Category Archives: About AIN Plastics

Plastics and Industry – What Keeps You Up At Night?

In this blog post we are not going to tell you about the latest and greatest plastic innovation. We are not going to tell you what you should buy, or that this material is the best ever. We are going to ask you one question about your job – what keeps you up at night?

Do any of these sound familiar?

  • Does your machined plastic part have chipped edges or other defects?
  • Are your plastic parts not wearing as long as you think they should or could?
  • Are you new to machining plastics?
  • Do you have a part that is a complex shape?
  • Do you need to solve a quality issue at your facility?
  • Have you heard that plastic parts can reduce environmental noise and you are wondering which one to try?
  • Is the possibility of a food recall at your facility keeping you up at night?
  • Why do I get different results when I’m thermoforming the same kind of plastic in the same way?
  • Can I bond plastics with adhesives?

Chances are, someone on our team has seen one or even all of these questions during their years of working in sales, machine shops or manufacturing plants, and they would love to share their knowledge with you and your team. After all, our best success is when you, our customer succeeds. When an engineered plastic solution doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for anyone…not us and not the supplier who makes the plastic.

At tkEP we know we don’t have all the answers, but we have people with relationships and resources and we are always looking to use those to improve our knowledge of engineered plastics solutions. We train with our suppliers, we train each other, and we provide training to you, our customer. We don’t think knowledge should be a secret, but rather something to share so we can all do better. So, even though we don’t have all the answers, we do have a dedicated team of people with decades of experience working in the plastics industry and we are passionate about our specialty, engineering plastics, and finding engineered plastics solutions.

This past year tkEP furthered their commitment to engineering plastics education when the company added a large training room as part of it’s new Auburn Hills facility. Since it opened in April the Auburn Hills branch has been host to employees, suppliers, customers, and students from places like the University of Toledo. The room features a large screen, wi-fi and ample space for everyone to gather and get hands on experience with engineered plastics, adhesives and more. But our other branch locations don’t let not having a large training room stop them. The tkEP Outside Sales teams enjoy hosting lunch and learn events and open houses for customers at facilities around the country. Lunch and learns are a  great forum for hands on learning with small to medium size groups of people. Customers can delve into topics like best practices for pouring casting urethanes so you can have a successful experience every time. At other times customers need to look at a particular topic like how to avoid food recalls. This was recently the case for Ann-Marie Neideigh (thyssenkrupp Engineered Plastics Outside Sales) who teamed up with Karen DeBard (Ensinger Plastics, pictured below) to bring a Lunch and Learn to a group of food processing professionals who wanted to learn how they can reduce the potential of a food recall. As Ann-Marie noted, “Lunch and learn sessions are a time when we can tailer the training to your needs and bring along our manufacturing partners and together, discuss and answer your questions about those things on your job that keep you up at night!”

In an open forum Ann-Marie and Karen took questions from the customer’s team and discussed materials Ensinger has specifically designed to help reduce food recalls due to contamination during production as well as the basket of plastics available for use in different applications of the food industry. Ann-Marie noted, “the food industry has a lot of very different applications from the hot dry environment of bakeries to the wet harsh environment of processing fresh fruits, meats and more. We really feel one of the best ways we can help our customers sort out all the material options  is to make sure we are all educated on materials and the specifics of applications.  Sitting down and having a conversation over lunch is a great way to do that.” She went on to explain with so many materials available it’s a process to determine exactly what material is just right for an application. Knowing the application details, and what customers need to achieve is a good start. From there we look at all the concerns and find the right balance between performance and cost. There are websites you can search and some new apps that help to narrow down options that can be helpful. But, as a distributor we are able to look quickly across a large number of manufacturers and products, and take into account real life application experience before we settle one one particular answer.

So, what are the questions that keep you up at night? Let us know! We would be happy to set up a Lunch and Learn with your team to answer questions and see what engineered plastics solutions we can help you with,

For more information about engineering plastics visit our library.

To look for specific engineering plastics visit the tkEP online catalog at onlineplastics.com. We are steadily adding new products and plastics information every month.

Living Safety Is the Focus tkEP SHIELD Program

shieldThe SHIELD Safety program has been in place for all of 2016 with training, games, quizzes and contests to keep all thyssenkrupp Engineered Plastics employees involved and engaged at work and at home. SHIELD stands for Safety and Health Initiatives for Employees to Live Daily and with that in mind Safety should not be something we think about when an accident happens, but a conscience change to think about life choices and the task at hand BEFORE we do it.

I recently asked the Safety leaders in each branch to summarize what SHIELD has meant to employees, their families and how they are looking at safety differently.

