NPE Trade Show

In addition to changing the location of its triennial show from Chicago to Orlando, the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) also shifted the dates for NPE, moving from June to April, and creating the potential for conflicts with other industry events.

The new roster of officers for SPI, the U.S. plastics industry trade association based in Washington, D.C. has been announced, following an election held during the group's national board meeting in mid-October. The new chairman of the board is Chris Keller, president of the Conair Group (Cranberry Twp., PA).

The full slate of elected officers includes:
Vice Chairman - Jay Cude, President and CEO, Coeur Inc. (Lebanon, TN)
Treasurer - Fred Daniell, Chief Operating Officer, Kureha America Inc. (New York, NY)

Today, in "NPE Central," you'll find the combined, expert reporting of Injection Molding Magazine and Modern Plastics Worldwide bringing you the last word in significant developments from NPE2009, plus all of our other NPE2009 coverage. Our post-show wrapup from our special September combo issue can be found here.

Held during what will be recorded as the worst recession in decades, June’s NPE2009 trade show in Chicago generated its fair share of heated discussion, but there is no question that the show exhibitors brought an incredible array of technology to the Windy City, technology offering processors a way to move well ahead of their peers. Injection Molding Magazine and Modern Plastics Worldwide have combined to bring you comprehensive post-show coverage of the significant developments introduced at NPE2009.

Held during what will be recorded as the worst recession in decades, June’s NPE2009 trade show in Chicago generated its fair share of heated discussion, but there is no question that the show exhibitors brought an incredible array of technology to the Windy City, technology offering processors a way to move well ahead of their peers. Injection Molding Magazine and Modern Plastics Worldwide have combined to bring you comprehensive post-show coverage of the significant developments introduced at NPE2009.

Our extensive post-NPE2009 coverage continues here in this web exclusive. Visit "NPE Central" at our Plastics Today site for the coverage from our September issue.

Held during what will be recorded as the worst recession in decades, June’s NPE2009 trade show in Chicago generated its fair share of heated discussion, with some industry experts arguing there was no cause to spend money on an exhibition in such a tough market while others were just as convinced that it was exactly the sort of statement the industry needed to make.

I can’t believe it has been three years since the last NPE. I have worked or talked with hundreds of molders and toolmakers since the last time we got together in Chicago but, going in, I can’t be sure how this NPE is going to play out. Almost everyone I have had discussions with has told me about the equipment companies and big material firms are going to take a pass on NPE this year. Many of these same people have told me their companies are not going to pay their way this year due to the poor economy.

The innovative IM products that won top honors attracted a lot of attention during Chicago’s big show.

I attended my first National Plastics Exposition in 1958. Back then everything was new and exciting. After all these years, NPE still shows me new and useful things that get me excited.

The hottest topic at this NPE was the economy and show attendance. I’m convinced that no one knows what’s happening with the economy. Everyone does, however, agree that sooner or later the American system will pull us out of another recession.

According to Dave Finnemore, VP sales EMEA at Gloucester Engineering (Vienna, Austria), the technology’s introduction is being pushed by environmental sensibilities. “The main aims behind developing [film] products with thinner cardboard cores or even with no core at all are reducing costs or removing the need for management and disposal of the used cores, reducing waste taxes, eliminating shipping and storage costs by optimizing film meterage on a pallet, and lowering production costs,” he says.