Canada is about to have a new face unveiled at the world junior hockey championship.
The Rally Face. No paint required. Just hook it over your ears and cheer as loud as you want. You don't even have to remove it to have a sip from your favourite beverage.
"This one is a Canadian flag mask," said Charlie Simmer, one of two former NHLers involved with Rally Face. "You want to be behind your team and your country and it's just a different way of expressing yourself.
"Plus it's an item you can get signed and keep as memorabilia."
The company, which also includes Simmer's former Los Angeles Kings linemate Marcel Dionne and a couple of investors, is in its infant stages under the new ownership.
The masks, made of an injected PVC plastic mould, have been around for a little more than a year, mostly in the hands and on the faces of fans of NCAA teams.
"When we took it over we thought it was a natural for any sport really," said Simmer, who is a colour commentator for Calgary Flames broadcasts on Sportsnet West. "Fans are always painting their faces in support of teams, so the avenues are endless.
The faces sell for about $10 each and, in addition to being available online, are on sale at Source For Sports in Calgary, Sports Central in Sylvan Lake and the Red Deer Rebels pro shop. They also are going to try to get them into Rexall Place and the Scotiabank Saddledome.
"It's a very infant stage for us right now," said Simmer. "Marcel has been big into promotion of sports material since he retired, so he's been doing it for a long time. I'm just kind of the tag-along guy, but he's really excited about this. It's a smaller group, fun business we're doing, but we think the possibilities are endless. We can customize masks for any event or do them for business promotions.
"Looking around the corner, there's the Summer Olympics and looking to the future we're thinking about bringing out a blank mask that kids can do their own designs on."
Rally Face also put out a pink mask in support of the fight against breast cancer. All proceeds from those sales have gone directly to Alberta breast cancer.
But right now it's all about the world junior and getting the Rally Face into the crowds for what is sure to be worldwide exposure from the newsprint and television coverage.
"With Canadian hockey fans so passionate, I think if they see one, they'll want one," said Simmer. "I think once you see 500 people in the same section wearing them, it's going to be pretty cool looking."
2011年11月28日星期一
Now is the best time to plant, but be sure to pick the right type
If you're looking for a plant to provide privacy from neighbours, act as a focal point or add vertical interest, then snap up a tree - those planted now will establish quickly in moist soil, forming roots that will enable them to romp away in spring.
There are masses of trees on offer at garden centres and nurseries at this time of year. Many will be sold as container-grown specimens, but you'll also find bare-root trees. Generally cheaper to buy, these trees are two to three-year-old plants grown in a field and lifted for sale while dormant.
Yet choosing the perfect tree can be tricky. Many are one-season wonders that you'll soon tire of as they do little to earn their keep during the rest of the year.
But among those worth growing are crab apples - this large tribe of small trees, known botanically as malus, boast glorious scented blossom in spring and branches laden with showy fruit during autumn and winter.
Malus 'John Downie' has white flowers followed by orange fruit, while M. x zumi var. calocarpa 'Golden Hornet' is blessed with pink blossom and tiny yellow apples. M. tschonoskii has white flowers and chartreuse fruit, and its leaves turn yellow, orange, purple and bright red in autumn.
Ornamental cherries are probably the most exuberant of spring-flowering trees, but many fail to turn heads once the blossom starts to fade. Not Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' - the clouds of pink flowers that form on bare branches are replaced by a cloak of purple foliage. Another winner is P. sargentii, a roundheaded tree with pink flowers, striking autumn colour and attractive bark.
There are many fantastic varieties of sorbus, which will reward you with flowers in spring, handsome foliage, jewel-like berries and fiery autumnal tints. Sorbus vilmorinii is desired for its white flowers, ferny foliage and pinkish berries, while S. 'Joseph Rock' has bright yellow berries and leaves that turn shades of orange, red and purple. My favourite is S. cashmiriana, a small tree with pink flowers, graceful foliage and pure white berries that remain on branches well into winter.
Other hard-working varieties include Pyrus calleryana 'Chantiguide cleer', a slender tree with white flowers and glowing autumn foliage, and Amelanchier lamarckii - apart from spring flowers and black fruit, its green leaves turn crimson later in the year.
Whichever sort of tree you choose, avoid planting too close to your home: some have roots that can disrupt foundations, damage drains or lead to subsidence. Willows, poplars, oaks and other vigorous species need planting up to 65ft from buildings, while a gap of 12ft to 23ft is fine for smaller specimens. A useful to planting distances can be found at www.subsidencebureau.com, but as a general rule, roots cover a distance that's equal to twoand-a-half times the mature height of the tree.
Planting a container-grown tree in the ground does not take long but it's essential to do it correctly or it may fail to establish. Start by preparing the site. Skim off any weeds with a hoe, then dig a round hole that's about twice the diameter of the container and the same depth.
Spike the sides and bottom of the hole with a garden fork to allow roots to penetrate easily. Stand the tree in a bucket of water for a few minutes to ensure roots are damp, then slide off the container and tease out roots from the side and bottom. Place the tree in the centre of the hole and backfill with the excavated soil, firming it down with your hands to remove air pockets.
Bare root trees need planting at the same depth as they were growing before being lifted from the ground - there should be an obvious 'tide mark' of soil on the trunk.