  • The team in Grand Prairie Texas said “We look out for one another to catch any slip, trip or fall hazards at work and we push each other to maintain a healthy lifestyle by joining the tkactive program, walking at lunch or participating in 5K runs on the weekends. We are thankful for this program to remind us how important it is to maintain a safe and healthy lifestyle and it motivates us to be better every day”.
  • The Yonkers New York group reported “The pre-shift safety meetings have allowed everyone to be involved in setting a positive tone for all the warehouse associates both at home and work. Everyone has a turn to choose a topic of the day and present it to the team. There was an occasion when our topic of the day directly impacted an occurrence at an employee’s home. The topic was fire extinguishers so the employee went home and discussed this with his family. The following day there was a fire alarm in his apartment building and his 8 year old son knew exactly what steps to take to ensure the safety of his family. This definitely highlights the fact that safety does not only apply to the workplace, safety is even more important at home”.
  • In Riverview Florida “Safety isn’t just wearing a hard hat or making sure your shoes are tied, we don’t only focus on being safe but making sure our surroundings are 100% safe. It doesn’t matter if we are in the office calling customers or in the warehouse building skids. SHIELD has taught us not only to be safe at work but also practice safety at home. ‘When you gamble with safety, you bet your life’”.
  • Auburn Hills Michigan responded “Our employees continue to search for anything that could injure someone and report and correct it as soon as possible. We have never had a recordable injury at this facility and we all want to go home daily with the same amount of blood, skin and bones we arrived with”.
  • Earth City Missouri says “SHIELD means having safety in the forefront at all times. At work we always stress safety and while training a new warehouse associate from another branch we told him to take his time and work within his limits and don’t let others try to influence him to go beyond, especially if unsafe. We recently updated our cut resistant gloves and signage for changing the saw blades. One employee states he recently got his motorcycle license after completing the safety course and he said the one thing stressed was All the Gear All the Time and being prepared for all riding conditions. This is good information for any situation at work or home.”
  • Columbus OH had input from everyone “SHIELD is a reminder at work that our Safety, whether it is wearing steel toe boots or sunscreen impacts everyone including our families. A safe and healthy personal life can work in conjunction with a safe and healthy professional life. This has impacted me by making smart decisions that will affect my future in a positive way. When you work for a company that stresses safety in the work environment it becomes an automatic thinking process when you are outside the work place. SHIELD is inspiration – inspiring us to find new and creative ways to stay healthy and stay safe. SHIELD is responsibility -learning from mistakes and embracing them. SHIELD has become part of our culture.”
  • Lancaster PA “has implemented the SHIELD process into the culture of our workplace. It has shaped how we see the warehouse that we work in enabling us to see potential safety risks and correct them before they become issues. For example when freight came into our facility damaged with no bands we immediately restacked it as we sorted the damaged material for the claim. When putting skids in the racks, if boards or planks are broken off or hanging we remove them at that time so they don’t become a problem in the future causing material to fall. At home whether cooking, enjoying nature or sports, cleaning or working in the garage this conscious thought process keeps family members safe and healthy. SHIELD is a transformative process that first changes ones conscious perspective and then changes one’s world, creating leaders in health and safety.”

As the Operations Manager I can give our employees tools and support but I can’t wave the magic want and change the culture. The real change to embrace Safety and Health as part of our culture is owned by the employees. SHIELD has become part of our daily lives at work and home based on the descriptive responses I received. If our employees are active and healthy and feel safe and confident at work the possibilities are endless!

Contest Winners! Team Yonkers got top honors and lunch for the entire team for their entry – “What SHIELD Means to Us and Our Families.” Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story of how the tkEP SHIELD program made a difference and showing us how we all win when we put safety first.

 

Photo-Gestewitz-T-DSC_0291Theresa Gestewitz

Operations Manager
thyssenkrupp Engineered Plastics

About Theresa Gestewitz –
Ms. Gestewitz began her career with ThyssenKrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division 20 years ago. Her first role was Buyer for the Lancaster, PA facility. She has also held additional positions as Office Manager, Corporate Buyer, and Plant Manager. She assumed her Safety Leadership role in 2010.

Business Development Team – Adds Value to Buying Through Distribution

TKMNA AIN Plastics Business Development Team Is Dedicated to Providing Solutions to Your Engineered Plastic Needs.

As a Distributor of Engineered Plastics we serve many Industries.  We supply Fabrication Machine Shops as well as OEM Manufacturers.  We work with Design Engineers, Product Developers, Maintenance Specialists, and more. Serving so many industries provides many challenges, so how does AIN Plastics maintain a high level of customer service, satisfaction, good value, and keep up with the thousands of options available in engineered plastics? We have a team. That team includes the Inside and Outside Sales people everyone works with on a day to day basis. We also have 11 branches throughout the US operated by Branch Managers and Fulfillment teams. But we also have an additional team of Industry Segment Managers, (aka Business Development Team) who work across all AIN Plastics locations. This team is comprised of members that between them hold an incomparable amount of knowledge and passion in key industries we serve. Their goal is to assist both the AIN team and our customers by providing knowledgeable support. That support may include training and education, evaluation of applications for material selection and problem solving. In addition the Business Development team uses their depth of Engineered Plastics to find applications that may benefit from an Engineered Plastic solution over traditional materials like metals.

Each Industry Segment Manager focuses on one of the following industries:

  • Oil and Gas / Pump and Valve
  • Power Distribution
  • Medical and Life Sciences
  • Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P)
  • Transportation

In addition we have an Industry Segment Manager that focuses solely on the high performance DuPont™ Vespel® materials which are often specified by Design Engineers for applications in Aerospace, Plastics Processing, Semiconductor and other highly demanding industries.  By focusing on how we can assist people and educate others in the proper selection and use of engineered plastics we have found we can help customers find ways to improve or enhance applications, reduce costs, and improve efficiency and safety. The AIN Plastics Business Development team all have hands on experience within the plastics industry and in machined parts that provide a base of knowledge they each build on. Because we work with all the major manufacturers of engineered plastic materials, we have the widest selection of products to consider for solutions.  Our Industry Segment Managers also have the opportunity to constantly add training and knowledge to their skills directly from the manufacturers and then share it with customers. We see our job as a distributor as an opportunity to make your job easier and your business successful. In essence we see ourselves as a bridge between customers and suppliers and a partner who brings value.

