In the film The Graduate, a family friend advised Benjamin Braddock to get into plastics, that there was a great future there. We couldn’t agree more.
That’s why Emerson Bearing recently launched a new division to supply bearings and related products to the plastics industry. The plastic industry is dominated by extruders and injection molding machines. Both depend greatly on the reliability and durability of its bearings.
In an extruder, the processed plastic is pressed thru a nozzle into a profiled die. The extruder gearbox is subject to high torques as well as high radial and axial loads. This places major importance on the monitoring of bearings and replacement in a timely fashion. Injection molding machines are used for the production of parts in large quantities.
The screw feed and the linear bearings must be insensitive to heat and vibration and have high basic static and dynamic load ratings. Again, regular monitoring, maintenance and replacement of bearings are critical to keeping production schedules. Emerson Bearing has had great results with some existing clients in the plastics industry.
With this new division, with dedicated marketing and customer service staff for this industry, we will be better equipped to serve current clients and attract new plastics industry clients.
To date, Emerson Bearing has worked several plastic manufacturers. That includes a company in North Carolina that produces plastic wine corks, a manufacturer that produce plastic bags (including bio degradable plastic bags), and a manufacturer that produces plastic strapping.
The interesting thing about plastics is the industry is a strong indicator of how the economy is doing. During the 2008 recession, the plastic strapping company was only operating seven of its 12 production lines, two shifts per day.
Right now, they are back to three shifts, 24/7. Maybe The Graduate was right.
Emerson Bearing Marketing Specialist Bill Zylicz is responsible for the Plastics Industry division. He can be reached bzylicz@emersonbearing.com or 1.866.995.8762.
