think, how we relate to others, and what we value. Changed sense of security This crisis has induced wide reaching uncertainty. We do not know what to think or how to make heads or tails of these completely unfamiliar circumstances. Who will be affected? Will our loved ones? How quickly? Will tests be available? Will we survive? How long will this last? What about our work? Our income? The combination of uncertainty and danger is a recipe for severe angst. It feeds an intense desire for certainty, better known to psychologists as the need for cognitive closure. Once aroused, the need for closure fosters the craving for reliable information, the acute desire to dispel the paralyzing ambiguity that engulfs us. We long for clarity and guidance, a “light at the end of the tunnel”. Glued to our TV sets, we become breaking news junkies, hoping against hope that the next cycle will finally provide the enlightenment that keeps eluding us. Research on the need for closure tells us much more: Under conditions of diffuse uncertainty, people are drawn, as if by a magnet, to simplistic solutions and black-and-white reasoning. Some gravitate to the pole of denial that nothing is wrong at all, others to that of utter panic, the belief that the worst is sure to come and that the end is near. Rumors are circulated widely and seized upon uncritically. This is the time where steady, reassuring leadership is desperately needed. It is the time, too, when authoritative, confident direction is much preferred over flexible, laissez-faire guidance. We need to be told what to do, plain and simple. This is no time for complex deliberations. Changed needs When their need for closure rises, people become “groupcentric,” which means they yearn for cohesion and unity. Patriotism is elevated but so, often, is nationalism, the idea that one nation is superior to the others, better at handling the crisis that foreigners have propagated to begin with.

The coronavirus pandemic is scary. Everyone can be infected. No one is exempt. No matter what your station in life, your status, power or popularity, the virus still can get you. This possibility evokes an overriding sense of fragility and vulnerability. Ample research attests that with one’s feelings of control and personal agency at an ebb – such as in infancy, in sickness or old age – one’s dependence on others rises. This prompts putting social relations at a premium, strengthening one’s attachment to others, boosting the appreciation of one’s loved ones, family and friends. One consequence of our helplessness in face of the pandemic is our greater sociability, a yearning for warmth and succor, the realization that we need others, that we cannot hack it alone. In the pandemic, people value those who sacrifice their selfinterests for the common good.

Changed values Along with the growing attachment to others comes a subtle shift in our morals. Communal values of cooperation, consideration, and caring are prioritized, whereas individualistic ones of prestige, popularity, and power lose some of their cachet. Our cultural ideals morph accordingly. In times of crisis, we celebrate and accord major significance to persons who serve communitarian values, extend a helping hand to others, sacrifice their self-interests for the common good, exhibit empathy, and model humanity. Fascination with fame and riches is diminished; it takes a back seat to admiration for simple acts of kindness. The coronavirus pandemic alters who we are, affecting diverse facets of our psyche. We may approve of some of the changes – toward stronger communal bonds and humanitarian values – and disapprove of others – closed-mindedness, black-and-white thinking. Whether we like it or not, the immense crisis we are facing brings out the best in us, but also the worst in us. www.rotoworldmag.com 45

Your connection to the world of

Rotational Moulding

ARMA Rotoconnect 2020

The Rotomoulding Industry in Mexico & Brazil is Thriving

The world looks completely different than it did when we submitted our article and conference promotion for Issue 1. Like everyone else in the world we are just trying to muddle our way through the loads of information, news, and daily announcements to provide support to all our members with assistance, facts, and check ins. We are also sharing anything we can with the global industry if we believe it is of benefit. At the time of writing this, most manufacturers in New Zealand are shut down for a period of 4 weeks, whilst in Australia, the industry is still going with businesses that supply the health and agricultural industries with a backlog. We have also had members pivot (the word of the year) to retool and create items that will help in the currently crisis. In South East Asia the response to the virus is still not under