Meet the Business Development Team

Oil and Gas / Pump and Valve –

Kendall Montague - Business Development Oil and Gas Industry Segment ManagerEmail: Kendall.Montague@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 314-502-0813

Kendall Montague is a veteran of the plastics industry with over 15 years of experience. He earned a degree in Economics from Southern Illinois University.  Previous to that Kendall enjoyed a 10 year career as a PGA Club Professional in the greater St. Lous area. After that he transitioned into the plastics industry. Through the IAPD, he has earned the Level 1 and 2 Professional Sales Certifications. Kendall was attracted to AIN Plastics after meeting thyssenkrupp Materials NA, AIN Plastics Division President John Shepherd during a national materials conference.  John’s enthusiasm and vision were shared with Kendall during a team building exercise, and Kendall was left with an impression of the organization that directly aligned with his value-added selling approach. Kendall focuses on working with OEM and MRO Engineers throughout the Oil and Gas industry assisting them with application specifics in thermoplastics material selection. He has also helped develop custom design fabrications that work well with specific CNC equipment. His fabrication experience, a skill learned early in life from his father and developed during his career, is also a valuable tool he brings.  His typical focus applications include bearing, valves, and pump components found in the Oil and Gas markets.

In his spare time Kendall loves being physically active, and especially enjoys biking, running half marathons, and hiking. His passion for running connected him with a fitness group called Road Runners Club of America (www.rrca.org) and he is now one of the over 4,600 members here in the USA, and 16 other countries. Team members can be distinguished by their signature purple camouflage apparel in races and club members range in age from 4 to 85. The group’s only requirement is that, “you have a true desire to maintain and improve your own fitness.” When he’s not participating in half marathons, Kendall enjoys spending time with his childhood sweetheart Jennie whom he met at the age of 13. Home base for Kendall is in the greater St. Louis area but he travels to customers throughout the US to provide hands on support.

Trevor Drake - Business Development - Power Distribution Industry Segment ManagerPower Distribution –

Email: Trevor.Drake@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 248-233-5600

Trevor Drake is AIN Plastics Industry Segment Manager for the Power Distribution Industry. Trevor has a well rounded background in business and industry. He is a Canada native who got his start as a plant supervisor in the automotive industry after graduating from the University of Windsor. After completing his MBA in Business Finance, Trevor joined thyssenkrupp Materials NA where he worked as part of the finance team before focusing on Sales and Marketing. Trevor has been with the AIN Plastics Division for over 10 years.

Through his diverse career, Trevor has developed key skills that are of great value.  His vision on Proficiency, the importance of urgency, and his entrepreneurial spirit serve him well. In addition he brings valuable insights from his time in manufacturing plants. Trevor spends his time in the Transportation and Power Generation sectors, focusing on Insulating materials like GPO, Phenolics, Polycarbonates, and other Engineering Plastics.

When Trevor is not working to create solutions for his customers, he enjoys watching his two sons and his daughter develop their talents in sports. He appreciates that he can continue to do what he loves while still enjoying the climate and atmosphere of Canada.

Dave Piperi - Business Development - Medical Life Science Industry Segment ManagerMedical / Life Sciences –

Email: Dave.Piperi@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 914-490-1438

Located in the New York, New Jersey area is Industry Segment Manager Dave Piperi.  Dave is an expert in the Life Sciences, Medical, and Analytical Instrumentation Markets.  Dave’s experience in our business is very deep.  Starting as an Inside Salesman gave him a strong education in Engineering Plastics.  Moving to Outside Sales, then Branch Management expanded his experience.  He was particularly interested in AIN Plastics because of its leading role in supplying High Performance Medical Grade Materials.

Dave has assisted customers and led AIN’s growth by developing applications for lab testing equipment used throughout the analytical and bio-pharma areas. Dave supports customers and design engineers by working with them and sorting through the many requirements (including specific industry certifications) and providing engineered plastic solutions. These solutions deliver real world benefits that help improve their products, increase service life and more.

Outside of his work at AIN, Dave enjoys time with his family, watching his son play sports, and relaxing on the beach.

Paul Hanson - Business Development - DuPont Vespel Industry Segment ManagerHigh Performance Materials / DuPont™ Vespel® –

Email: Paul.Hanson@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 770-362-9712

For high performance DuPont™ Vespel® Material, Paul Hanson is the go to person. Paul has been working in the Plastics Industry for over 23 years, with experience in the Manufacturing as well as Distribution fields. After earning his Bachelors Degree in Business Finance and his MBA in Business Administration, he moved from Minnesota to Georgia to enter the Plastics Business. Paul has held management positions in Manufacturing and Distribution, as well as Field Sales and Training, Paul has a unique depth of experience in the field.  He was attracted to AIN Plastics because of the company’s long history as a leader in Engineered Plastics.  As an Industry Segment Manager Paul uses his expertise to support the AIN Sales team and their customers in the selection of the right materials for specific applications, often replacing metals and other traditional materials with plastics.  Paul works closely with the DuPont™ Vespel®  organization and brings that experience to our customers, focusing on the Aerospace and Semicon Industries.