After planting, give the soil a good soaking, then spread a 3in layer of bark, leaf mould or garden compost over the surface to lock in moisture and prevent weeds growing. Keep mulch clear of the trunk as contact can cause bark to soften and rot.
Any trees over 3ft will need shoring up. Use round or square tree stakes hammered into the ground vertically for bare root tree and stakes at 45 degrees for containergrown trees. Secure to the tree with plastic buckle ties.
Slow-growing or compact trees can be planted in large pots. First, cover the drainage holes in the base with bits of broken terracotta pot, then add a layer of soil-based John Innes No3 compost. Mix in some slow-release fertiliser granules. Place the tree in the pot and top up with more compost. Leave a 2in gap between the surface of the compost and the lip of the container to allow space for watering.
Keep compost moist and feed each spring. To do this, carefully scrape away loose compost from the surface and replace with fresh compost and a handful of fertiliser granules. Most trees will be happy in the same pot for up to five years but will eventually start to sulk when the roots run out of space. Pep them up by transferring to a slightly larger container.
There are masses of trees on offer at garden centres and nurseries at this time of year. Many will be sold as container-grown specimens, but you'll also find bare-root trees. Generally cheaper to buy, these trees are two to three-year-old plants grown in a field and lifted for sale while dormant.
Yet choosing the perfect tree can be tricky. Many are one-season wonders that you'll soon tire of as they do little to earn their keep during the rest of the year.
But among those worth growing are crab apples - this large tribe of small trees, known botanically as malus, boast glorious scented blossom in spring and branches laden with showy fruit during autumn and winter.
Malus 'John Downie' has white flowers followed by orange fruit, while M. x zumi var. calocarpa 'Golden Hornet' is blessed with pink blossom and tiny yellow apples. M. tschonoskii has white flowers and chartreuse fruit, and its leaves turn yellow, orange, purple and bright red in autumn.
Ornamental cherries are probably the most exuberant of spring-flowering trees, but many fail to turn heads once the blossom starts to fade. Not Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' - the clouds of pink flowers that form on bare branches are replaced by a cloak of purple foliage. Another winner is P. sargentii, a roundheaded tree with pink flowers, striking autumn colour and attractive bark.
There are many fantastic varieties of sorbus, which will reward you with flowers in spring, handsome foliage, jewel-like berries and fiery autumnal tints. Sorbus vilmorinii is desired for its white flowers, ferny foliage and pinkish berries, while S. 'Joseph Rock' has bright yellow berries and leaves that turn shades of orange, red and purple. My favourite is S. cashmiriana, a small tree with pink flowers, graceful foliage and pure white berries that remain on branches well into winter.
Other hard-working varieties include Pyrus calleryana 'Chantiguide cleer', a slender tree with white flowers and glowing autumn foliage, and Amelanchier lamarckii - apart from spring flowers and black fruit, its green leaves turn crimson later in the year.
Whichever sort of tree you choose, avoid planting too close to your home: some have roots that can disrupt foundations, damage drains or lead to subsidence. Willows, poplars, oaks and other vigorous species need planting up to 65ft from buildings, while a gap of 12ft to 23ft is fine for smaller specimens. A useful to planting distances can be found at www.subsidencebureau.com, but as a general rule, roots cover a distance that's equal to twoand-a-half times the mature height of the tree.
Planting a container-grown tree in the ground does not take long but it's essential to do it correctly or it may fail to establish. Start by preparing the site. Skim off any weeds with a hoe, then dig a round hole that's about twice the diameter of the container and the same depth.
Spike the sides and bottom of the hole with a garden fork to allow roots to penetrate easily. Stand the tree in a bucket of water for a few minutes to ensure roots are damp, then slide off the container and tease out roots from the side and bottom. Place the tree in the centre of the hole and backfill with the excavated soil, firming it down with your hands to remove air pockets.
Bare root trees need planting at the same depth as they were growing before being lifted from the ground - there should be an obvious 'tide mark' of soil on the trunk.
After planting, give the soil a good soaking, then spread a 3in layer of bark, leaf mould or garden compost over the surface to lock in moisture and prevent weeds growing. Keep mulch clear of the trunk as contact can cause bark to soften and rot.
Any trees over 3ft will need shoring up. Use round or square tree stakes hammered into the ground vertically for bare root tree and stakes at 45 degrees for containergrown trees. Secure to the tree with plastic buckle ties.
Slow-growing or compact trees can be planted in large pots. First, cover the drainage holes in the base with bits of broken terracotta pot, then add a layer of soil-based John Innes No3 compost. Mix in some slow-release fertiliser granules. Place the tree in the pot and top up with more compost. Leave a 2in gap between the surface of the compost and the lip of the container to allow space for watering.
Keep compost moist and feed each spring. To do this, carefully scrape away loose compost from the surface and replace with fresh compost and a handful of fertiliser granules. Most trees will be happy in the same pot for up to five years but will eventually start to sulk when the roots run out of space. Pep them up by transferring to a slightly larger container.
2011年11月22日星期二
DPI takes EVA foam moulding into new areas
Injection moulder DPI, based in Geldrop, the Netherlands, has started moulding EVA foam, the very light material used in Crocs shoes.
