September 28, 2018•
Plastic Injection Molding•
Murray Plastics Team
What do you know about plastics?
The plastics industry has been around for almost 150 years. In that time materials, technology, and processes have advanced to make this industry worth more than $200 billion today.
Intrigued? Here are a few more fast facts about plastics.
We are in a plastics boom.
Thanks to a boom in oil and natural gas supply, we are experiencing a rapid expansion of the plastics industry. As the cost of oil- and gas-based resins drops, cost of production is also cheaper. Previously closed manufacturers are reopening. Parts are also easier and more efficient to produce given the advancement in automation and robotics. Right now, the plastics industry is ranked third in U.S. manufacturing.
Plastic was invented to replace the ivory billiards ball.
In the late 1800s, savvy entrepreneurs were beginning to look for synthetic materials to replace costly ivory. Billiards, a popular American sport and pastime, was played with cue balls made of pure ivory. Harvesting ivory was costly, dangerous, and almost wiped out the population of African elephants. So, a chemist took up the challenge to develop a synthetic material that could look and feel like ivory. Today, plastic has grown far beyond the billiard hall and touches every major manufacturing industry.
Plastics provide more than 900,000 U.S. jobs.
The plastics manufacturing industry provides almost a million jobs in the U.S. That number is projected to grow due to increased demand. Industry forecasters do warn that the rate of job growth may decline unless the growing shortage of trained workers is reversed.
Injection molding is the most popular process for manufacturing plastic.
Plastic injection molding is the process by which raw material through heat and pressure is transformed into a molded plastic part. This is by far the most common way to process plastics because it is both reliable and flexible, no matter how large or how small the part needs to be. Because of its popularity and the growth of the plastics industry generally, there are thousands of U.S.-based plastic injection molding companies.
Making plastic parts has become super efficient.
Plastic injection molds are investment, usually one of the most expensive investments in the manufacturing process. However, once the molds are designed and built, they can mass produce plastics bits to exact specifications. Robotics, networking, and automation have also streamlined the process, making it easier and cheaper to make plastic parts.
Founded on innovation and invention, the plastics industry has a bright future ahead.
Build Your Business with Plastic Injection Molding
Logistics, project management, and supply chain are all made simple when you partner with a U.S.-based plastic injection molding company. If you are looking to optimize your manufacturing process with a valued partner, Murray Plastics can help you design, manufacture, and deliver high quality plastic parts that fit the budget.
Last modified: February 9, 2024
