Tag Archives: ThyssenKrupp Materials NA

What Are Polymers?

What Are Polymers? What Polymers Occur In Nature?

iStock_000064384687_Double-Rotated

POLYMER: a chemical compound that is made of small molecules that are arranged in a simple repeating structure to form a larger molecule.

DNA, genetic sign, elements and icons collection

DNA, genetic sign, elements and icons collection

Naturally Occurring Polymers

To know what a polymer structure looks like, think of a chain with many links connected together. In nature our own DNA is an excellent example. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)  is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all known living organisms. The diversity of how these chains link mean polymers exhibit a very broad range of properties making them an essential and vital piece in everyday life, no matter where we look.

How Are Polymers Created?

Polymers are created through chemical reactions known as polymerizations, and most polymers are made via just two basic reaction types.

Polymerization Type #1 – Condensation polymerization.

Condensation polymerizations occur when two monomers react to yield a repeat unit (a chain) and then along the way they lose small molecules as by-products such as water or methanol. In plastics one example of condensation polymerization is polyamide that comes from monomers with carboxylic acids and basic amines. A polyamide is a macromolecule with repeating units linked by amide bonds. In our business of engineered plastics we often think of DuPont Vespel®, a specialized engineered plastic. On the other end, naturally occurring polyamides are also the proteins that make up wool and silk.

polyamide_formula_v01

Synthetic Polyamides and the Birth of Nylon

Wallace Hume Carothers (April 27, 1896 – April 29, 1937) was an American chemist. He is most noted as the inventor of nylon, one of the most widely used and known plastics throughout the world because of is many forms and uses.

Carothers was the leader of organic chemistry at DuPont when he made the first nylon to be a synthetic replacement for silk. Most people also know this is where nylon stockings became popular as silk went into short supply, but nylon was so successful that it replaced many different products after silk became scarce during World War II. Most noted nylon was used in military applications such as parachutes and flak vests. After initial the commercialization of nylon as a fiber, applications in the form of shapes and films were also developed with demand.  Industries as diverse as packaging, electrical and electronics, consumer goods, appliances, and automotive are just a few of the areas that developed applications for nylon plastic in various forms.

Polymerization Type #2 – Chain-Growth Polymerization

Chain growth polymerization occurs when a monomer forms a molecule with an unpaired electron. The free radical reacts quickly with another monomer and causes a repeat unit with another free radical. A rapid chain reaction continues bringing about the polymerization, and the polymer chain continues to grow longer.

One example of a synthetic polymer made through a chain-growth polymerization is polystyrene, a polymer commonly found in disposable drinking cups. It is interesting to note that the original discovery of this polymer dates all the way back to 1839 by Eduard Simon.  As a traveling member of AIN Plastic Business Development I rely heavily on this synthetic polymerization… Since the discovery of this polymerization process, the advancements have been ever changing in the industry of materials like engineered plastics. For example, polystyrene itself comes in forms from clear and hard to a foam version invented by DOW in 1941. The end result simply depends on the particular catalyst and chemicals selected to create polymerization process.

Chemists have discovered new catalysts and developed new synthetic chains to join small molecules into long polymer chains with the right properties for almost any particular use….only time will tell what comes next, and I for one, can’t wait to see.

Montague-Sml-DSC_0304Kendall Montague
Industry Segment Manager, Oil and Gas

thyssenkrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

M: +1 (314) 502-0813, : +1 (877) 246-7700, Kendall.Montague@thyssenkrupp.com

See our catalog online at www.onlineplastics.com

Kendall Montague is a veteran of the plastics industry with 16+ years experience working with OEM and MRO engineers assisting in developing thermoplastics material selection as well as custom design and fabrication using CNC equipment.