Outside of AIN, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife of 32 years, Sara.  They enjoy golfing, traveling, and spending time with their families.  On many weekends you can find him at his brother in law’s drag-strip in Middle Georgia.  His goal is to be racing there soon in a hot Camaro!

Scott Moore - Business Development O&P Industry Segment ManagerOrthotics and Prosthetics –

Email: Scott.Moore@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 813-215-8323

Scott Moore is a Florida native who leads our efforts in the Orthotics and Prosthetics Marketplace.  Scott studied Criminal Justice Standards at Polk State College, but soon found his way into the Plastics Industry.  His 20 year career started as an Inside Sales Representative for one of our strategic suppliers, Quadrant Engineering Plastics.  That experience led him to promotions at Quadrant including Inside Sales Manager, Territory Manager, and Team Leader for the Power Transmission Division.

He joined AIN Plastics Business Development Team in 2010 where he focused on DuPont™ Vespel® and Medical Grade Materials. Scott moved back to Florida as the Branch Manager for AIN Plastics Tampa, where he became heavily involved in the growing demand for Orthotics and Prosthetics materials. His materials experience was valuable in rapidly growing our position in this market.

Scott has developed special labeling for our O&P thermoforming products which is of great help to the industry.  He has also expanded our offerings to include adhesives, foams and cork, creating a full market basket. Most recently Scott introduced a unique clear unbreakable material that is ideal for  check / test sockets. As our Industry Segment Manager for O&P, Scott spends his time working in the Field with our Sales team as well as managing the relationships with our National Accounts.  Scott leads our efforts to bring AIN Plastics O&P Materials online as an OPIE Integrated Supplier.

At home, Scott enjoys spending time with Diep, his wife of 14 years, and their two daughters Kayla and Kara. He also finds time to continue his passion for playing the drums, a lifetime enjoyment. He also loves to fish and hunt, and most recently teaching one of his daughters to fish as well.

Thomas Price - Business Development, Transportation Industry Segment ManagerTransportation –

Email: Thomas.Price@thyssenkrupp.com

Phone: 678-230-7944

When it comes to materials for the Transportation Industry, Thomas Price is our resident expert and Industry Manager.  Thomas has over 20 years of Plastics Industry Experience, from Key Account Management to Branch Distribution Management. A graduate of West Virginia institute of Technology,  where he studied Design Engineering, Thomas brings great skills to AIN Plastics.  His primary focus has been on Engineered Plastics used in Aerospace, but also is an expert in Transit and other related Transportation fields.  The newest of the AIN Business Development team, Thomas joined in 2014.  He was attracted to AIN Plastics because of the professionalism displayed by the company, and his familiarity with the transportation industry.  Thomas prides himself on being able to relate to the issues of his customers, as well as the product manufacturers.  He takes an active role in problem solving throughout the supply chain, which makes him a valuable member of our team.

Thomas works out of the Charlotte, North Carolina area, but you can find him most anywhere in North America where Aircraft Interior components are designed, manufactured, and installed.

In his spare time he enjoys being a loving father to his three girls, participating in competitive target shooting, and many other outdoor activities.

In the world of engineered plastics finding the right material can seem like looking for a needle in a hay stack. As an Engineering Plastics Distributor we look to add value not just by carrying the most demanded products, from all of the Major Manufacturers, but also by being experts in the use and selection of these materials.  We can also help you in the Fabrication of these materials into parts … from prototype to full production runs.  Through our Business Development Team and Sales Team we live in the manufacturing plants of America, and we are happy to consult and teach what engineered plastics can do for you. Do you need to reduce noise? Do you need parts that last longer?  Would you like to eliminate the need for lubrication?  If you answered yes, then we can help. As your trusted partner in the distribution supply chain, we look not just at selling a piece of plastic but at providing Engineered Plastics Solutions that help you to get the right plastic material for your application.

 

Scott Petrowski Director of Supply Chain Management ThyssenKrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics DivisionScott Petrowski
Director of Supply Chain Management
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

 

Making a Better Check / Test Socket

To make a better test / check socket let’s first take a look at exactly what that is. A check socket (also known as a test socket) is a temporary prosthetic socket that is manufactured and used to diagnose an amputee’s dynamic alignment. They are typically made from a plaster casIMG_0938t of the area to be fitted. The prosthetist will then take that information and create a socket that provides optimal fit and function. This definitive socket is what patient’s will come into contact with every day. Why is all of this done instead of just building a prosthesis from a plaster mold? Because comfort is key! Just as a poor fitting pair of shoes can lead to problems, a poor fitting prosthesis can lead to serious issues including rubbing, sores, pinching that cuts off circulation and they can be so painful that patient’s sometimes do not use their prosthesis unless they absolutely must. Not to mention the hazards for diabetics or others where healing of wounds can be a potential life threatening issue.

A socket that does not have a comfortable fit or is not aligned properly can negatively impact the amputee’s stability and their ability to move naturally which can eventually lead to other physical issues. It may also leave the patient with an overall lack of confidence in their prosthesis. Ultimately poor fit and discomfort adds physical and mental stress and tension. This can also mean people are missing out on enjoying an active healthy lifestyle.

