Dog Days of Summer

Icontinues to be a warm summer in most of the country and that heat is carrying over to our industry. Many fab shops and thermoformers are seeing a pick up over last year and it seems to be sustaining. Many of the suppliers we work with are also reporting continued increases over last year and are cautiously optimistic that the worst is behind us. Capital is still tight however as looming tax increases and international market unrest has most braced for a long, slow recovery. To help fuel that recovery, this issue is packed with new products and technology that will open new doors and make your business more profitable.

It's trade show time again. Starting with our preview of machinery, tooling, material and technology that will be exhibited at the International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair - USA� (IWF) and the SPE Thermoforming Conference. Suppliers for our industry continue to push boundaries and provide plastic fabricators and thermoformers with new and innovative products that will increase your productivity and your bottom line. To learn more about attending these upcoming shows, see Mark Your Calendar. We have listed the booth numbers of advertisers who are exhibiting at one or both of these events under their ad and they are listed in the Advertiser's Directory on page 38.

Next up is our 13th annual Buyer�s Guide. It offers a collective resource of our advertisers� products and services this past year. Divided into ten categories with an alphabetical listing and description of manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and services for all facets of the plastic shapes industry, it is a one-stop shop for every product your shop will need. You can also keyword search the 2010 Buyer's Guide. When you find what you're looking for, tell them you got their name from PD&F Magazine.

Finally, since machinery is such a big part of this issue and our readers daily lives, Jack Podojil discusses the many facets of an effective "Lockout/Tagout Program" in Safety Solutions this month. Employers must establish, train and have a written program for proper lockout and tagout and tryout prior to performing repairs or maintenance on machinery and a variety of other common shop equipment. Failure to comply with this OSHA standard (1910.147) is one of the top ten cited penalties.

With August traditionally a big vacation month, we hope the heat wave continues. And as the plastics industry continues to heat-up, we know you will find products in this issue to fuel your business. If you are looking for more information on fabricating a wide range of plastics, or equipment and supplies, search our twelve year article archive. You can also use our online eReader Service to contact our advertisers or manage your subscription.

Enjoy the issue and the rest of your summer,

Coming September/October 2010
Thermoforming
Welding & Bonding
Ad/Edit Close: 08/23/10
Material Close: 08/30/10