Active Member with the Energy & Polymer Group – Houston
linkedin-logo-Icon

Sources for this article:

Introduction to Polymers  R.J. Young Chapman

Market Studies- Ceresena

Meriam Webster-dictionary

wikipedia

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

 

The History of Cellophane

iStock_000041386120_FullMany of the types of plastics we use each day have surprisingly interesting histories and stories of creation. As consumers we often don’t think about the type of plastic we are using or how it came to be. Was it created intentionally or by accident? Is it still used today for its original purpose? What is its effect on us? These are the kinds of questions we don’t typically think to ask, and we are actually missing out on fascinating history because of it.

wine spill 1Take cellophane for example. Cellophane has come a long way since its original creation in 1908 by Swiss chemist Jacques E. Brandenberger. The material was actually created as a result of a failed experiment by Brandenberger when he was originally trying to create a waterproof tablecloth. The story goes that Brandenberger was eating at a restaurant when he watched someone spill a glass of wine onto the nice tablecloth at their table. After seeing all the work and time this one spilled glass caused, it inspired him to create something that would repel liquids instead of absorb them. He set out to create this new type of tablecloth but was dismayed when he realized using viscose to spray a waterproof coating on fabric was too stiff.

But, with this failure came a realization: although the coated fabric was too stiff, it produced a clear film which easily separated from the backing cloth. He began exploring new possibilities with this great discovery. After ten years of research and experimenting, Brandenberger was able to create the waterproof material that was eventually named “cellophane.” “Cello” comes from the material used to create cellophane, cellulose, and “phane” comes from the French word for transparent, “diaphane.” With this creation Brandenburger also invented a machine that could manufacture cellophane in 1912. This marked the beginning of cellophane’s great potential and did not go unnoticed for long.

Cellophane was first used in the U.S. by Whitman’s Candy Company in 1912, shortly after the creation of Brandberger’s manufacturing machine. Whitman’s used the plastic for candy wrappers, and was the largest user of imported cellophane from France until 1924. It was in 1924 that cellophane received even greater attention by one of America’s leading plastics companies, DuPont.wine spill 2

DuPont saw the potential in cellophane and acquired U.S. patent rights in 1923 to begin production in Buffalo, New York. Although cellophane was waterproof it was not vapor-proof, meaning it was impossible to use for food packaging since moisture could still collect inside the cellophane. DuPont hired chemist William Hale Charch to solve this problem, and four years later, he did. Now that cellophane was both waterproof and moisture-proof it could be used for food packaging, which is exactly what it was used for then and still is today.

With the invention of moisture-proof cellophane came great benefits for DuPont, including a tripling in the material’s sales between 1928 and 1930. In 1938 cellophane accounted for ten percent of DuPont’s sales and twenty-five percent of its profits, making it one of their best selling products.

DuPont is well known for many other materials and products besides cellophane. Materials we use every day come from DuPont, such as nylon, artificial leather, ammonia, and rayon. Then there are the materials used in very specific applications that also come from DuPont, like Kevlar, the bulletproof material used in police vests. Another material used in specific applications is DuPont Vespel, a polyamide with a unique combination of properties that makes it ideal for aerospace and other highly specialized uses.

DuPont’s products are even more interesting when their history is known. Because of this, DuPont created several pages on their website dedicated to telling the stories of their various products, going all the way back to 1802, the very beginning of DuPont. To learn more about the history of DuPont’s products, check out http://www.dupont.com/corporate-functions/our-company/dupont-history.html.

For more on DuPont Vespel, visit their website.

For more on Jaques E. Brandenburger visit this site.

 

DSC_0138About Alyssa Warner

Alyssa Warner will be a senior at Judson University this fall. She is studying Graphic Design and has completed three internships in her field of study. Alyssa has interned at Kensington Church, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and thyssenkrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division.

Learn more about AIN Plastics and the family of thyssenkrupp Materials North America on our website. www.ainplastics.com and for a catalog of the engineered plastics and other products thyssenkrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics sells please visit onlineplastics.com or join us on social media for the latest in plastics news and more.

Machined Plastic Parts Provide Solutions for Noise Reduction

DSC_0193

The famous line from the 1993 Car-X commercial  “RATTLE RATTLE THUNDER CLATTER BOOM BOOM BOOM”** is a heads up for some people that improvements can be made to reduce noise. For engineers and operators these sounds on a manufacturing line or in a production environment are a trigger for to “investigate” the cause and dig into the field of tribology. In the field of engineered plastics, these noises can also be an opportunity to provide machined parts from thermoplastics as a solution for noise reduction and improved efficiency!

