Happy New Year !!

Hi All,

Wishing you a Happy & Prosperous New Year !!!


(photo from simplychic.com.my)

Welcome 2010..

p/s: Wishing you a wonderful new month and a happy new year '2010 in advance.

World stainless steel output up 12,5% in Q3

STEEL


By: Esmarie Swanepoel
6th January 2010




World stainless steel production started to show a recovery in the third quarter of 2009, with most regions increasing their output in the three-month period, the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) reported.

Third quarter stainless steel output increased by 12,5% to 7,06-million tons, when compared with the same period of 2008.

However, production volumes for the first nine months of 2009 reflected the volatile economic conditions of the year, with output decreasing by 15%. According to preliminary figures released by the ISSF this week, global stainless steel production fell to 17,9-million tons in the nine-month period, compared with 21,07-million tons a year earlier.

In 2007, global stainless steel output was 27,8-million tons, which decreased by 1,9-million tons in 2008 to 25,9-million tons.

Excluding China, stainless steel production in Asia was five-million tons in the first nine months of 2009, which was a year-on-year decline of 23%, owing to lower output in India and Japan, while production remained flat in Korea and Taiwan.

Stainless production in China was 6,6-million tons in the first nine months of 2009, an increase of 19,1% on the same period of 2008. The ISSF reported that China accounted for almost 37% of the world’s stainless production. At the end of the third quarter of 2008, China’s market share was 26%.

The Western Europe/Africa region produced 4,6-million tons of stainless during the first nine months of 2009, a decrease of 31,5%. Production also declined in the Americas region to 1,5-million tons, a 22,9% drop on the same period of 2008.

The volume of stainless produced in the Central and Eastern Europe region dropped by 38,23% to 0,2-million tons for the period.

The ISSF reported that more austenitic stainless were produced in the period, while production of ferritic stainless had declined because of a global drop in automobile manufacturing, which accounted for a large volume of chromium stainless.

The market share of chromium-manganese stainless steels has decreased over the course of 2009 owing to the recovery of stainless steel production outside China.

Edited by: Mariaan Webb

~ Pizza Lunch ~

Hi All, still remember last Thursday (31st Dec 2009)? Our big Boss (thanks mr.teo)treat us Pizza Hut for our lunch that day.. how fun look each other eating Pizza.. this lunch is to celebrate our team that involve in one of our project..that already succeed to pass the QA test form customer..

Here some message from Mr.Teo:

Dear all,

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you. Thank for your support for the pass few years. Hopefully we will have more and more successful product launch to the market in near future.

In order to celebrate this achievement and the coming of year 2010, I would like to buy all of you a Pizza Lunch on 31 Dec. Hope that we can have more celebration and gathering in Year 2010.

Wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy and successful Year 2010.

Best regards
Teo

Slow Growth for Consumer Injection Molding

Market Outlook

Slow Growth for Consumer Injection Molding
By Bart Thedinger, Mastio & Company


Mastio & Company’s most recent Injection Molding Markets Study forecasts slow growth in the next two years for injection molded appliances, furniture, housewares, and consumer electronics/telecommunications. Collectively, these market segments consumed 1.87 billion lb of injection molding resin in 2007. They are expected to reach 2.04 billion lb by 2010, representing an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 2.9%. (Mastio’s forecast for other molded consumer products appeared in November. See Learn More box.)
Not only is growth slow, but profit margins are slim in this uncertain economy. Cost hikes for raw materials, energy, transportation/shipping, and labor are all squeezing profits. Imports, government policies, and consolidation in the retail sector have also kept profits low over the past few years. In particular, manufacturers have had a tough time passing on the rising costs of raw materials, and most have had to absorb as much of the cost as they can.
The health of these consumer molding markets is determined primarily by consumer confidence and the housing market. Although housing is in a slump, the 11.4 million homes that were built in the 1970s now require improvements, repairs, and updating. Remodeling should encourage the need for new housewares, furniture, appliances, etc.


SPEED TO MARKET
Resin consumption for injection molded housewares is expected to see only 2.7% AAGR through 2010. Plastic housewares are typically smaller, inexpensive, high-volume, low-margin products and thus are facing heavy pressure from imports. However, foreign housewares suppliers are at a disadvantage when it comes to identifying emerging trends in North American consumer demand. Domestic consumers expect an array of colors, styles, and textures, as well as improvements in durability and functionality. Foreign suppliers are much slower to the market with new products, giving domestic producers an advantage.

FURNITURE ON TOP
The furniture market is expected to experience the highest growth with an AAGR of 4.2%. This growth is attributable to a trend toward home remodeling and the increasing popularity of home offices. Lower labor costs and price cutting have made it difficult for furniture producers in the U.S. and Canada to compete with the Far East. However, furniture manufacturers claim that imports don’t affect large injection molded furniture items because of high shipping costs. One processor admitted to “China-proofing” its furniture products by making them bulky and hard to stack, implementing frequent color changes, and adding material-saving technology such as gas-assisted molding.

APPLIANCES & ELECTRONICS
Growth opportunities in appliances follow new residential housing construction, which stagnated in 2007 and 2008. Thus, the appliance market anticipates only a 2.5% AAGR through 2010.
A sluggish AAGR of 2.9% is also expected for consumer electronics and telecommunications. New technologies and product innovations are the name of the game when it comes to keeping demand afloat. Examples include advances in cell phones, thin, large-screen plasma or LCD televisions, and computer monitors that can receive digital, high-definition (HDTV) formats.

About the Author

Bart Thedinger is managing partner of Mastio & Company in St. Joseph, Mo., a consulting firm specializing in industrial-consumer opinion research and market trends in the plastics industry. For more information, call (816) 364-6200 or visit www.mastiogale.com

Training: Basic Chemical Safety Handling

Subject: InHouse Training- Basic Chemical Safety Handling Training on 12 Dec


Dear All,

Please be informed that we will be having “Basic Chemical Safety Handling Training” on 12 December 2009.

This is a one day training program will enable participants to adopt safe work practices on industrial chemical handling, storage and disposal to prevent accidents. Training will conduct at PLO 47or PLO 18 In house training room which will finalise on the confirmation letter. I attached herewith syllabus for your reference. For registration, kindly return the STDF with approver signature before 20 November 2009.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for clarifications should you have any doubts or further inquiries.

Dear Lya, Asmah & Nai Yong kindly assist to forward this message to all relevant departments on your side.


Thanks & Regards

Harianna Ibrahim
Human Resources Department
V.S Industry Berhad
PTD 86556, Jalan Murni 12, Murni Ind. Est.
81400 Senai, Johor

Tel : 07-5973399 ext 2109

source:http://plasticsnews.com