Rotomoulding in Brazil is Diverse

Tank Deliveries Mexican Style

46 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

control and in our Pacific nations in some places there are currently no cases, but it is the season for natural disasters. Its been especially hard on Australia as they have just come through a horrific bushfire season, followed by flooding and they have so many rural properties and small towns rebuilding and still needing water tanks, etc. In most countries where our members are located, there is no clear guidance on whether they are “essential” business, and many continue to produce at this time. Strangely in most rural areas the water tank industry is booming and perhaps in response to the craving for the ability to live “off the grid” even in cities, growth is likely to stay strong. ARMA have also developed new

ARMA

ROTOCONNECT templates to assist our members through the and the possibility, if necessary, to skip the pandemic, such as a Risk Reduction Truck & year and meet again in June 2021. Delivery Plan as well as a Company Plan to Immediately prior to the outbreak, Leisa Minimise Risks and they are now available to Donlan met with factories in Mexico and members in the extensive ARMA Technical Brazil to discuss plans for Rototour 2020, Library. due to be held in September. It is very likely At ARMA Rotoconnect, we are always this event will also need to be rescheduled forward thinking and we have a Financial & and we will keep in touch with the industry Risk Management Committee that assists us in as we make these decisions. You will be safeguarding not only ARMA but our events hearing more about the industry in Mexico and the industry where we can. As part of our & Brazil as plans do move forward, in risk management, we also include very clear the meantime its clear that the industry Force Majeure clauses in our contracts should in both countries is very advanced and Braskem will Host the Next Tour anything like this happen, so we are luckier producing parts of quality, innovation, and than most when it comes to postponing or beauty which will make the next tour a “not to cancelling our events. The committee met in March and agreed be missed” opportunity for the industry outside of the Americas. to postpone Rotomould 2020 to the new dates of November 22 – 24 with a look to review the situation at our next meeting in July

From the Desk of the ARMA President As I started to think about content for the presidents report I couldn’t get my thoughts away from people suffering from the effect of natural disasters, illness, and tragedy. Although the recent devastation from the effect of bushfires/floods in Australia, the White Island volcano eruption and the outbreak of the coronavirus have been well documented. I’m sure it is not ARMA’s place to give commentary on such devastation, but our thoughts go out to everyone affected by these tragedies and any other situations negatively affecting our members. Over the years in manufacturing I have been involved, as most of us have, in a variety of issues regarding product failure in the field (in use). Some are the result of inappropriate use or a product being used for the wrong application but on other occasions the product has failed. In this edition I thought I would layout some simple techniques and thoughts around preventing premature failure of rotational moulded parts. My comments are not designed to replace quality management systems or following the relevant standards. Just a simple analysis technique of why parts may fail, and it can be as complicated or as basic as you like. We all understand most manufactured items are not designed to last for ever. They are however expected to be fit for the purpose they are being sold. Fit for purpose means the everyday purpose and any specification that you agreed with the seller

before buying. Goods sold must match a sample the customers were shown or any description in a brochure or on a website. Conducting a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a useful technique. There is a plethora of material available around FMEA’s which can be very daunting, but no part should be sold without at least a basic FMEA conducted. For example, AS/NZS 4766 tank standard has considered all modes of failure for a plastic water tank and the standard actions to ensure these risks are controlled. In its simplest form an FMEA should analyse what can go wrong from the customers perspective. Then considering the level of risk associated to that type of failure and ultimately applying controls appropriate to the level of risk. A bucket with a lid designed to hold water poses a relatively low risk but the same bucket designed to hold a dangerous chemical poses a much higher risk. So, the controls around its manufacture would be of a much higher standard. That’s not say a bucket to hold water should not have controls because a bucket designed to hold a low risk substance should be fit for the purpose of holding water. • Mode of failure – What can go wrong? • Risk – What are the consequence of the failure? • Controls – Action to monitor production process www.rotoworldmag.com 47

ARMA

ROTOCONNECT A typical mode of failure would be structural failure due to physical stress of some form. If the risk is high, a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) computer simulation of the part should be carried out and some form of physical testing to determine the material properties and an appropriate wall section. Then placing controls on the material supply to ensure each batch meets the required specifications may be appropriate. Monitoring wall section via a physical test may also be appropriate to ensure minimum wall sections are maintained. It is also worth noting that rotational moulding parts can tend to thin out around corners and ribs and it’s not easy to check without a conducting a destructive test, for example cutting the part into sections. Controlling the risk of thinning sections is critical in controlling the risk of mechanical failure. My recommendation is conducting the FMEA in four distinct steps: 1. List all the modes of failure before moving to risk and controls. This keeps the thinking clear and reduces the risk of missing a mode of failure.