What all of this comes down to is one thing: The more accurate the check socket the quicker an amputee gains confidence and optimal mobility and is able to lead the healthy active style that is so important to a good quality of life.

Check Socket made from new Or-Pro Stiff

Check Socket made from new Or-Pro Stiff and using water to form instead of silicone

Photo---Or-Pro-Stiff-formed-w-Silicone

Using silicone adds cloudiness to plastic check socket materials

One of the things I enjoy most in my job at AIN Plastics is helping to solve problems, and as I listened to prosthetists in the field, I realized we could help solve a couple of check socket / test socket issues we heard about on a regular basis. Those issues were check socket clarity, and having a socket that could withstand testing on patients who fall into an above average weight range. The common test socket materials today have enough clarity to work, but they are subject to cracking or total failure if too much weight or pressure is put on them. I went back to my years of hands on work with plastics in other industries and began to research to find a material that would be both clear and tough. and I am happy to say we have now added Or-Pro Stiff to the AIN Plastics O&P Materials. I think you will like it too.

Or-Pro Stiff is an ultra-tough, clear plastic check socket material that resists cracking and breaking. Or-Pro Stiff thermoforms consistently and maintains outstanding clarity that allows the prosthetist to easily see and make adjustments where needed. It is also ideal for use with patients where they are above average weight.

Major Benefits of Or-Pro Stiff for Check / Test Sockets

  • Eliminates the fear of cracking or breaking
  • Excellent Clarity
  • High Stiffness
  • No Notch Sensitivity
  • No UV Sensitivity
  • No shrinkage
  • Pulls easily and uniformly
  • Eliminates the need to reinforce with fiberglass tape
  • Stocked in standard thicknesses: 10mm, 12mm and 15mm (others thicknesses available).

Our O&P Team knows your patients count on you to help them and we are here to help you by providing material solutions. There are thousands of plastic materials on the market, so if you have a specific need, we are happy to put our resources and plastics knowledge to use which saves you many hours of time and valuable resources so you can focus on what you enjoy most – providing great patient care.

If you are interested in learning more please contact me. I am happy to work with you and show you how this material can be pulled to maintain the beautiful clarity you see in the photos.

 

Dick Cubero and Scott Moore at the 2016 Hanger Charity Golf Outing

Dick Cubero and Scott Moore at the 2016 Hanger Charity Golf Outing

Scott Moore

Industry Segment Manager
Orthotics and Prosthetics

thyssenkrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

Scott Moore is a Florida native with over 20 years of experience in the plastics industry. In addition to Inside and Outside sales, Scott has been and a Leader for the Power Transmission Division of Quadrant EPP. Scott has been a Branch Manager with AIN Plastics and is now enjoying a full-time focus on the Orthotics and Prosthetics business.

 

 

Learn more about our O&P Materials at The O&P Corner or on our website.

 

 

 

AIN Plastics Participates in World Health and Safety Day with tkmna

It’s been a busy, active and fun year so far at AIN Plastics. Already this year we have had charity golf outings, 5K run walk events, bike rides and much more. This year’s annual World Heath and Safety Day at tkmna was no exception. thyssenkrupp Director of Safety Programs & 6S, Derek Overly, noted that the event had primarily focused on employee safety in past years. But this year the company wanted to add to the health side of the day. In fact, thyssenkrupp’s motto for this year was one word “Movement”! On the schedule was a lunch and learn featuring Dr. Barry Franklin from Beaumont Health and AIN Plastics, Markala Goodson, who spoke about the company group called tkactive. The day ended in a 5k Run Walk event for all employees.

Guest speaker, Dr. Barry Franklin presented great information on the importance of an active lifestyle

Guest speaker, Dr. Barry Franklin presented great information on the importance of an active lifestyle

Dr. Franklin provided an entertaining discussion of how everyone can do easy things to improve their health and create a healthy lifestyle no matter your age or current level of activity. Along with this, two lucky people took home a new fitbit, a great way to help track progress and keep you on track with fitness and healthy eating goals.

Next up in the day, Markala Goodson, presented information about thyssenkrupp’s tkactive program which is open to all tkmna employees. The group initially began in the AIN Plastics Division as AINFit.  AIN’s goal was to create a fun way to promote a healthy and active lifestyle and to support each other whoever we are. AINFit has an active FitBit group where you will find members challenging and cheering each other on as they meet their step goals. AINFit members also challenge each other with monthly contests and team up for everything from 5K run walks, to Mud Runs, and Bike rides. It’s been a great way to keep in contact with everyone and to work as a team even though our branches extend from the East coast to Dallas.

Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Associate presented tkactive at World Health and Safety Day

Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Associate presented tkactive at World Health and Safety Day

Some members of AINFit began by walking and have gone on to run their first 10Ks and beyond! The AINFit program has now gone company-wide and become tkactve. It’s free to employees, and has a simple goal of providing tips and information to achieve and maintain a healthy active lifestyle and to support each other. To that end Markala is always looking to add local 5K run walks, bike rides, and other activities employees can take part in. She is also doing contests for tkactive participants and keeps everyone up to date on the tkactive Twitter.

