Thermoplastic Welding Finds New Markets

Those involved in the thermoplastic industry know that welding has been around for quite some time. At 50 years old, thermoplastic welding has come a long way since its early applications. Today, many industries are using plastics to replace traditional materials offering thermoplastic fabricators and welder’s new niche markets to pursue.

Some markets that are increasing their use of plastics and their need for thermoplastic fabricators and welders include agriculture, marine, electroplating, HVAC, RV/Custom Coach and fire fighting industries.

In 1998, Seelye, Inc., manufacturers of hot air welding tools, moved to Ocee, Florida, and shortly thereafter started DJ Plastics, Inc., a plastic fabricating company whose main focus was to find welding markets that had not yet been tapped. After months of research, the orange groves held the answer. The agriculture industry was becoming a major player for thermoplastic fabricators, especially those located in the southeast and west coast. Most of the bins the citrus growers use are made of HDPE and under normal use, the bins crack and break. The most economical choice for growers is to have the bins repaired by plastic fabricators.

Another growing opportunity is the electroplating industry. For years, the electroplating industry used steel tanks. Because of the high cost of repairs, the industry started looking to thermoplastics. There are several styles of tanks used in the electroplating industry such as nickel plating, nitric acid, sulfuric acid and clean dip. Each tank is made according to its use, varying in size, depth and length. The tanks are commonly constructed of polypropylene (PP) which is more cost-effective than steel and much easier to fabricate and repair.

The RV/Custom Coach industry has also been expanding it use of thermoplastic structures and offers a lot of potential for thermoplastic fabricators. The RV/Coach industry typically uses three different types of tanks: gray water, black water and ice chests; all are made out of either PP or Copoly. These tanks are not for the novice fabricator. In addition to fabricating the tank, baffles and valves must be constructed and attached.

Another expanding market is the marine industry. Their needs are similar to the RV industry and include water holding tanks and tanks designed for ballast. The plastic used in the marine industry ranges from PP to marine grade formulation polyethylene.

The fire-fighting industry is a major market for thermoplastics, especially Copoly. Steel has been commonly used for brush truck and pumper truck water storage tanks, sizes ranging from 250 gallons to 3,500 gallons, but because of rust and corrosion they have turned to thermoplastics. Regardless of location, a fabricator is never too far from a fire station and the possibility of opening up this quiet market.

On the chance that a defective product affects other areas of the customer’s property, it is highly recommended to protect your company and its assets. Carrying an adequate liability policy will cover any possible damages that may occur if the product you fabricate fails. Thermoplastics are replacing conventional materials in more industries and applications everyday. For thermoplastic welders, new opportunities can be found in the agriculture, marine, electroplating, H VAC, RV/Custom Coach and fire fighting industries to name a few. Spend some timing identifying which of these industries are in your geographic region and you may find new opportunities for your business.