2. Use a basic risk rating system and apply it to the modes of failure. 3. Identify the controls that could be used in your process to ensure the risk is mitigated to the level appropriate for the customer. 4. Post start-of-production perform a review of the FMEA to ensure the you are on track for no nasty surprises. You do not have to be technically minded or an industry expert or even a member of the project team to conduct an FMEA. In most instances I would recommend someone outside the process lead the FMEA, as people heavily invested in the manufacture/design of the part can get a little too close to the product and a fresh view can be very useful.

How Poly Tanks Standards Prevent Recycling from being a Killer Current manufacturing standards prevent the use of recycled materials in tanks for a very good reason. While the rotational moulding industry can use all the recycled materials from old rainwater tanks it can get to make new products, they should never use it for water tanks! It’s vital to your family’s health to understand that while recycling old tanks is great for the environment, using recycled material to make a tank for your family or stock could be a killer because it can be impossible to know definitely where the material comes from and what it used to store. Standards require independent certification that material used to make your tank has never been used before and has been lab tested for safety. (Australia) Wauchope Vets are warning producers of the deadly repercussions of contaminated intermediate bulk containers (IBC) used to water animals after a number of young heifers were found dead during a recent call out. In what is the second incident with stock deaths for Wauchope Vets in the last four months, they recently attended

a property where five young heifers were dead, and another was dying after drinking water from a trough filled with a previously used IBC tank. They believe the tanks previously contained a diesel fuel additive containing urea, which despite being washed out, contaminated the livestock’s water. IBC tanks are reusable, multi-use industrial-grade containers for the mass handling, transport and storage of liquids, semi-solids, pastes, or solids. Wauchope Vets shared the news on Facebook and said urea poisoning caused rapid death in livestock. “Cattle can show agitation, irritability, and aggressive behaviour, with loss of ruminal tone and bloating,” they said. “Sheep are often dull and depressed. Horses may show depression and head pressing. Sadly, depending on the amount ingested, they normally will die quite quickly.” They said farmers were struggling enough with the drought to have to deal with these tragedies. “This is one of the awful realities of drought and the complications of providing safe clean water to livestock,” they said.

“Standards require independent certification that material used to make your tank has never been used before and has been lab tested for safety.”

48 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

ARMA

ROTOCONNECT Who is ARMA Rotoconnect?

ARMA ROTOCONNECT is the premier organisation for rotational moulders throughout Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia and as one of the most active associations in the world. We also have rotational moulding and supplier members around the globe who enjoy our resources and extensive industry network. Our members have a proven commitment to providing their clients with quality products and services. Can I Access Your Benefits If I Am A Moulder In Another Part Of The World? You certainly can and we have a range of manufacturers that already have complete access to our technical library, training resources, workshop, and conference videos. We also list you as a member on the busiest site for rotomoulding in the world, www.rotationalmoulding.com This is the ROTOCONNECT membership!

There is a range of safety and design posters that our members and supporters can print for the factories and showrooms!

What Do Current Members Think Of Your Service? Well instead of us telling you what we think, here are a few comments from the companies directly. “By joining ARMA as soon as we thought about moulding, we

saved tens of thousands of dollars by accessing machinery and moulds through their website and they helped us find all the industry suppliers, so we started way ahead of the game.” “Our ARMA membership keeps us up to date with whatever is going on in the industry and we are always included in business referrals. There have been several occasions when our company has gained great new clients or managed our risk better because we had prior knowledge of a problem.” “I used to think there wasn’t much I didn’t know about rotomoulding and that’s probably true about the process itself but the industry is changing all the time and being involved in ARMA means we keep up to date and I really enjoy the opportunity to network with peers in the industry, as well as having some influence on the bigger picture through our ARMA membership.”

How Do I Obtain More Information? Contact us at info@rotationalmoulding.com and we will forward through the details of all services and inclusions as well as the pricing options and application!

Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia Inc. PO Box 826, Ipswich Qld 4305 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 (0) 7 3812 1450 Fax: +61 (0)7 3009 0600 www.rotationalmoulding.com CEO: Leisa Donlan ldonlan@rotationalmoulding.com Deputy Executive Officer: Michelle Rose michellerose@rotationalmoulding.com

www.rotoworldmag.com 49

TECHNICALLY

SPEAKING

by Alongkorn Kanokboriboon, SCG Chemicals

Rotomolded Boat Pontoon

Boat “Lanta” on the open sea of Phang Nga Bay

Boats and ships are one of the oldest forms of human transport since ancient times. Over time their construction materials have evolved from woods to metals, and composites and plastics. There are many fine rotomolded boats and kayaks on the market; however, most of them are relatively small in size. My column for this issue of RotoWorld® will discuss a novel example of a rotomolded pontoon-boat made in Southeast Asia. The man behind this invention is Mr. Warathep Boonyang, a lecturer of Ayutthaya Shipbuilding Industrial and Technology College. His passions are shipbuilding and rotomolding, so he combined the two to create this product. It is a well-known fact that wooden boats require frequent, expensive, and 50 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

The rotomolded pontoons being assembled on the factory floor.

TECHNICALLY

SPEAKING tedious maintenance. Metal boats are susceptible to rust and are more expensive to build. Composite boats, made from glass–fiber reinforced epoxy resins, are also labor-intensive to produce and toxic during the lay-up process, and the finished parts are not recyclable at the end of their life cycle. Hence, rotomolded polyethylene boats can be another interesting option that has a balance between productivity, costs, and quality. Mr. Warathep’s boat is supported by twelve rotomolded pontoons. Each pontoon is 1.2 meters wide by 1.7 meters tall and 3.0 meters long. Six of them are connected headto–tail to give a total length of 18 meters, and there are two rows connected sideby-side for one boat. The total capacity of this boat is 20 metric tons (16 metric tons empty load) or about 100 passengers. Equipped with a 115-horsepower engine, the boat’s top speed is 12 nautical miles or 21 kilometers per hour. The main function of the boat is to serve as a floating visitor center and a rescue platform in the case of emergency. In terms of manufacturing, Mr. Warathep utilized his home-built rock and-roll oven to make the parts. The raw materials used was a blend of LLDPE and HDPE obtained locally. The molded parts were about 2 centimeters thick in average and were processed at 250 degree Celsius for about 45 minutes of heating and one hour of ambient air fan cooling. The total weight of polyethylene for one boat is four metric tons. Six boats have been ordered. So far two have been commissioned and built with successful test runs. Shown here was the second boat taken out to sea near to Phuket, Thailand to prove its performance. This case study shows that with clever design and good manufacturing practices, rotomolding can meet the challenges that conventional materials such as wood and metal cannot.

Side view

Sometric view

Boat “Phayun” cruising near to Phi Phi Island

www.rotoworldmag.com 51

ARMO

NEWS

ARMSA ARM-CE NORDIC ARM StAR BPF IT-RO

BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION ROTATIONAL MOULDING GROUP • BPF

Plastics Trade Body Publishes First Study of Coronavirus Impact on UK Manufacturing The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has surveyed its members to learn exactly how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the plastics industry within the UK. With 127 BPF members responding in just a few hours, the results provide an accurate picture of the UK’s third largest manufacturing sector at this unprecedented time. Following a request from the UK government, the survey asked companies if they could potentially use their facilities to provide products and services that could be used by the NHS or the government to help fight the coronavirus. Nearly a third of plastic companies said they could assist and their details have been passed on by the BPF. Almost 80% of the companies surveyed expected a drop in turnover over the next six months, with 98% of those expressing concern over the coronavirus’s impact on business operations. Almost 90% of responders said they expected the coronavirus to impact their supply chains over the next three months, while more than half stated that the coronavirus had impacted their staff’s ability to work. Across the entire industry, 25% of the workforce could potentially work from home. Amongst plastics processors that number falls to 18%. British Plastics Federation Director General Philip Law comments: “I wrote to the government yesterday to explain why the plastics industry should be classified as a key part of the national infrastructure and that many of its workers and their skills are critical in the production of much needed products. It comes as no surprise that our members and our industry are expecting major challenges in the weeks and months ahead. This survey 52 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