For World Health and Safety Day, Markala also brought in Catherine A. Smith, Executive Director/Vice President, Development, Midwest Affiliate from the American Heart Association. The Michigan area tkactive team joined in the annual Heart Walk in Detroit on May 14. In support of the

Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Sales and Marketing Associate with Catherine A. Smith of the American Heart Association

Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Sales and Marketing Associate with Catherine A. Smith of the American Heart Association

American Heart Association, thyssenkrupp will do a donation to the association for every employee that takes part.

On March 7, thyssenkrupp’s WE Move the World event began, a global step event for all employees of thyssenkrupp around the world. tKMNA’s Southfield office stepped it up on World Health and Safety Day with a 5K run walk and, in spite of the cold rainy day, the turnout was great and everyone enjoyed the course that lead everyone through a local neighborhood and park.

Other events for the day included a safety talk and some great healthy breakfasts, snacks, and lunches at other locations including AIN Plastics Kennesaw and Dallas. Topping it off, AIN Plastics Canton did their first 5K as a team and got the gear too!

AIN Plastics Canton does their Fit Gear
and they’re off! walkers and runners starting out on the Southfield 5K
AIN Plastics and everyone with tk One Source enjoy lunch for World Health and Safety Day
AIN Kennesaw laid out healthy snacks and hosted a safety meeting to keep everyone on track.
Last year AIN Plastics Michigan took part in the Corporate Field Day and they will be back – better than ever in 2016
thyssenkrupp Southfield added steps to the WE Move the World event with a 5K
Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Associate presented tkactive at World Health and Safety Day
Derek Overly is the host for the day at Southfield thyssenkrupp’s World Health and Safety Day
Guest speaker, Dr. Barry Franklin presented great information on the importance of an active lifestyle
Markala Goodson, AIN Plastics Sales and Marketing Associate with Catherine A. Smith of the American Heart Association
5K – done! Southfield MI was rainy and cold, but that didn’t stop our 5K participants.

Keep up with thyssenkrupp and everyone at AIN Plastics. We would love to be cheered on as we head out to more events. To find out more about how you can participate in the American Heart Association Heart Walks visit their site. Although the Detroit Walk for 2016 is past, other locations across Michigan and in other states are still coming up this year – You can visit them at heartwalk.org.

 

 

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See you in the blogosphere again soon

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division


lisa_anderson_001CroppedAbout Lisa Anderson
Ms. Anderson has been ThyssenKrupp Materials AIN Plastics Division for over 4 years. She brings 20+ years of advertising, award winning graphic design, social media and marketing. She has worked in book publishing, advertising agencies, printing, manufacturing, and the apartment industry. Ms. Anderson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI.

Jerry Lane Retires from AIN Plastics

In a time when the average person holds approx. 10 different jobs throughout their career the plastics industry stands out. It is often said that plastics chooses you and once you start working in plastics you stay in the business. For AIN Plastic’s Jerry Lane that has been a very true statement, but after a lifetime in plastics distribution Jerry Lane is saying ‘bon voyage’ and heading into what we all hope will be a long and happy retirement.

I sat down with Jerry and chatted with him about his time in the plastics industry and how it lead to a lifelong career with the majority of those years being at AIN Plastics.

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A Memento of the original AAA Plastics Supply

One of the first things we talked about is what has been the biggest change Jerry has seen in the plastics industry at large. After graduating Babson College in Wellesley 20 miles west of Boston Jerry joined the Coast Guard Reserves and was accepted into a Masters Degree program. 1966 Jerry went to work for his father who had a small plastics distribution company called AAA Plastics Supply. In 1985 this company merged with AIN Plastics which had 5 locations and was looking to expand and AAA Plastics Supply was a good fit. It was in Boston and then Norwood for 16 years before settling in Canton which is the current AIN location. Jerry reminisced that this past Washington’s birthday was the 31st anniversary of agreeing to the terms with Norman and Alex (The original A and N in AIN Plastics) to merge his family’s business with AIN Plastics. On April 19 of that year the formal agreement was signed and he began with AIN. Jerry feels this type of merger has been the biggest change overall in the industry. “There has been a huge consolidation of independent distributors. 30 years ago there were many small entrepreneurs. Now there are fewer but larger.” Jerry went on to add “Most manufacturers were also domestic, now the majority of suppliers are foreign-based companies.”

Jerry also noted one other major change has certainly been the Internet. “The ability to search online has provided the ability to make people smarter. There are so many resources out there. People research and shop differently now.”

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Jerry Lane working the phones at AAA Plastics Supply which became part of AIN Plastics.

One of the things that differentiated AIN Plastics during this time period was it’s internal structure and catalog systems. Jerry explained that AIN Plastics relied on a robust outcall program. He said one of Norman Drucker’s favorite sayings was, “if you aren’t taking a call you are making a call!” In the days before Internet AIN Plastics also managed a large catalog business with separate catalogs for different industries. The largest of these catalogs was a school catalog that was mailed to every school in the country, primarily to shop programs that would teach machining of plastics, metals and other materials. They also had a catalog that went out to distributors. As part of the catalog system one thing that has not changed is AIN Plastics was, and is, known for having strong inventory and fast shipping. The merging with thyssenkrupp Materials NA has only strengthened this aspect of AIN by becoming part of the thyssenkrupp nationwide logistics system.

