• Industry News

      On R&D First-Year Full Expensing—Why it Matters to the Plastics Industry and the Macroeconomy

      April 12, 2023 As of January 1, 2022, businesses can no longer deduct research and development (R&D) costs in the same year they are incurred. Instead, R&D costs must be capitalized and amortized over time. There is a difference, however, in amortization depending on where the R&D expenses took place. With the recent change in R&D expensing, domestic R&D expenses must be capitalized and amortized over a five-year period. Foreign R&D, that is R&D expenses paid to a foreign contractor, must be amortized over 15 years.

    • Advocacy

      Clean Up Champions Profile - Dart Container

      April 11, 2023 The first PLASTICS Clean Up Champion we’re featuring is already a veteran in the world environmental activity—Dart Container. They’re based in Mason, Michigan, but wherever the company has a presence, Dart employees can be found participating in local efforts to keep their communities clean and environmentally healthy.

    • Future Leaders

      Bringing Naval Ingenuity to Injection Molding

      March 21, 2023 How seriously does Niigata USA take service management? Consider the background of service manager, James Lucas: ten years in the navy as a nuclear engineer, operating and coordinating maintenance for the reactors on nuclear vessels. To put it mildly, he’s got an eye for detail when it comes to maintaining safety and smooth operations.

    • Industry News

      Plastics Machinery Shipments Exhibit 2022 Fourth Quarter Increases

      March 16, 2023 Shipments of primary plastics machinery (injection molding and extrusion) in North America increased in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the statistics compiled and reported by the Plastics Industry Association’s (PLASTICS) Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES).

    • Future Leaders

      Proving the Value of Internships and Mentorship

      February 28, 2023 Lauryn Burdette, process engineer at KraussMaffei, is proof that a company, when it takes time to select and nurture talent, is making a smart investment. Her excitement about KraussMaffei and the loyalty the company has inspired are evident.

    • Industry News

      Retail Sales off to a Good Start in 2023?

      February 23, 2023 Given that two-thirds of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) is personal consumption expenditures, strong consumer spending data are greeted with optimism in the plastics industry. According to the advanced retail sales estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau for January of 2023, U.S. retail sales rose by 3.0% from December and 6.4% from a year earlier.
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