demonstrates that the plastics industry is a crucial, strategic industry playing a pivotal role in national security and in ensuring we as a country can effectively fight the coronavirus. We urge the government to provide the essential support to keep manufacturers and their supply chains in operation, so the nation can be safely fed, professionally cared for and that vital infrastructure, such as drainage and waste management is supported.” The BPF has also created a COVID-19 webpage, which includes a guide for manufacturers intended to help limit the spread of the virus, alongside useful information from BEIS and Public Health England. To learn more information about the BPF’s response to coronavirus and to discover resources that will help guide your business through the crisis visit: www.bpf.co.uk/coronavirus

ARMO

NEWS BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION ROTATIONAL MOULDING GROUP • BPF

In response to the government’s announcement on 11 March 2020 that it is introducing a tax on plastic packaging that does not incorporate at least 30% recycled content, the British Plastics Federation issued the following statement:

As an industry, we want to play our part in leaving the environment in a better state for future generations. Increasing the use of recycled material – where possible – is one way of doing this. We are pleased that this proposal includes pre-filled packaging, as otherwise it risked disadvantaging UK businesses, driving jobs overseas and increasing carbon emissions. Concerns remain, however, that the tax will be applied to packaging that cannot incorporate recycled content due to existing food contact and safety legislation. We look forward to working with the government during the upcoming consultation to address these matters. The British Plastics Federation (BPF) hopes that the money raised by this tax will be invested in upgrading the UK’s

collection and recycling infrastructure. The whole supply chain has already requested that the government address this matter urgently via reforms to the existing PRN system. We also welcome the two-year extension of the Climate Change Agreement (CCA) scheme. As an organisation that manages the CCA for the plastics industry, we know this scheme is valued and has helped to significantly reduce energy use.

www.rotoworldmag.com 53

ARMO

NEWS BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION ROTATIONAL MOULDING GROUP • BPF

Matrix Polymers R&D doesn’t stop because of COV-19 It’s a strange time - the one we are living in now… COVID-19 has changed reality as we know it. The social, emotional and economic implications of this will pose a huge threat to the humanity. Some things that we may have took for granted, such as: our “boring” daily routine, seems only a distant memory and we have since had to mould our life and work styles around it – forcing us to find new ways of communicating. Matrix Polymers, like many other businesses, has been allowed to stay open while following all the government directive, allowing all employees who can work from home to do and enforcing social distance of at least 2 meters in all other cases, thus our Technical team who is still working from our laboratories in Speke. Research is at the heart of Matrix Polymers and we put all the possible measures in place to make sure that we carried on doing what we do best: challenging the palette of materials available to the rotational moulder by pushing the boundaries of current products and combine new technologies to produce innovate materials. One of the most exciting projects that we have been working on recently is the development of a high stiffness Polypropylene (PP) foam for use within the rotational moulding industry. The scope of developing such material is to offer stiffer and a more advanced alternative to the current Polyethylene (PE) foams which are on the market to allow our customers explore larger geometry within their structures in a variety of applications. Typically, PE foam is utilized in boat and sail application. The introduction of PP could bring with it the ability to increase

In graph 1 it is reported the stiffness of PE foam vs PP foam: a 40% increase was recorded!

the length of designs where they were previously limited by the level of stiffness, allowing rotational moulders to penetrate new markets and compete with Glass reinforced plastic. Furthermore, reduction in shot weight and use of a two-layer structure could be also achieved. We are delighted to announce that this work is part of the approved SPE ANTEC 2020 paper, and Matrix will be presented in April at ANTEC 2020: The Virtual Edition on 22nd April at 20.00 UK time. For any question please contact Dr. Sara Cammarano, at sara.cammarano@matrixpolymers.com.

