WINTER 1999
Volume 5 • Number 1
PENN
STATE ERIE'S PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT CENTER GOES STATEWIDE
On October 1, 1998, the PTDC became an official partner of the
IRC/BFP Network.
In
conjunction with the seven Industrial Resource Centers (IRCs)
and four Ben Franklin Technology Centers (BFTCs), the PTDC will
focus its efforts on serving over 900 plastics processors located
in the Commonwealth. In addition, it is estimated that this number
of potential clients expands to nearly 5,000 when tool and die
shops and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are included.
The PTDC will continue to work with Cleveland Advanced Manufacturing
Program (CAMP), Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, to serve plastics-related
companies in 22 counties of northeastern Ohio, as it has since
its establishment in 1994
The
PTDC's efforts in Pennsylvania will be administered jointly by
the Commonwealth's Department of Community and Economic Development
and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards
and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
In order to provide efficient and effective service delivery to
companies throughout the state, the PTDC will also join forces
with the Plastics Manufacturing Center (PMC) located at the Pennsylvania
College of Technology in Williamsport. The complementary missions
of the PTDC and PMC will be linked to form a statewide resource,
the Pennsylvania Plastics Resource Network (PPRN). The PPRN will,
in turn, incorporate many plastics-related resources into its
service delivery network. Resources include the Pennsylvania Technical
Assistance Program (PENNTAP), federal and private laboratories,
and other University resources.
The
IRC/BFP Network will primarily serve as the marketing and sales
component of the PPRN.
The
PTDC and PMC will work with companies to:
- Enhance
revenue
- Reduce
costs
- Optimize
manufacturing processes
- Maximize
company time and resources
-
Reduce time to market
-
Convert metal parts to plastics
-
Identify plastics and tooling suppliers
-
Determine technical solutions
The
primary services available through the PTDC and PMC will include:
- Product
design, development, and enhancement
- Plastic
material application and testing
- Tooling,
molding, and die development
- Rapid
and pre-production tooling
- Process
improvement and optimization
- Workforce
development
Contact
your local Industrial Resource Center to access the PPRN.
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Technology
21 Report: The Plastics Industry in Pennsylvania
The
PTDC, along with the PMC, was commissioned to research and develop
a report on the plastics industry in Pennsylvania in support of
the Technology 21 initiative. Technology 21 initiatives, championed
by Governor Ridge and the Ben Franklin/IRC Board, focus in part
on advanced materials-related industries where plastics play a
major role. Pennsylvania is rated sixth in the nation in plastics-related
industry employment. The report addresses the current trends,
strengths, and barriers to growth of the plastics industry in
Pennsylvania. The report also discusses the critical success factors
necessary for growth. The Technology 21 program challenges Pennsylvania's
high-tech leaders with designing a comprehensive, industry-lead
strategy to ensure Pennsylvania's place as a technology leader
in the new economy. Further details of the report will be published
at a later date.
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Customized
Job Training at the PMC
The
PMC is in the process of submitting a six-member Plastics Customized
Job Training (CJT) Consortium Grant to the state of Pennsylvania
for funding. CJT is a state-funded grant program to support the
education and training needs of Pennsylvania's workforce. Limited
CJT funds are available to assist companies to become more competitive
through training and upgrading their workforce, and to defend
against the erosion of skilled workers in Pennsylvania as a result
of migration to other states or countries. If the grant is approved,
the Plastics Consortium will administer the combined training
needs of six companies, allowing more efficient delivery through
group training. The proposal includes injection molders, rotational
molders, and a materials compounding company.
If
your company is in need of training, the Consortium can help you
too. Contact Hank White, Director of the PMC, at (570) 321-5533
to discuss your training needs.
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Statewide
Plastics Trade Organization
Plastics
industry leaders in Pennsylvania have organized a new statewide
group to foster the growth of all segments of the plastics industry
in the state. The organization, named Plastics Pennsylvania, will
be affiliated with The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI),
Inc., the leading trade association for the broad-based plastics
industry in the United States. Plastics Pennsylvania's mission
statement is to enhance the image and visibility of the Pennsylvania
plastics industry and expand its ability to operate locally and
compete globally.
Some
member benefits of Plastics Pennsylvania include working with
the state government to ensure plastics companies have an adequate
supply of skilled workers; promoting improved technical training;
networking, benchmarking, and leveraging expertise and best practices;
and educating the public about the benefits the industry brings
to Pennsylvania.
Membership
in Plastics Pennsylvania is open to all Pennsylvania individuals
and companies with an interest in the plastics industry. For more
information or an application to join, please call (800) 910-8104
or (717) 810-3939.
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