On the floor of production and manufacturing facility environments loud noises are an OSHA concern as they can be an issue for the health and safety of workers. In these situations, parts machined from thermoplastics can provide an design option that can greatly reduce noise levels and improve conditions. In addition, machined plastics can bring about increased efficiencies that reduce downtime.

“As with any occupational hazard, control technology should aim at reducing noise to acceptable levels by action on the work environment. Such action involves the implementation of any measure that will reduce noise being generated, and/or will reduce the noise transmission through the air or through the structure of the workplace. Such measures include modifications of the machinery”

Engineering Noise Control

Professor Colin H. Hansen & Dr Berenice I.F. Goelzer

Department of Mechanical Engineering – World Health Organization

(You can get a .pdf of their complete article on the topic of acoustics here)

Have you considered Thermoplastics, to reduce that noise and improve operational efficiency?

Key Characteristics of Plastic Components:

• Low weight – Easier handling, reduction in drive power required, improved lifting capacity

• Excellent price/performance ratio – Extended part life due to very high wear resistance

• Many are self-lubricating – Maintenance requirements can be reduced or eliminated

• Reduction of equipment noise and vibration

• Mating parts are not worn or damaged

• High mechanical strength, hardness and stiffness

• Impact strength even at low temperatures-cryogenic

• High mechanical dampening capacity

• Excellent fatigue resistance

• Good sliding and emergency running properties

• Outstanding abrasion resistance

• Dimensional stability and weather resistance

• Broad chemical resistance

• Will not corrode

IMG_0465 IMG_0496 UHMW-DSC_0056-2

Here are a few links to some other sources where you can learn more about the use of engineered plastics to help reduce noise and improve efficiency, plus a little link just for fun – in case you have never seen the 1993 commercial.

Connect with Vitrex on LinkedIn to see how a change to machined parts from PEEK helped to reduce noise caused by wind turbines.

Read more about tribology in one of an earlier AIN Plastics blog post by AIN Industry Segment Manager for DuPont™ Vespel® Paul Hanson.

If you don’t know the 1993 commercial we are referring to, no worries, you can find it on YouTube!

ASME (Americann Society of Mechanical Engineers) also has an excellent article that details the benefits many are finding as they replace metal parts with thermoplastic parts.

Finding the right thermoplastic for machined parts is not always a simple straight forward task of looking online or in a catalog. Today’s engineered plastics include thousands of options and many are specially designed with high wear applications in mind like bearing, bushings and more. As a provider of engineered plastic solutions we look to assist you in finding that just right plastic material that will meet the application specific needs and be the best possible value. In the end you may find benefits beyond noise reduction by changing from metal to plastic parts. If you have questions please contact me.

Montague-Sml-DSC_0304

Kendall Montague
Industry Segment Manager

thyssenkrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

Kendall Montague is a veteran of the plastics industry with 16+ years experience working with OEM and MRO engineers assisting in developing thermoplastics material selection as well as custom design and fabrication using CNC equipment.

Active Member with the Energy & Polymer Group – Houston
linkedin-logo-Icon

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!

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.

 

 

Icon - Twitter Icon - LinkedIn Icon - GooglePlus Icon - Facebook

 

 

 

 

 

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.

IMG_1301

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.”

JerryLane

 

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.

Thermoplastic Valve and Seal Materials

Table comparing the pros and cons of commonn thermoplastics used in valve and seal applicationsIn our last post on the topic of thermoplastic pumps and valves we looked at how corrosion occurs with thermoplastics. In this article we are looking at the specific materials of choice that are most often used when designing valves and seals with thermoplastics.

As with traditional materials like metal or even wood thermoplastics all have advantages and disadvantages. In my work here at AIN Plastics my job is often to help customers look at all the pros and cons and help determine the best engineering plastic for a particular application.

The task of selecting the right thermoplastic for a machined valve or seal can be detailed and sometimes daunting when you see all the thousands of options available in the market today. Throw in trade names for engineering plastic materials and it can become even more confusing. Many plastic materials exist in their basic form but there are also versions that have certain properties boosted by the addition of fillers like ceramic, graphite and more. Still others, like Dupont™ Vespel®, are made through a proprietary isostatic molding process making it the only one of it’s kind in the plastics industry.