SOCIETY OF ASIAN ROTOMOULDERS • StAR

Star is Staying Very Active During Covid 19 Lockdown The COVID 19 crisis took India by surprise. The lockdown that followed was even greater surprise. StAR lost no time in planning and actioning a series of online activities free of charge for its members and non-members, at a difficult time for the Indian rotomoulding industry and the country. This educative, interesting, and useful package of frequent webinars, digital newsletter, and articles in a variety of genres have found audiences in growing numbers. In fact the webinar on April 17 on Rotomouldable Materials – polyurethanes 54 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

and others by Ravi Mehra was held for the full webinar capacity of 101 attendees – some could not find room. Quick thinking and action by StAR has ensured that its normal schedule of monthly webinars has been converted to weekly and then to even more frequent ones. The enthusiasm of both members and non-members has responded in equal measure with attendees per webinar going past the 40s and crossing the three figure mark in the case mentioned above. All the webinars have experienced extended Q&A sessions and discussions, while continuing feedback has sustained interest

ARMO

NEWS SOCIETY OF ASIAN ROTOMOULDERS • StAR

that has been generated by the webinars. Articles streamed into quick flow have been variously labelled as Products & Markets / Technical Information / General Information. All the above listed below in chronological order is illustration of the very useful and opportune work done for the benefit of its members and non-members by StAR when the pandemic seemed to have overwhelmed one and all. March 22 ’20 Rototalk online March issue March 27 ‘20 Webinar – Energy Savings in Roto Industry: By Jayant Saraf March 31 Article – Products & Markets : Timely Ideas! By P Trivedi April 03 Webinar – Roto Compound: Making in house vs. Sourcing from Compounder: By Ravi Kadivar

April 08 Article – StAR Technical Information: By Ravi Kadivar April 09 Article – COVID Relief – StAR Information Series April 10 Webinar – Design...Woh kya hai ( What is it ): By S. Gokhale April 13 Webinar – What’s your question? By U. Savadekar, Dhanu Patell & Prashant Trivedi April 17 Webinar – Rotomouldable Materials: Polyethylene & Others: By Ravi Mehra April 21 Scheduled Webinar – Post mould Applications for Label free Graphics on Polyolefin Plastics: By Konstantia Asteriadous April 24 Scheduled Webinar – What is Your Question: By Ashish Baheti & Swetang Dave

Association of Rotational Moulders Southern Africa PO Box 6966 Birchleigh 1621 Gauteng South Africa Tel: +27 82 772 3769 Fax +27 12 541 1738 Chairman: Wayne Wiid info@armsa.co.za www.armsa.co.za

Association of Rotational Moulding (Central Europe) e.V. (ARM-CE) MAUS GmbH - Rotationsgießformen Am Viehweg 9 - D-76229 Karlsruhe Amtsgericht Mannheim, HRB 103433 Tel.: +49 (0) 7 21 / 9 48 74 12 Fax: +49 (0) 7 21 / 9 48 74 44 Mr. Oliver Wandres, ARM-CE Chairman info@rotational-moulding.de www.rotational-moulding.de

British Plastics Federation Rotational Moulding Group 6 Bath Place Rivington Street London EC2A 3JE United Kingdom Tel: 020 7457 5000 Fax: 020 7457 5045 Chairman: Mr. Philip Maddox PhilipM@LeafieldEnv.com

The Nordic Association of Rotational Moulders Executive Board Chairman: Mr. Ronny Ervik ul. Zielona 8, 61-851 Poznan, Poland Tel: +48 607-126-004 Fax: +48 61-858-8611 info@rotomoulding-europe.org www.nordicrotomoulding.org www.rotomoulding-europe.org

Society of Asian Rotomoulders (StAR) 40/145, Ground Floor, Chittaranjan Park New Delhi 110019 Tel: + 91-11-41630157 Fax: +91-11-41634952 Mob: + 91- 9810305356 sb.zaman@staraisa.org arnacz@satyam.net.in www.starasia.org

