News Briefs (January 01, 2008)

DuPont Liquid Packaging Systems is selling its performance films business segment and its Whitby, Ont., operating facility to Exopack Performance Films Inc., an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a leading private investment firm located in Boca Raton, Florida. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Under the terms of the sale, Exopack will offer employment to all employees involved in the Whitby site operations.

Brampton, Ont.-based Heins PCM Machinery Ltd. has been appointed Canadian representative for Plastimac S.p.a., of Milan, Italy. Plastimac designs and builds extrusion blow molding machines for production of hollow bodies and containers up to 30 litres; Heins PCM manufactures blow molding machines and ancillary blow molding equipment.

French car components firm Inergy Automotive Systems has announced plans to close its blow molded fuel tank operations in Blenheim, Ont. by the end of 2008 and invest US$8.2 million to relocate to an existing facility in Adrian, Mich. The closure of the Blenheim facility will mean the loss of approximately 170 jobs. In Adrian, meanwhile, the project is expected create 427 new jobs.

Auxiliary equipment supplier Conair is moving its world headquarters from Emsworth, Pa. to another Pittsburgh suburb, Cranberry. The move, which will be complete December 31, 2007, involves administrative, sales and engineering personnel. The new building will also accommodate the Conair Technical Center. Conair manufacturing operations in Franklin, Pa. will not be affected.

BASF is closing its premix sites in Georgetown, Ont., and Abbotsford, B.C. The sites will close on December 31, 2007, and will affect 20 employees. The company will provide an outplacement service assisting them with career transition options.

Promens Canada Inc. is closing one of its two rotational molding plants. The company’s facility in Lindsay, Ont., is likely to finish production by the end of the first quarter of 2008, affecting approximately 80 workers. Production will subsequently be divided among several other Promens plants. Mississauga, Ont.-based automotive parts supplier The Woodbridge Group has entered into a joint venture with Inoac Corporation of Japan, a manufacturer of polyurethane foam applications, for production in North America and Japan. The Woodbridge Group will purchase 50 per cent of Inoac’s molded urethane foam operation in Kyushu, Japan, while noac will purchase 50 per cent of four Woodbridge slab foam and flame lamination facilities that supply products to the automotive industry. The joint venture will encompass Woodbridge facilities in Saltillo, Mexico; Del Rio, Tex.; and two locations in El Paso, Tex.

Plastics processor Cobri Technologies Inc. has moved to a new corporate office. The company is now located at 918 Edgeley Blvd., Concord, Ont. The company can be contacted at 905-761- 5255; or fax: 905-760-5501.

Temperature control equipment manufacturer Spaltech International has moved to a new office. The company is now located at 305 Armstrong Avenue, Unit 6A, Halton Hills, Ont. They can also be contacted at 905-877-2771.

Recycling equipment supplier NGR has opened a new manufacturing plant in Feldkirchen, Austria. Extrusion Systems Inc., of Markham, Ont., represent the company in Canada.