DPI claims to be the first company in western Europe to process EVA material, aside from contract moulders producing shoes in Italy, Romania, Bosnia and Hercegovina for Crocs.
In September, DPI exhibited at the Kunststoffen 2011 fair in Veldhoven, and it held a technical event at its Geldrop facility in June to demonstrate the process to customers.
At these events, DPI showed the children's EVA cycle seats it is moulding for Dutch company GMG. The Yepp seats are available in a variety of bright colours.
EVA is suitable for these seats because it is waterproof, shock-absorbing, has a high insulating capacity and is easy to clean. EVA is about 70-80% lighter than traditional plastic products, but is also tough, UV resistant, flame retardant and easy to colour.
DPI has invested in KS series machinery from KingSteel Machinery in Taiwan to produce the seats for GMG.
It says EVA can be moulded for many consumer products, such as footwear, toys, bicycle saddles, bags and belts. The company can also mould products in smaller runs of about 500 to 1,000 items.
The temperature of the EVA compound in the injection unit is only 90C, while the mould temperature is 170C. This is necessary because the EVA compound contains two additives - a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent - which only react if the temperature is sufficiently high. So once it enters the mould, the higher temperature causes foaming and crosslinking of the EVA material. When the mould opens after injection and cooling, the EVA bubbles grow and the product expands by 170%.
The cycle time is longer than when injection moulding other plastics, and to address this DPI uses a mould with eight cavities located side by side. Two independent barrels are attached to the injection unit and cavities are filled in a sequence, increasing productivity.
DPI claims to be the first company in western Europe to process EVA material, aside from contract moulders producing shoes in Italy, Romania, Bosnia and Hercegovina for Crocs.
In September, DPI exhibited at the Kunststoffen 2011 fair in Veldhoven, and it held a technical event at its Geldrop facility in June to demonstrate the process to customers.
At these events, DPI showed the children's EVA cycle seats it is moulding for Dutch company GMG. The Yepp seats are available in a variety of bright colours.
EVA is suitable for these seats because it is waterproof, shock-absorbing, has a high insulating capacity and is easy to clean. EVA is about 70-80% lighter than traditional plastic products, but is also tough, UV resistant, flame retardant and easy to colour.
DPI has invested in KS series machinery from KingSteel Machinery in Taiwan to produce the seats for GMG.
It says EVA can be moulded for many consumer products, such as footwear, toys, bicycle saddles, bags and belts. The company can also mould products in smaller runs of about 500 to 1,000 items.
The temperature of the EVA compound in the injection unit is only 90C, while the mould temperature is 170C. This is necessary because the EVA compound contains two additives - a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent - which only react if the temperature is sufficiently high. So once it enters the mould, the higher temperature causes foaming and crosslinking of the EVA material. When the mould opens after injection and cooling, the EVA bubbles grow and the product expands by 170%.
The cycle time is longer than when injection moulding other plastics, and to address this DPI uses a mould with eight cavities located side by side. Two independent barrels are attached to the injection unit and cavities are filled in a sequence, increasing productivity.
2011年11月2日星期三
Mystery goo may be 'manna from heaven'
In the autumn of 2009, blobs of a jelly-like substance appeared in various parts of Scotland. People reported finding piles or single blobs of the mucus on the ground, on posts, even on a tractor. BBC Radio Scotland sent samples to experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and the Macaulay Institute in Aberdeen, which researches soils and other environmental factors, but the tests were inconclusive.
In fact, the mystery jelly has been known about for centuries. As one account described in 1910, "Among the Welsh peasants there is a belief that when a meteor falls to the earth it becomes reduced to a mass of jelly. This they name pwdre ser."
The name is pronounced "poodra sair" and means star-rot. Reports of it crop up in all sorts of literature, including Sir Walter Scott's novel Talisman. "'Seek a fallen star,' said the hermit, 'and thou shalt only light on some foul jelly, which, in shooting through the horizon, has assumed for a moment an appearance of splendour.'" It sometimes appears after showers of rain, and theories of exactly what the nature of the mystery goo is range from manna from heaven, the remnants of a meteor shower, regurgitated frogspawn, some other animal or bird vomit, a fungus or slime mould, and even extraterrestrial life showering down from space. This may have inspired the Steve McQueen 1958 science fiction movie, The Blob, in which a giant gooey ball terrorised a town.
In fact, the mystery jelly has been known about for centuries. As one account described in 1910, "Among the Welsh peasants there is a belief that when a meteor falls to the earth it becomes reduced to a mass of jelly. This they name pwdre ser."
The name is pronounced "poodra sair" and means star-rot. Reports of it crop up in all sorts of literature, including Sir Walter Scott's novel Talisman. "'Seek a fallen star,' said the hermit, 'and thou shalt only light on some foul jelly, which, in shooting through the horizon, has assumed for a moment an appearance of splendour.'" It sometimes appears after showers of rain, and theories of exactly what the nature of the mystery goo is range from manna from heaven, the remnants of a meteor shower, regurgitated frogspawn, some other animal or bird vomit, a fungus or slime mould, and even extraterrestrial life showering down from space. This may have inspired the Steve McQueen 1958 science fiction movie, The Blob, in which a giant gooey ball terrorised a town.
