Letter from the Editor

As the New Year gets underway we have seen some signs of economic recovery. Manufacturing has ticked up and depleted inventories and aging equipment are bound to produce work for plastics fabricators and sales for manufacturers and distributors. While there are many theories as to when and how the economy will recover, one thing is for sure, waiting around for it to come to you is the wrong approach.

Everyone we speak with tells us that they are working hard to manage their businesses through these trying economic times. Some report prosperity while many report tight belts and conservative postures. Customer retention and acquisition are top priorities followed closely by managing costs and personnel. Some have taken advantage of the slow down to analyze the way they conduct business and have identified ways they can improve.

One resource we encourage you to investigate is the International Plastics Fabricators Association (IPFA). The Association was formed to help fabricators manage their businesses better and market themselves to potential customers. In 2002, they are adding to their mix of member benefits while decreasing their dues in consideration of the economy. See the IPFA Corner or visit their website at www.fabricators.org for more information.

Inside this issue, we are happy to report some good news including new and expanding manufacturing facilities, growing companies and promising acquisitions (see News Briefs and People, Places and Things).

The aggressive are moving forward focusing on their sales efforts and to fine-tuning their operations to maximize profit. Exploring new end markets to serve is key to growth during depressed times. One area to consider is plastic welding. The growing demand for certified welders is an opportunity for fabricators to expand or enhance their fabrication services. We offer you two resources in this regard, Andy Bramer's article on the Fabrication of Plastics Parts, and the AWS/DVS Conference and Exhibition on Plastics Welding this March 4-6, in New Orleans, LA (see Mark Your Calendar or visit the AWS website at www.aws.org and click on "Conferences"). The three-day conference and exposition is hosted by the American Welding Society and the German Welding Society and includes a hands-on, all-day

educational program.

Another informative article this month is Thermoforming Techniques, by Michael Dowell. This issue he illustrates three advanced forming techniques that enable you to create quality, deep draw parts using a minimum starting gauge of plastic sheet.

Are you responsible for keeping the safety records at your company? If you are, then you should know about the new OSHA 300 Forms. See Safety Solutions to learn how your life just got a little easier.

Lastly, in order to provide you with even more information than we could fit in the magazine this month, we are offering two features exclusively on our website. The first is Ten Ways to Push Your Company Forward by John Graham. Another is our regular Financially $peaking column which addresses Overlooked Charitable Contributions you may be able to deduct from your 2001 taxes. Both can be found at www.plasticsmag.com in addition to a hotlinked Advertiser's Directory, a five year archive of articles from the magazine, classifieds, Manufacturer's Representatives, and our keyword searchable 2001 Buyer's Guide. These resources are offered to help make your job easier and your business more profitable.

We welcome your feedback. You can e-mail us at pdfm@plasticsmag.com. Enjoy the issue.

David Whelan
Editor/Publisher