People…. (June 01, 2002)

Clariant Masterbatches has appointed two plastics industry veterans to new positions related to the company’s PVC business. Gary Mercer, formerly a Clariant technical sales representative based in Mississauga, ON has been named PVC product manager. Geoff Nesbitt, previously technical manager for Clariant’s compounding operations in Millington, MD, has been appointed product manager and will work to expand business with resin producers.

Bryan Ball, founder of Bryan Plastics Ltd. (Montreal) passed away in March. He was 65. Educated in metallurgy, Ball emigrated from England in 1958. He started Bryan Plastics in 1962 as a custom molding business, and moved into proprietary products during the 1970s. Bryan Plastics now specializes in hardware for cabinetry and furniture, selling mostly to North America and Mexico.

Michelle Mikulec has joined the Lavergne Group (Anjou, QC) as an automotive specialist. She will work from an office in Dearborn, MI to coordinate automotive industry approvals for the group’s compounded engineering resins, both recycled and virgin.

Cinpres Gas Injection, Inc. has appointed Dennis Paul as sales and marketing manager. Paul has twelve years’ experience in the gas assist market in both technical service and sales capacities. He will be based at the company’s headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI.

Supplier news….

Chemical distributor Min-Chem Canada Inc. (Oakville, ON) has expanded its product line to be a single-source supplier to composites fabricators. “We’re bringing a new set of suppliers to this customer base,” says Alan Gardiner, national sales and marketing manager. These include: unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins from Interplastic Resin, metallic stearates from Ferro, colorants from Plasticolors and catalysts from Akzo Nobel, along with adhesives, fillers and glass fibre.

Wittmann has acquired Capitol Temptrol, a manufacturer of portable and central chillers. The chiller products will be offered under the brand Wittmann Capitol Temptrol. All customer support, including manufacturing, inventory, spare parts and service for Capitol Temptrol units will be available through Wittmann’s U.S. headquarters in Torrington, CT.

Plascom Plastic Machinery Inc., located in Toronto, ON, has been appointed the Canadian distributor for Star Automation, a manufacturer of robots and automation equipment based in the U.S.

Events….

CPIA Golf Tournament, August 29, 905-678-7748.

SPE Thermoplastic Coloring RETEC, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, Toronto. Contact: Ralph Nunnaro, 905-467-2614

Expoplast 2002, October 23-24, Montreal, QC, 905-678-7748