When asked about what job he held at AIN Plastics Jerry says there have been many. Jerry says he started at the very beginning sweeping floor and doing warehouse work, but as he gained knowledge and experience Jerry has ended with a well balanced and broad career including time in:

• Corporate Operations and Management
• Corporate Quality
• Sales
• Freight and Logistics

Out of all those things, Jerry said one of the most gratifying times was on a recent trip to the AIN Plastics Yonkers facility. The team brought in a retirement cake and Inside Sales Representative George Marotta told Jerry we all wouldn’t be here is it wasn’t for the 2.5 years Jerry worked at our branch.

Of course no retirement chat would be complete without asking the question – What are you most looking forward to? After all, it’s the question we all ask ourselves about retirement or winning the lottery. For Jerry he says the first thing is to enjoy the city he and his wife and family have been a part of for so many years. “The first thing is site seeing beginning with Boston, and enjoying time with our new Grandchild due in just a short time. This will be our 2nd grandchild and first grandson.”

After that Jerry said in all his years of travel for work he has been to all of the AIN Plastics branches except TX and Missouri, “but I have not spent time in the actual cities so we plan to tour the US and enjoy being tourist travelers.”

Lastly we talked about what Jerry will miss the most. He said the AIN people are such a big part of his life and that will be what he misses the most. He went on to say, “I have a couple of projects that I know I won’t get to see finished that I know will be really good for company so I really will miss seeing those to their completion. But, there will always be those projects because it’s a part of our future and how we are growing.”

From here, Jerry will be handing over the logistics portion of his job to Lydia Gonzalez who has worked with Jerry for 24+ years. Jyoti Gorur will expand her Financial Analyst job to include some reports Jerry did as well and Debbie Shunk will take on R&A items so everyone will be in good hands.

 

Best Wishes to you Jerry!

and to everyone else –

See you in the blogosphere again soon

 

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division


lisa_anderson_001CroppedAbout Lisa Anderson
Ms. Anderson has been ThyssenKrupp Materials AIN Plastics Division for over 4 years. She brings 20+ years of advertising, award winning graphic design, social media and marketing. She has worked in book publishing, advertising agencies, printing, manufacturing, and the apartment industry. Ms. Anderson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI.

AIN Plastics Madison Heights HQ Moving to Auburn Hills, MI

thyssenkrupp Materials AIN Plastics branch has greatly enjoyed it’s Madison Heights location for many years. However, growth has brought a need for a larger facility so the Corporate office of AIN Plastics will be moving to Auburn Hills, Michigan in April.

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AIN Plastics Branch Manager, Jeff Garden

Branch Manager, Jeff Garden has been facilitating the move and stated, “we are on track to have our first day in Auburn Hills on April 20, 2016.” However, Mr. Garden also noted, “as with any big move we have a lot to do once we are in Auburn Hills so the branch will not be fully operational until April 26, 2016.” To that end, the Madison Heights Team including Inside Sales, Outside Sales, Warehouse fulfillment, and AIN’s Purchasing team, also housed at Madison Heights, has been working hard to ensure a smooth transition into the new facility. Jeff added, “everyone is really looking forward to the space which will be approximately double in size from the current Madison Heights location.”

The staff asks that if you are planning to come to the branch between April 20 and April 26 that you call ahead. 877.246.7700.

 

The new address for the AIN Plastics Michigan Branch is:

thyssenkrupp Materials NA

AIN Plastics Division

10 Corporate Drive

Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Oh but what about the phone number? No worries! The phone number is still 877.246.7700. This phone number for AIN Plastics will automatically put you in contact with your nearest branch.

As for what the new site looks like, we have a few photos to share and word is it will be bright and modern. We will share more here and on our social channels in the weeks ahead.

LinkedIn 

Facebook

Twitter

 

A Sneak Preview of the new Auburn Hills Facility. The walls are going up and things are beginning to take shape.

AIN Plastics Renews with DuPont for Vespel

In 1993, AIN Plastics was appointed E.I. DuPont’s first national distributor of Vespel® polyamide stock shapes, one of the industries most sophisticated materials. This month thyssenkrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division is proud to be continuing its relationship with DuPont, and now DOW with its renewal of the distribution agreement to continue as the Authorized Vespel® Stock Shapes Distributor for the Eastern half of the US and Canada. DuPont™ Vespel® continues to be the material of choice for high performance applications and it remains unmatched for its unique combination of properties achieved through DuPont’s proprietary Isostatic Molding Process. As for AIN Plastics, we have finalized and agreed upon an extension of our Distribution Agreement with DuPont.

Changes in the Plastics Business make Front page news!

As the Sales and Marketing Manager for DuPont™ Vespel® Authentic Shapes for thyssenkrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division, I get to live and breathe High Performance Plastics.  DuPont™, who invented DuPont™ Vespel® as well as Teflon®, Delrin®, and a multitude of other Engineering Resins known throughout the world, has been a partner with thyssenKrupp MAterials AIN Plastics Division for over 30 years. Through that time frame we

Space ShuttleFlying In The Sky. 3D Scene.

have seen 5 US presidents, the era of the space shuttle, the invention of the Internet, and mobile phones going from the size of a shoebox to being a must-have business and personal communication and entertainment device that fits in our pocket.  Through all of this, steady as a rock, DuPont was DuPont.  Always a technical leader, always an innovation resource in engineering plastics industry, DuPont materials and DuPont™ Vespel® are often considered the Gold Standard by which other plastics were measured.  So recently iStock_000060987992_Doublewhen the announcement that DuPont is merging with Dow was made it was an unexpected piece of news. But it is news that I look to as exciting.

