Page 20 - Plastics News August 2019

COMPANY NEWS

North Carolina's Bright Plastics Fire at ExxonMobil Chemical
adds two-shot press as it expands unit in Texas

molding capabilities
ix people were injured July 31 after an explosion and
ustom injection molder Bright Plastics Inc. has added SÀUH DW DQ ([[RQ0RELO &KHPLFDO &R SURS\OHQH DQG
Ca two-shot injection molding machine at its corporate propane unit in Baytown, Texas. The company brought
manufacturing center in Greensboro, N.C. The company XQGHU FRQWURO D ÀUH WKDW HUXSWHG RQ :HGQHVGD\ DW LWV
invested about $250,000 in the all-electric, 140-ton %D\WRZQ 7H[DV UHÀQLQJ DQG FKHPLFDO SODQW FRPSOH[
injuring 37 workers, none seriously. Emergency crews
Nissei NEX press, plus auxiliary equipment, including a
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company said in a statement. The cause of the blaze
was not disclosed, but an investigation was under way
and Exxon said it was cooperating with authorities.The
injured workers were treated for minor burns, none
requiring hospitalization, plant manager Jason Duncan
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staff and contract workers were examined and released
during the day at a nearby health clinic which provides
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Mold-Masters E-Multi injection unit. The E-Multi unit can Exxon spokeswoman Sarah Nordin said in a statement.
be unhooked, so the machine can be used as a standard Available air monitoring information from the inside the
molding machine or equipped onto other presses. %D\WRZQ 2OHÀQV 3ODQW·V JURXQGV DQG RXWVLGH PRQLWRULQJ
The machine will be used to mold retail parts for the sources recorded no adverse impacts, she said. The
entertainment industry, according to Joe Vest, vice ÀUH EXUQHG UHVLGXDO IXHO FRQWDLQHG LQ D ODUJH FROXPQ
SUHVLGHQW RI HQJLQHHULQJ DW %ULJKW 3ODVWLFV :H YH QHYHU 7KH %D\WRZQ FRPSOH[ WKDW LQFOXGHV WKH ROHÀQV SODQW
had a part, or parts, that had the volume that would
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said. Bright Plastics offers two-shot injection molding
that can combine multiple colors and materials into a
single automated process to create the unique part that
you need. Our use of two-shot and multi-shot injection
molding is applicable to many industries, including
the medical, consumer products, outdoor recreation,
telecommunications and defense industries. The most
common use is in decorating esthetic plastic parts such
as automotive indicator knobs and specialty parts for the
gaming and entertainment industry. Another application
is molding together two dissimilar materials such as nylon ZKHUH WKH ÀUH RFFXUUHG HPSOR\V DERXW SHRSOH
and thermoplastic elastomer where the nylon may be among four manufacturing sites that cover 3,400 acres
(13.8 square kilometers). It sits along the Houston Ship
required for functionality of a part and the elastomer Channel, the nation’s largest and busiest energy port.
could be used for feeling and esthetic purposes. The $HULDO IRRWDJH GXULQJ WKH EOD]H VKRZHG ÁDPHV DQG KHDY\
ability to offer two-shot molding will help customers lower smoke emanating from a large column at the facility,
costs by reducing machine time, multiple processes and ZKLFK ([[RQ LGHQWLÀHG DV SDUW RI LWV SURGXFWLRQ RI
assembly; improve product quality by completing all work ROHÀQV D FRPSRQHQW RI SODVWLF (PHUJHQF\ YHKLFOHV DQG
on a single machine and removing the margin of error from people were massing around the edge of the complex.
misalignment and handling issues.

Plastics News August 2019 20