IT-RO Italia Rotazionale Katia Zoppetti Via E. Brigatti 12 20152 Milano (MI) Italy Tel: +039 348 7652560 www.it-ro.it

www.rotoworldmag.com 55

GLOBAL

JUNE 15-16, 2020

Rotoplas 2020

Rosemont, Illinois USA rotomolding.org SAVE THE DATE

56 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

Masterclass ARF, 2020

Rototour 2020 South America

Lyon, France rotomoulage.org

South America rototour.com

OCTOBER 16-22, 2020

SEPTEMBER 21-24, 2020

Hotel Bulwar Toruń, Poland rotopol.pl

NOVEMBER 22-24, 2020

MAY 28-29, 2020 6th Rotopol Spring Meeting

SEPTEMBER 11-19, 2020

CALENDAR

2020 ARMA Masterclass Series

Auckland, New Zealand – Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, Australia

Rotomould 2020

Hobart, Australia rotomouldconference.com.au

GLOBAL

MARCH 21, 2021

APRIL 10-22, 2021

CALENDAR

ANTECÂ® 2020

Sheraton Denver Downton Denver, Colorado

SPE Rotomolding TopCon Cleveland Marriott Cleveland, OH

www.rotoworldmag.com 57

ADVERTISERS’

INDEX

17 Diversified Mold & Castings 19800 Miles Rd. Warrensville Hts., OH 44128-4118 USA 216.663.1814 | 888.642.1222 info@diversifiedmolds.com www.diversifiedmolds.com

21 NOVA Chemicals 1555 Coraopolis Heights Rd. Moon Township, PA 15108 412.490.4311 Doug.Biela@novachem.com www.novachem.com

59 Rotomachinery Group Via Crosa, 53 28065 Cerano (NO) Italy +39.0321.772021 polivinil@polivinil.com www.rotomachinerygroup.com

60 ExxonMobil Chemical Co. PO Box 96126 West Springs Calgary, Alberta Canada, T3H 0L3 800.668.0177 kevin.c.jamieson@exxonmobil.com https://www.exxonmobilchemical. com/en/products-and-services/ polyethylene

7 Orenda 165 Steelcase Rd. East Markham, Ontario L3R 1G1, Canada 905.513.8043 sales@orenda-automation.com www.orenda-automation.com

57 VMP, Inc. 24830 Avenue Tibbitts Valencia, CA 91355-3404 USA 888.4.VMP.INC 661.294.9934 info@vmpinc.com www.vmpinc.com

9 Ferry Industries, Inc. 4445 Allen Rd. Stow, OH 44224-1093 USA 330.920.9200 sales@ferryindustries.com www.ferryindustries.com 5, 39 Jerico Plastic Industries, Inc. 7970 Boneta Rd. Wadswroth, OH 44281 USA 330.730.6314 Minerva Plant: 330.868.4600 steve@jericoplastic.com www.jericoplastic.com 11 Maag / Reduction Engineering Scheer USA Headquarters 235 Progress Blvd. Kent, OH 44240 USA 1.800.844.2927 /330.677.2225 Maag.KEN.Info@maag.com www.maag.com Europe Headquarters Ostring 19 63762 Grossostheim, Germany +49 6026 503 354 info@maag.com www.maag.com

58 ROTOWORLD® | MARCH-APRIL 2020

22 Polnac Lázaro Cárdenas, No. 49, Col. San Jerónimo Tepetlacalco, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico C.P. 54090 +52 (55) 5362-5360 ext. 275 glenn@polnac.com www.polnac.com 19 Poliplast S.p.A. Via Carrali, 8 24020 Casnigo (BG) Italy +39 035 724145 info@poliplastspa.com www.poliplastspa.com 3 Powder King, LLC 41780 N. Vision Way Unit 120 Bldg. 2 Anthem, AZ 85086 USA 623.551.9897 sales@powder-king.com www.powder-king.com 2 Roto Polymers 26210 Emery Rd. Ste 202 Cleveland, OH 44128 USA 1.844.POLIMER (1.844.765.4637) info@rotopolymers.com www.rotopolymers.com

14 Wittmann Battenfeld (Roto Load) 35 Leek Crescent Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4C2, Canada 905.887.5355 Toll Free: 1.888.466.8266 info@wittmann-group.ca www.wittmann-group.ca

www.rotoworldmag.com 59

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