2011年10月16日星期日
That Uniqlo has signed Susan Sarandon should be seen as a triumph for older women
It would be nice to think that, wouldn't it? And who knows, maybe they are, or at least maybe they are finally realising that older women tend to have more money than the anorexic Russian teenagers to whom they usually seem to be trying to appeal, judging from the women they use in their adverts. True, the fact that Demi has admitted to having had plastic surgery somewhat undermines the idea that the fashion industry is developing healthier ideas of how women look, but no matter.
So well done to American retailers Ann Taylor and Talbots for hiring Demi Moore and Julianne Moore, although maybe they just hired them for their last name as opposed to their maturity and beauty. Apparently, there is a huge untapped market out there for women whose surname is "Moore".
Now, if I were a true professional I would see Uniqlo's signing of Susan Sarandon as even more of a triumph. Talbots does aim at a somewhat older market, so for it to use older models, while commendable, is not actually that mould-breaking. Uniqlo, however, aims primarily, if not solely, at a younger generation, so using 64-year-old Sarandon in its adverts really is an impressive step. Or it would be, were I a professional.
You see, to be a true professional journalist, one should tuck one's emotions away and merely report on the story itself. Facts, dear boy, facts, and all that. But I'm afraid I ... cannot ... hold … in … any … more! My God, I just cannot bear Sarandon.
She is a very fine actor and quite possibly one of the sexiest women ever born, and yet instead of cheering on this sexy sixtysomething, whenever I see her step up to a podium to give an award to someone, I just want to claw my own ears off my head. Like Sean Penn and Helen Hunt, Sarandon has always come across as so spectacularly humourless, sanctimonious and lacking in self-awareness that no matter how I try to like her, I end up scratching away at my lobes.
I used to feel guilty about this. After all, irrational hatred of celebrities one has never even met is surely one of the great ills of the modern day, along with internet-induced ADD and flavoured coffees. But then, about two years ago, I happened to see Ms Sarandon walking up the red carpet to, if memory serves, the Oscars when she was stopped by the star of E! himself, Ryan Seacrest. At first, Sarandon did her usual shtick, solemnly lecturing E!'s audience about, if memory is still serving, the victims in Haiti, a very commendable thing to lecture on. When Seacrest then told her they didn't have much time left, she hastily switched subjects to detailing where each part of her outfit had come from, taking special care to give a shout to her jewellers, banging on about her earrings for veritable yonks. Well, you gotta please the advertisers and fashion press offices, right? Oh, Sarandon. Go off and wrap yourself in some colourful knitwear and don't hit your sexy butt on the way out, girlfriend.
So well done to American retailers Ann Taylor and Talbots for hiring Demi Moore and Julianne Moore, although maybe they just hired them for their last name as opposed to their maturity and beauty. Apparently, there is a huge untapped market out there for women whose surname is "Moore".
Now, if I were a true professional I would see Uniqlo's signing of Susan Sarandon as even more of a triumph. Talbots does aim at a somewhat older market, so for it to use older models, while commendable, is not actually that mould-breaking. Uniqlo, however, aims primarily, if not solely, at a younger generation, so using 64-year-old Sarandon in its adverts really is an impressive step. Or it would be, were I a professional.
You see, to be a true professional journalist, one should tuck one's emotions away and merely report on the story itself. Facts, dear boy, facts, and all that. But I'm afraid I ... cannot ... hold … in … any … more! My God, I just cannot bear Sarandon.
She is a very fine actor and quite possibly one of the sexiest women ever born, and yet instead of cheering on this sexy sixtysomething, whenever I see her step up to a podium to give an award to someone, I just want to claw my own ears off my head. Like Sean Penn and Helen Hunt, Sarandon has always come across as so spectacularly humourless, sanctimonious and lacking in self-awareness that no matter how I try to like her, I end up scratching away at my lobes.
I used to feel guilty about this. After all, irrational hatred of celebrities one has never even met is surely one of the great ills of the modern day, along with internet-induced ADD and flavoured coffees. But then, about two years ago, I happened to see Ms Sarandon walking up the red carpet to, if memory serves, the Oscars when she was stopped by the star of E! himself, Ryan Seacrest. At first, Sarandon did her usual shtick, solemnly lecturing E!'s audience about, if memory is still serving, the victims in Haiti, a very commendable thing to lecture on. When Seacrest then told her they didn't have much time left, she hastily switched subjects to detailing where each part of her outfit had come from, taking special care to give a shout to her jewellers, banging on about her earrings for veritable yonks. Well, you gotta please the advertisers and fashion press offices, right? Oh, Sarandon. Go off and wrap yourself in some colourful knitwear and don't hit your sexy butt on the way out, girlfriend.
2011年10月13日星期四
What time is it? It's real time
Brad Gotts knows exactly how the FPE plant in Stratford is running, right down to a part, without ever needing to leave his desk at headquarters in Troy, Mich.
Dan Taylor, the plant's operation manager, can tap in to the same data from home in case there's a problem.
Honda, one of the company's customers, has the same "real time, any time" access online if it needs to track parts.
"We would never have been able to launch at the speed and rate and effectiveness that we did without the ability to measure those issues and be able to connect that (real-time) data," Gotts, the president and chief operating officer, said during a tour of the renovated 130,000-square-foot plant, the former home of Manchester Plastics in south Stratford.
Florida Products Engineering picked Stratford to debut its system that tracks all facets of production and inventory and makes it available instantly online -- password protected, of course.
"That's probably the best part of what our operating system provides me -- the data. We need to make strong decisions, good decisions based on the information that we have and it gives me real time in my hand," Taylor said.
Gotts said the systems allows FPE to ensure quality, accuracy and instant feedback to customers.
"Those are things that are very expensive, and we've seen good companies in this area go out of business because they can't compete. So this is one of the ways we will compete here against areas in which we said we couldn't compete against in Canada before," he said.
FPE announced in fall 2010 it was coming to Stratford and began making improvements and installing equipment including 300-to 1,500-ton presses at the Griffith Rd. facility. Just as production was reaching full stride the twin disaster earthquake and tsunami hit Japan March 11. Output was forced to slow and out of respect FPE put off an official launch.
"We're now starting to see the volumes come back," Gotts said.
A casual opening was held earlier this month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a catered meal for salaried and production staff. Mayor Dan Mathieson, economic development director Larry Appel and The Beacon Herald were invited to tour the operation.
"You can't manage what you can't measure," an impressed Mathieson said.
Appel asked the company to include a brief about how it uses technology as part of the city's pitch for the Intelligent Communities Forum smart city in 2012.
Gotts said the plant is open to other manufactures to learn about the system as long as they're not competitors.
The goal is to have the system in FPE's six other North American facilities in the next 18 months.
The Stratford plant makes injection-moulded plastic parts for major automakers.
Gotts called them value-added assemblies.
"We have the ability, either within this facility or through our other facilities to mould, paint, chrome plate, assemble all those components for our customers," Gotts said.
An RT grill for Chrysler is one example. The grey plastic trim piece is sent next to the company's chrome-plating plant in Cleveland. FPE can also add mesh grating and an emblem to deliver it as a complete assembly to the automaker.
"Our real ability to grow the value of our company is being able to offer our customers more value-added than just moulding," Gotts said.
The company expects to have about 50 production staff in Stratford by year's end, plus eight salaried staff.
"We're going to be going to a multi-shift," Gotts said.
The plant's human resources department will take applications.
The company is already eyeing expansion.
"The beautiful part that this facility gave us is we have the ability to put up to 3,000-ton-plus presses here because of how this facility was built," he said.
Dan Taylor, the plant's operation manager, can tap in to the same data from home in case there's a problem.
Honda, one of the company's customers, has the same "real time, any time" access online if it needs to track parts.
"We would never have been able to launch at the speed and rate and effectiveness that we did without the ability to measure those issues and be able to connect that (real-time) data," Gotts, the president and chief operating officer, said during a tour of the renovated 130,000-square-foot plant, the former home of Manchester Plastics in south Stratford.
Florida Products Engineering picked Stratford to debut its system that tracks all facets of production and inventory and makes it available instantly online -- password protected, of course.
"That's probably the best part of what our operating system provides me -- the data. We need to make strong decisions, good decisions based on the information that we have and it gives me real time in my hand," Taylor said.
Gotts said the systems allows FPE to ensure quality, accuracy and instant feedback to customers.
"Those are things that are very expensive, and we've seen good companies in this area go out of business because they can't compete. So this is one of the ways we will compete here against areas in which we said we couldn't compete against in Canada before," he said.
FPE announced in fall 2010 it was coming to Stratford and began making improvements and installing equipment including 300-to 1,500-ton presses at the Griffith Rd. facility. Just as production was reaching full stride the twin disaster earthquake and tsunami hit Japan March 11. Output was forced to slow and out of respect FPE put off an official launch.
"We're now starting to see the volumes come back," Gotts said.
A casual opening was held earlier this month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a catered meal for salaried and production staff. Mayor Dan Mathieson, economic development director Larry Appel and The Beacon Herald were invited to tour the operation.
"You can't manage what you can't measure," an impressed Mathieson said.
Appel asked the company to include a brief about how it uses technology as part of the city's pitch for the Intelligent Communities Forum smart city in 2012.
Gotts said the plant is open to other manufactures to learn about the system as long as they're not competitors.
The goal is to have the system in FPE's six other North American facilities in the next 18 months.
The Stratford plant makes injection-moulded plastic parts for major automakers.
Gotts called them value-added assemblies.
"We have the ability, either within this facility or through our other facilities to mould, paint, chrome plate, assemble all those components for our customers," Gotts said.
An RT grill for Chrysler is one example. The grey plastic trim piece is sent next to the company's chrome-plating plant in Cleveland. FPE can also add mesh grating and an emblem to deliver it as a complete assembly to the automaker.
"Our real ability to grow the value of our company is being able to offer our customers more value-added than just moulding," Gotts said.
The company expects to have about 50 production staff in Stratford by year's end, plus eight salaried staff.
"We're going to be going to a multi-shift," Gotts said.
The plant's human resources department will take applications.
The company is already eyeing expansion.
"The beautiful part that this facility gave us is we have the ability to put up to 3,000-ton-plus presses here because of how this facility was built," he said.
2011年10月8日星期六
Pmold Industrial(HongKong) Limited
Pmolds company established in 1998 in Shenzhen of Guangdong, China.We specialize in different kinds of high-quality plastic mold and related injection molding services, always provide the most cost effective way of design & manufacturing to meet customer’s individual requirements. Pmolds is an excellent plastic mould supplier in the line, we clearly understand what lead time, quality and price mean to our customers.
Our company focus on manufacturing plastic mould, plastic injection and assembly. Our aim at producing moulds with precision, complexity, various size and longer service life. Pmolds engineers are experienced in working with technical requirements of American & Germany customers. Our customers have the benefits of speaking directly to our Project Manager in English fluently.
Pmolds has established a complete follow-up service system to ensure quality service to our customers. We hope to be accepted & satisfied by customers through our continuously mature marketing network and improved after service.
Building precision plastic injection molds for our global customers continues to be PMold's core business. Employing over 100 skillful engineers and workers, PMold delivers over 400 top quality molds a year to many of the world's best companies. The ability to produce mold at the highest international standard, strong engineering and design capability, fluent English communication skill, aggressive lead times, competitive pricing and business integrity continues to be the success factor of PMold.
Our company focus on manufacturing plastic mould, plastic injection and assembly. Our aim at producing moulds with precision, complexity, various size and longer service life. Pmolds engineers are experienced in working with technical requirements of American & Germany customers. Our customers have the benefits of speaking directly to our Project Manager in English fluently.
Pmolds has established a complete follow-up service system to ensure quality service to our customers. We hope to be accepted & satisfied by customers through our continuously mature marketing network and improved after service.
Building precision plastic injection molds for our global customers continues to be PMold's core business. Employing over 100 skillful engineers and workers, PMold delivers over 400 top quality molds a year to many of the world's best companies. The ability to produce mold at the highest international standard, strong engineering and design capability, fluent English communication skill, aggressive lead times, competitive pricing and business integrity continues to be the success factor of PMold.
2011年9月22日星期四
Shrinking guppies could help make cod bigger
There is already a great deal of evidence that commercially exploited fish species such as cod are shrinking and breeding at an earlier age as a result of human fishing activities removing the larger, older females which had previously been evolutionary advantageous due to their extra egg producing capacity.
Now a team from the University of Norway led by evolutionary biologist Beatriz Diaz Pauli have started an experiment to see what other potential changes may occur in ocean species as a result of current fishing practices.
The researchers are maintaining populations of between 500 and 900 of guppies, (Poecilia reticulata) in nine tanks. Diaz plans to remove all fish over 16mm in three of the tanks. The remaining tanks will act as a control for the experiments effects, with fish under 16mm being removed in some, while in others fish of any size will be taken to allow for any effect changing population densities may have.
Detailed records of any changes in growth rate, age and size at maturation, reproductive effort, feeding and breeding behaviours will be kept throughout the process.
The team hope to be able to see whether any changes noted are a 'plastic response' whereby the fish mould themselves to a new environment, or are caused by genetic changes.
Plastic responses differ from genetic ones in not being inherent; factors such as poor diet may cause a stunted adult, but the progeny of this stunted fish would not inherit its small size, but a genetically small fish would remain small regardless of diet.
Understanding the reasons behind size changes in fish will help us better understand how over-exploited species might bounce back if breeding grounds were protected or over-fishing was stopped.
Now a team from the University of Norway led by evolutionary biologist Beatriz Diaz Pauli have started an experiment to see what other potential changes may occur in ocean species as a result of current fishing practices.
The researchers are maintaining populations of between 500 and 900 of guppies, (Poecilia reticulata) in nine tanks. Diaz plans to remove all fish over 16mm in three of the tanks. The remaining tanks will act as a control for the experiments effects, with fish under 16mm being removed in some, while in others fish of any size will be taken to allow for any effect changing population densities may have.
Detailed records of any changes in growth rate, age and size at maturation, reproductive effort, feeding and breeding behaviours will be kept throughout the process.
The team hope to be able to see whether any changes noted are a 'plastic response' whereby the fish mould themselves to a new environment, or are caused by genetic changes.
Plastic responses differ from genetic ones in not being inherent; factors such as poor diet may cause a stunted adult, but the progeny of this stunted fish would not inherit its small size, but a genetically small fish would remain small regardless of diet.
Understanding the reasons behind size changes in fish will help us better understand how over-exploited species might bounce back if breeding grounds were protected or over-fishing was stopped.
2011年8月1日星期一
ElringKlinger opens China plant
German auto parts maker ElringKlinger has opened a new factory in the northern Chinese city of Changchun, where it will supply plastic housing modules and metal-elastomer gaskets.
Changchun ElringKlinger doubles the company’s production space in Changchun, in Jilin province, and is in response to increased orders from local customers, the Dettingen-based company said.
Changchun is one of China’s automotive centers, and is home to FAW Volkswagen Automotive Company, a joint venture between China’s First Auto Works, Volkswagen, Audi, with capacity for up to 600,000 cars a year.
