Plastic doesn't have a good reputation, and there are plenty reasons for this. However, our everyday life today would be inconceivable without plastic. Is it too easy a thing to condemn the material?

Austria - The right material and grade for the right job can save time and money - keeping mould makers competitive. Standard parts manufacturer Meusburger in Austria gives an overview of what to consider when choosing the right material grades.

Austria – For specialist tool and mould-making company Lercher Werkzeugbau of Klaus, Austria, it was the need for reliability and precision, not short processing times, that determined their choice of machinery processes. For them, grinding has tremendous advantages over EDM and hard milling.

Milacron’s Mold-Masters product brand is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its European headquarters in Baden-Baden, Germany. For 30 years, the manufacturing facility and administrative office have been manufacturing, selling and supporting hot runners and control systems.

Iran – Lifting of sanctions could drive growth in the Iranian plastics industry. The sanctions refer to certain economic sanctions imposed on Iran that were lifted in January 2016, thereby opening doors to trade and opportunity.

France - As sport shoe manufacturers look for ways to accelerate new product launches and to create more versatile footwear to provide enhanced performance for their customers, Prodways Group 3D-printing solutions have opened up new horizons for the industrial production of 3D-printed footwear.

Compound – Russia’s largest compounder R&P Polyplastic has successfully developed a new polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), injection moulded thermoplastic compound, Armoten, the company has recently announced.

Whilst polymer demand in the Benelux is relatively small compared with other major areas or countries in Europe, it has a well-developed and significant processing sector.

Italy/Germany- At Fakuma 2015, HRS-Flow focussed on two of its latest developments in the Multitech product line, namely innovative cooling channel inserts for multi-cavity moulds produced by the SLM technology (selective laser melting), and a hot runner nozzle specifically designed for thick-walled applications.

Germany - On the occasion of a recently held press conference, the Aachen-based IKV opened its doors to give selected journalists an insight into the institute's research activities. Speakers will also tackle these and other current topics in research at IKV's upcoming Colloquium in February 2016.