What makes this announced merger of DuPont and DOW so exciting is the potential it brings to the table for more innovation.  This acquisition is called a “merger of equals” for good reason. Dow has a long history of technical advances in the Polyethylene business as well as other performance plastic families.  Meanwhile DuPont has been the leader in nylons and acetals stock shapes and injection molding materials.  I can only imagine what kind of new products these two technical companies and their extensive teams will dream up once they are together.

We will of course be watching as this proposed merger makes it’s way through all the legal channels and we look forward to the future with the new combined DOW DuPont. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions and I will be more than happy to help. To give you more information I’ve added a few links below to new and press releases about the DOW DuPont merger.

 

Press Release Regarding the DOW / DuPont Merger

The Washington Post Takes a look at DOW DuPont Merger and Company histories

USA Today DOW DuPont Merger News and Video

 

Photo-Hanson-DSC_0295Paul Hanson

Industry Segment Manager, DuPont™ Vespel®
thyssenkrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

Blog contributor Paul Hanson has been active in the Sales and Marketing of Engineering Plastics for over 20 years.  From Aerospace to Semicon, Paul’s expertise has been valuable to his customers and a key resource in specifying High Performance materials in demanding applications.

 

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Connect with Paul on LinkedIn

email Paul Hanson at: paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com

AIN Plastics Lancaster, PA Going Strong After Tornado

AIN Plastics up and running with no downtime after tornado hits Lancaster, PA Branch

AIN Plastics in Lancaster, PA was struck by a tornado in the early hours of Wednesday, September 30th.  Fortunately, the extent of the damage was not as extensive as it first looked. The flow of daily operations was not interrupted. Orders, shipments and sales calls were routed immediately through other AIN Plastics locations.

Within a short two days the Lancaster Sales Team had workspaces set up at a temporary sales office in the City of Lancaster. In addition, AIN acquired a temporary warehouse facility just ten minutes from our regular location on Running Pump Road. All inventory had been moved into this facility for immediate shipments and as of Monday, October 5, just five days after the strike of the tornado all orders are shipping from AIN Plastics PA as normal.

Branch Manager, Terry Tewell stated that, “the team at AIN Lancaster would like to thank all of our associates from the other AIN Plastics facilities for their assistance in shipping our orders out immediately. We would also like to thank ThyssenKrupp Corporate and AIN Plastics Senior Management for all of their support and quick actions. Most of all, we would like to thank the Community of Lancaster and our Customers that have supported us throughout this event.”

Bayer Material Science Now Covestro

As a distributor of Engineering Plastics AIN Plastics has had a long and great relationship with Bayer Material Science. Now, we here at AIN are pleased to be carrying on this same great relationship with Covestro. The company formerly known as Bayer Material Science is now a legally independent company that is still a full subsidiary of Bayer AG.

As a distributor we are looking forward to working with the same great materials and people and we are eager to see what the future brings now that Covestro stands on its own. Although some things remain the same, the change to Covestro is more than a pretty new logo. It is an opportunity that has been embraced by the Bayer team to reflect on it’s goals and it’s purpose and with that has come a new vision that Covestro released along with their new logo:

Covestro Logo Blk Txt CMYK“Making the World a Brighter Place”

In a recent press release Covestro’s CEO Patrick Thomas stated “We fulfill this vision by inspiring innovation and driving growth through profitable technologies and products that benefit society and reduce environmental impacts.”

As has been the case in the years leading up to the change, Covestro and AIN Plastics have worked with customers throughout just about every industry from high tech aerospace, defense and automotive to the demanding applications of medical device, food processing, orthotics and prosthetics and on into fine art preservation and architecture. It’s a broad range and Covestro has the high quality materials needed to supply them all. In addition, one of the things that has made the AIN Plastics / Bayer partnership so successful is our shared focus on continuous growth of industry knowledge that we bring to our customer service. As a company Covestro employs approximately 14,000 workers around the globe and according to news reports that number may be increasing soon. The US headquarters will remain in Pennsylvania where they are already sporting the bright new logo on signs around the property.

AIN Plastics is looking forward to our continued partnership with Covestro. As a top manufacturer of polycarbonate resins, sheets and shapes AIN Plastics is happy to continue stocking and selling their materials. Our team will be on the front line of learning about new Covestro materials and applications in the months and years to come, and as always, everyone at AIN Plastics will be eager to assist customers in finding that just right engineering plastic for their application.

 

 

 

For more information and articles about Bayer Material Science’s transition to Covestro see these links:

Bayer US Website

Pittshurgh-Post Gazzette

Wall Street Journal

 

See you in the blogosphere again soon!

Lisa Anderson

Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division


lisa_anderson_001CroppedAbout Lisa Anderson
Ms. Anderson has been ThyssenKrupp Materials AIN Plastics Division for over 3 years. She brings 20+ years of advertising, award winning graphic design, social media and marketing. She has worked in book publishing, advertising agencies, printing, manufacturing, and the apartment industry. Ms. Anderson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI.