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Precision Plastic Injection Molders

COVID-19

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Ever Given Underlines Fragility of Logistics in Plastic Injection Molding

A side shot of the Ever Given with "Evergreen" printed on the side floating in a canal, used to represent the fragility of logistics underlined by the Ever Given.

Everyone witnessed the Ever Given causing a six-day traffic jam in the Suez Canal this March. Even with the cargo ship dislodged, it’s creating a nightmare of logistical issues for manufacturers. While the holdup didn’t affect Midstate Mold, it has further revealed how delicate supply chains are that utilize international transport, such as resin shipments or tool relocation. Given the fragility of logistics underlined by the Ever Given, let’s look at how to shorten supply lines in plastic injection molding to avoid undue production and distribution delays.

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Force Majeure Declarations Affecting Plastic Injection Molders

A pandemic face mask discarded on snowy ground to represent the force majeure faced by manufacturers due to a combination of COVID-19 and the Texas snowstorm

A frustrating combination of disrupted supply lines from the global pandemic and the recent storm that devastated Texas has led to limitations in resin availability. As with any industry, this is creating a disparity in supply and demand, resulting in soaring plastic prices and force majeure declarations – meaning an inability to fulfill a contract due to an unforeseeable circumstance. This has led to some vendors revising part specifications or material requirements to sidestep the crisis. Let’s take a closer look at the recent and frequent force majeure declarations and their effects on plastic injection molders.

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COVID-19 and the Plastic Injection Industry: 11 Months In

A nurse wearing a hair net, plastic goggles, a face mask, and a face shield staring exhaustedly out a window after dealing with COVID-19 patients.

The pandemic ushered in a wave of supply chain disruptions across all industries, but the plastic injection industry has an advantage that has helped it weather the storm: versatility. It’s an adaptable industry that seizes opportunities in varying markets, but while one would expect a surge in demand for plastic medical parts, the opposite has been true during COVID-19. Though, plastic injection molding companies have come up with innovative ideas to find success in the hard-hit industries. To understand its evolution over the past year, let’s take a look at COVID-19 and the plastic injection industry.

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Antimicrobial and Antiviral Additives in Injection Molding

A close up of a Syringe Connected To Endotracheal Tube, depicting the benefits of antimicrobial and antiviral additives in injection molding

COVID-19 has been longer-lasting and more resistant to preventative measures than previously imagined. However, manufacturers and their clients now have a new tool to help in the fight against the epidemic and other harmful viruses and bacteria. Plastic injection molding has long been seen as an effective means for creating high production, quality parts for the medical field, and with the new method of including antimicrobial and antiviral additives in the plastics, it’s serving an even greater purpose.

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Think About Tool Relocation During the COVID-19 Shutdown

COVID-19 lockdown shown on cell phone next to keyboard and face mask

The COVID-19 virus has laid bare the vulnerabilities in parts of our businesses, from the strain of social distancing on supply and demand to the tenuous links in our supply logistics that keep stock on the shelves of manufacturers and retailers alike. In the world of injection molding and plastic parts, you may find yourself or your supply in lockdown from state orders or issues with supply or staff. In this pause, it’s time to think about using this time for tool relocation to keep your business going now and into the future.

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The Standards for Plastic Injection Molding in the Medical Industry

Injection molded medical disposal mouthpiece for asthma and COPD testing.

While we’ve been planning on writing this blog for some time now more than ever with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to understand precisely what goes into making medical-grade polymer parts and why we hold their manufacture to such a high standard. From industry-specific standards and traceability to the requirements that parts and the plastics that make them need to meet. Learn what you need to have when it comes to making plastic injection molding parts for the medical industry.

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