Below is a table I’ve put together as a good starting point for detrmining what type of thermoplastic may be best suited to a job. This table explains the basic advantages and disadvantages of the most popular engineering plastics for pump and valve as well as many other machined part applications. Once the basic crietria are determined, the next step is often making the initial part and testing. From there designers may find a need to move to a material with a filler to, for example, enhance the heat resistance properties.

On the surface some of these engineering plastics appear costly. But, when material selection is done carefully it is often the case that customers are pleasantly surprised to find plastics end up costing less overall. This is due to reduced maintenance time because parts last longer, or they don’t need lubrication. It may also be because you don’t need the most expensive material. While a PAI might have all the properties you need and then some, we might find a less expensive material with a filler can do the job just as well because it fits all the criteria needed.

 

 

For more ways to look at the differences of engineering plastics see our related infographic.

Montague-Sml-DSC_0304

Kendall Montague
Industry Segment Manager

thyssenkrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division

Kendall Montague is a veteran of the plastics industry with 16+ years experience working with OEM and MRO engineers assisting in developing thermoplastics material selection as well as custom design and fabrication using CNC equipment.

Active Member with the Energy & Polymer Group – Houston
linkedin-logo-Icon

 

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.

TKMNA Talent Program Team Takes on New Challenges

As the Song Goes…Guess Who’s Back, Back Again…

What an incredible experience! As of May 28th, I have completed ThyssenKrupp Materials
NA Sales Talent Development Program. Woohoo! I’m very thankful for this opportunity to gain experience in not only sales, but other departments such as operations, purchasing, and finance. My journey through the program was from AIN Plastics, to Copper and Brass, Class II of the Sales Talent Development Program included Left to right Louis Szilagyi, Chris Porritt, Jon Lown, and Front Becca Reidythen onto ThyssenKrupp Industrial Services, next up was ThyssenKrupp Aerospace and I also spent a week at KenMac Metals. Through the rotations, I had the opportunity to go on sales calls and see the applications of our materials for TKMNA. I saw everything from cranial baby helmets being produced to seeing the F-150 stamping plant and touring the Boeing facility that could fit 75 NFL football fields inside it to riding along on the BMW test track!

Pictured to the right is Class II of the Sales Talent Development Program which included (left to right) Louis Szilagyi, Chris Porritt, Jon Lown, (and front) Becca Reidy

New Image

Pictured Above: Jon Lown Chris Porritt, Louis Szilagyi, Becca Reidy, and Talent Program Director Heather Clark of TKMNA, NA.

 

image002-1I am happy to say, since completing the program, I began my Inside Sales position at AIN Plastics on July 1st. First, I’m heading down to our Kennesaw Branch to learn as much as I can from our team about the machine shop at Kennesaw, GA and all the value-added services. February 1st, I will be off to Dallas to join our team and settle in. I’m looking forward to applying all my skills that I have developed over this past year and seeing the results. I know it’s not going to be easy. Sales can be tough; you win some and lose some. It’s a lot like sports. You dedicate a lot of time and effort toward an account and sometimes you come out with a loss. Sometimes you get in ruts, but with the support of your team and a good sense of work ethic you break the bad streak. And all that hard work will be worth the results.

I want to send out a big thank you for everyone who has made my journey along the way a great experience and I’m excited to start working with my AIN team. If anyone has any questions on my journey or the other divisions I visited feel free to contact me. I would love to discuss my journey in more detail.

 

Becca Reidy

Inside Sales
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division

rebecca.reidy@thyssenkrupp.com

To read more about Becca and the journey of the Sales Talent Development Team Visit these other posts.

Chris Porritt Talks AIN Plastics and Talent Development Program

AIN Acquires New Talent Through TKMNA Program

What’s That Plastic?

Have you ever come across a plastic material, a sheet, rod, or tube, in your shop or warehouse with no label and no way to determine exactly what it is? This can be a difficult challenge due to incredible number of variations that include all the machinable engineering plastics plus all the fillers and additives used to enhance or improve aspects of an engineering plastic’s performance under specific conditions.
However, there are some things you can do to get off to a good start on narrowing down the options.
We’ve put together a handy infographic on some simple do it yourself tests and how the most popular engineering plastics will react to them.

In addition to these methods take a look at our blog post on using the Burn / Flame Test to Identify Plastic Materials