Product category:
Industrial consultancy services
News Release from: Smithers Rapra | Subject: Virtual Centre for Plastics - Rapra
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 December 2005
Online services boosted to plastics
manufacturers
A leading polymer research and test-house, has added its skills and resources to the multi-national project team developing a Virtual Centre for Plastics across Europe.
Rapra Technology, Europe's leading polymer research and test-house, has added its skills and resources to the multi-national project team developing a Virtual Centre for Plastics (CVP) across Europe Together with IPTS-Metalchem of Poland, Rapra's expertise and resources will now help boost the European team's efforts to achieve its goals
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Apr 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Book covers costs spectrum of plastics processing
Cost Management in Plastics Processing - Strategies, Target, Techniques and Tools - examines issues from how costs are calculated, to the effective use of machines and labour.
Assessing the life of plastics materials
'Practical Guide to the Assessment of the Useful Life of Plastics' provides practical guidance on assessing the useful service life of plastics.
This second stage of the virtual project is e-SeSME - Electronic Services for SMEs in the Plastics Supply Chain.
The first stage, Intplastic, developed a pilot CVP, with the aim of improving the innovation and development potential of plastics processing companies in the southwest of France, Portugal and Spain.
This stage has been successful and those partners are now looking to extend it further through Europe.
Further reading
Explore adhesion and bonding to polyolefins
Many applications of polyolefins require good adhesion to other substrates. A report discusses ways of improving adhesion to substrates.
Updated book gives introduction to composites
Use of composites by high volume car manufacturers is growing, and an updated version of an introductory book to composites in design and manufacture is now available.
The basic e-SeSME aim and mission will be 'to sell high-quality, specialised services in a simple, functional and low-cost manner to companies in the plastics processing supply chain, through the full use of IT facilities, across Europe'.
Suzanne Wilkinson is the Rapra Technology e-SeSME project coordinator.
"The central idea," she says, s to provide and sell to companies in the European plastic processing supply chain (+85% SMEs) those relevant tools and services that they cannot afford themselves.
The project is intended to help the European plastics industry develop, innovate and increase its global competitiveness." The range of on-line services will include: * E-engineering: products and services, such as simulation and design packages; all available through the Internet.
* E-Learning: to help increase staff capabilities through courses accessible on the Internet.
* Technical Information: cost-effective research, innovation, access to reports.
* Digital Services: access to databases, links, intelligent software.
* Interactive Software: software accessible through the web that can help with budgets, design, waste reduction.
* Videoconferencing: to enable companies to speak to experts via the web.
* Technology Watch: to help make informed decisions on new technologies.
These services will centre on four main areas of concern for the industry: * Increase plastic parts quality and performance.
* Decrease material and energy waste.
* Increase productivity and eco-efficiency.
* Increase knowledge of EU and international regulatory/technical requirements.
"Online services in all areas of business are here to stay," says Wilkinson.
"Plastics manufacturing can only profit from what will be developed by e-SeSME in the coming months," she adds.
• Smithers Rapra: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