ElringKlinger said the facility will also make cylinder head and specialty gaskets. It said it has about 300 employees there.
In 2009, ElringKlinger increased its stake in the facility to 88%, taking an additional 10% ownership position from the State Machinery, Electronics, Light and Textile Industry Investment Corporation, a Changchun-based government investment unit.
The company’s engineering plastics subsidiary ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik subsidiary makes polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets and components.
Changchun has attracted investment from other German plastics firms lately, with automotive parts supplier Huf Group opening an injection molding facility in Changchun in July.
Changchun ElringKlinger doubles the company’s production space in Changchun, in Jilin province, and is in response to increased orders from local customers, the Dettingen-based company said.
Changchun is one of China’s automotive centers, and is home to FAW Volkswagen Automotive Company, a joint venture between China’s First Auto Works, Volkswagen, Audi, with capacity for up to 600,000 cars a year.
ElringKlinger said the facility will also make cylinder head and specialty gaskets. It said it has about 300 employees there.
In 2009, ElringKlinger increased its stake in the facility to 88%, taking an additional 10% ownership position from the State Machinery, Electronics, Light and Textile Industry Investment Corporation, a Changchun-based government investment unit.
The company’s engineering plastics subsidiary ElringKlinger Kunststofftechnik subsidiary makes polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets and components.
Changchun has attracted investment from other German plastics firms lately, with automotive parts supplier Huf Group opening an injection molding facility in Changchun in July.
2011年3月31日星期四
Under the hood: Thermoplastics tackle tough jobs
Composites are established in vehicle interiors and also have gained traction in exterior and chassis components in the performance-car, pickup-truck and electric-vehicle segments. But they have been slow to make inroads into the engine compartment. Under the hood, heat from the internal-combustion engine and exposure to engine fluids (fuel, oil and coolant) already make it a tough environment. And it's getting tougher as increasingly strict emissions and fuel-economy requirements push the market toward smaller, turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines, many equipped with exhaust-gas recirculation systems. Underhood temperatures are on the rise because these harder-working engines run hotter, and available engine compartment space is scarce as cars get more compact and their deeply swept front ends make underhood cooling more difficult. Moreover, auto OEMs' extended new-car warranties put pressure on suppliers to use materials with longer service lives, yet they also are demanding reductions in component weight and cost.
The need for underhood components that perform better and longer at less weight and cost has opened a growth area for several families of fiber-reinforced, injection-moldable, high-temperature (semi)crystalline thermoplastics. The chemistry of these resins enables higher thermal and chemical performance and greater toughness than commodity thermoplastics.
Further, (semi)crystalline thermoplastics exhibit greater impact strength at lower weight, better aesthetics right out of the tool and melt reprocessability (facilitating welding and permitting recycling) — all advantages vs. common thermosets.
In combination with the injection molding process, these materials overcome weight and design constraints and eliminate costly postproduction steps that are typical for aluminum, steel and thermoset composites, such as bulk molding compound (BMC), which are more difficult to form. The material/process combination facilitates unprecedented design freedom and parts integration. This enables quicker production of complex structures (the cycle times are fast, and smaller parts can be molded in multicavity tools) in a single step — with excellent repeatability and reproducibility (R&R). This makes the process ideal for mid- to high-volume vehicle builds, where production speed is a high priority and the initial higher cost of tooling can be justified. At these production volumes, manufacturing and part costs can be substantially less than those of cast or machined aluminum and steel. Several of the most exciting examples of composites in underhood applications are covered here.
The need for underhood components that perform better and longer at less weight and cost has opened a growth area for several families of fiber-reinforced, injection-moldable, high-temperature (semi)crystalline thermoplastics. The chemistry of these resins enables higher thermal and chemical performance and greater toughness than commodity thermoplastics.
Further, (semi)crystalline thermoplastics exhibit greater impact strength at lower weight, better aesthetics right out of the tool and melt reprocessability (facilitating welding and permitting recycling) — all advantages vs. common thermosets.
In combination with the injection molding process, these materials overcome weight and design constraints and eliminate costly postproduction steps that are typical for aluminum, steel and thermoset composites, such as bulk molding compound (BMC), which are more difficult to form. The material/process combination facilitates unprecedented design freedom and parts integration. This enables quicker production of complex structures (the cycle times are fast, and smaller parts can be molded in multicavity tools) in a single step — with excellent repeatability and reproducibility (R&R). This makes the process ideal for mid- to high-volume vehicle builds, where production speed is a high priority and the initial higher cost of tooling can be justified. At these production volumes, manufacturing and part costs can be substantially less than those of cast or machined aluminum and steel. Several of the most exciting examples of composites in underhood applications are covered here.
2011年3月15日星期二
Diary of a start-up - Safetray makes its Festival debut
My nails dramatically decreased in size during the month of July. I nervously nibbled as I
awaited the first production units arriving from China, desperate for Safetray to play its
own part in the largest arts festival in the world - a showcase in front of an international
audience within my beloved hometown during Edinburgh's multiple festivals.
Leading up to the arrival I had been fed worrying snippets of information regarding the
progress with the mould tool. The initial photographs were kept from me - Fearsomengine quite
rightly deciding that a snapshot image of a mangled piece of plastic might be more upsetting
than informative - and so it was a relief indeed to finally see (a fortnight ago) a physical
embodiment of the Safetray looking actually rather handsome.
And so it was, at a stall in the glorious sunshine at Edinburgh's Foodies Festival in
Holyrood Park, the very first Safetrays - hot off our production tool - were let loose on the
general public; and what a reaction we received.
The most common reaction from people was the suggestion that we should go on Dragons' Den;
the second was one of surprise that nobody had ever thought of it before.
A new reaction - limited to a handful of people, exclusively Scottish - was that Safetray is
'cheating'. A remnant of our Calvinist past, I imagine: if it makes our lives easier, it must
be immoral. Curiously, I quite liked that perspective. Maybe it's the Calvinist Scot in me
welcoming criticism.
The majority were overwhelmingly supportive and excited by the concept - especially those who
were hospitality professionals. Our pre-order book was bulging by the end of the weekend,
filled with trade buyers and consumers alike. With a few amendments to be made and our first
substantial volume of the Safetrays only arriving in October, I was just sorry that we were
not able to sell them on the spot.
An added bonus to Foodies was the amount of people who entered our competition: 'Should have
used a Safetray'. The task? To be filmed recounting a tale of an accident involving a toppled
tray. The prize for the most spectacular story was a bottle of Pol Roger Champagne, the
winner of which is to be announced when we launch our retailing website with video-embeds via
YouTube.
Over thirty people told us their stories. There were stories of A-list celebrities with food
in their laps; a girl so fresh from a coffee spill accident that she was still wearing the
bandages; red wine over a white shirt at a restaurant opening and an accident involving a
customer being set alight with a toppled tray of flaming Sambucas. Yowzers.
We chose The Famous Spiegeltent to be the first venue to use the Safetrays in situ. One of
only handful of its kind left in the world, this stunningly beautiful mirrored tent seemed a
fantastic launch pad for our trays. Amidst acrobats hanging from ropes, strong men flinging
scantily-clad ladies, jazz chanteuses singing their delicate standards and magicians turning
doves into ducks, the Safetray made its own seemingly gravity-defying debut.
Glasshouse Events, who this year manage the bars in the Spiegel Garden, also work on the Golf
Open, the Six Nations Rugby and The Grand National. It's exciting to think of the all events
at which the trusty Safetray might be acting as a silent partner in service in the not too
distant future.
awaited the first production units arriving from China, desperate for Safetray to play its
own part in the largest arts festival in the world - a showcase in front of an international
audience within my beloved hometown during Edinburgh's multiple festivals.
Leading up to the arrival I had been fed worrying snippets of information regarding the
progress with the mould tool. The initial photographs were kept from me - Fearsomengine quite
rightly deciding that a snapshot image of a mangled piece of plastic might be more upsetting
than informative - and so it was a relief indeed to finally see (a fortnight ago) a physical
embodiment of the Safetray looking actually rather handsome.
And so it was, at a stall in the glorious sunshine at Edinburgh's Foodies Festival in
Holyrood Park, the very first Safetrays - hot off our production tool - were let loose on the
general public; and what a reaction we received.
The most common reaction from people was the suggestion that we should go on Dragons' Den;
the second was one of surprise that nobody had ever thought of it before.
A new reaction - limited to a handful of people, exclusively Scottish - was that Safetray is
'cheating'. A remnant of our Calvinist past, I imagine: if it makes our lives easier, it must
be immoral. Curiously, I quite liked that perspective. Maybe it's the Calvinist Scot in me
welcoming criticism.
The majority were overwhelmingly supportive and excited by the concept - especially those who
were hospitality professionals. Our pre-order book was bulging by the end of the weekend,
filled with trade buyers and consumers alike. With a few amendments to be made and our first
substantial volume of the Safetrays only arriving in October, I was just sorry that we were
not able to sell them on the spot.
An added bonus to Foodies was the amount of people who entered our competition: 'Should have
used a Safetray'. The task? To be filmed recounting a tale of an accident involving a toppled
tray. The prize for the most spectacular story was a bottle of Pol Roger Champagne, the
winner of which is to be announced when we launch our retailing website with video-embeds via
YouTube.
Over thirty people told us their stories. There were stories of A-list celebrities with food
in their laps; a girl so fresh from a coffee spill accident that she was still wearing the
bandages; red wine over a white shirt at a restaurant opening and an accident involving a
customer being set alight with a toppled tray of flaming Sambucas. Yowzers.
We chose The Famous Spiegeltent to be the first venue to use the Safetrays in situ. One of
only handful of its kind left in the world, this stunningly beautiful mirrored tent seemed a
fantastic launch pad for our trays. Amidst acrobats hanging from ropes, strong men flinging
scantily-clad ladies, jazz chanteuses singing their delicate standards and magicians turning
doves into ducks, the Safetray made its own seemingly gravity-defying debut.
Glasshouse Events, who this year manage the bars in the Spiegel Garden, also work on the Golf
Open, the Six Nations Rugby and The Grand National. It's exciting to think of the all events
at which the trusty Safetray might be acting as a silent partner in service in the not too
distant future.
订阅：
博文 (Atom)