Document mz5a0w7yGzGdOpZEpnBYE04b

m mm W41IP w Volume 3 Number 22 RtiC.-iiV..,.; NOV 1 Q |j^ 1 November 4, 1983 DR.A.S.cu,- , ATTENTIONf Additional informtioh about any item <n thia taaua of the rtcuaZatttf}* may be obtained by contacting Atlecn Corechnan, Editort Public Relatione Oepartmentt The Society of the Plaetioe Induatry, Jna., 355 Lexington Avenue* New Yorkt NY 100J7 (212) $73*9400* PRODUCT LIABILITY COMPROMISE UNVEILED... After protracted negotiations, Sens. Kasten (R-WI) and Gorton (R-WA) have reached proposed compromise on S. 44, Product Liability Act Amendments of 1983... While emergence of new draft breaks deadlock, future of S. 44 still in doubt... With congressional leaders hoping to recess before Thanksgiving, little time remains for markup... Analysis and copy of compromise available from SPI Washington Office, 605 14th St., NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20005 (202) 628-0270. NEW-YORK TIMES STORY HIGHLIGHTS BURGEONING PLASTICS USES... November 1, 1983 lead article in "Science" section, "'Plastics Revolution: A Rush of New Uses," based on briefing session and extensive contacts with SPI staff... Article points out plastics are overtaking many markets formerly held by metal and glass... Quotes several SPI member company spokesmen as well as SPI Technical Director John Lawrence... Copies available from PR Dept., SPI/New York. 1983 FACTS & FIGURES EXPANDED TO INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL DATA... Eleventh in series, latest edition of Facts & Figures of the U.S. Plastics Industry also features graphics on resin and processor plant sites for first time... Publication contains 1982 data on production, sales and capacity for plastics resin, including section on plastics consumption by major markets... Prepared by SPI's statistical staff and monitored by SPI Committee on Resin Statistics... Sin gle copies: $45, SPI members; $90, nonmembers... Discounts for quantity orders: 2-10 copies: $30 each, members; $60 each, nonmembers... 11 copies or more: $22.50 each, members: $45 each, nonmembers... Orders, prepaid (checks payable to SPI), to Statistical Dept., SPI/New York. ****** i FIRE GAS TOXICITY TASK FORCE EXAMINES PLASTICS AT HEARING; SPI TESTIFIES... SPI called for wider use of sprinklers and smoke detectors as most meaningful way to reduce fire deaths fore National Legislative Task Force on Fire Gas Toxicity October 27 hearing in Washington, DC... Other sessions held in California and New York... Robert S. Strength, manager of prod~\ uct and environmental safety, Monsanto, testified on behalf of SPI... Task Force, composed-, state legislators from around country, sponsored by Conference of Insurance Legislators (COIL)... Hearing chaired by Patricia Sher, member of Maryland House of Delegates. * ******************************************* I*1 ,` ''' ^ MARKET PRESERVATION FUND REPORT Market Preservation Fund drive still in progress... Send in your contributions now and help Committee reach its goal... Tony and Bill Bradbury of PMS Consolidated, cochairmen of Market Preservation Committee, report as of 11/2/83: * * A * // of Contributors Amount 116 $ 1 85 , 000 ******************************************* BOR 007905 PROPOSED TAX LEGISLATION: ENERGY OVERLOOKED SO FAR... Two different tax packages designed to help reduce Federal deficit developed over past few weeks... Neither would create new energy taxes... House Ways and Means Committee measure, H.R. 4170, would raise $8 billion in new revenue over three years, far below $74 billion in new revenue called for by last Congres sional Budget Resolution Congress adopted earlier in year... A $120 billion package of budget reductions and revenue increases proposed October 27 by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Robert Dole (R-KS)... Details thus far available about $56 billion tax reform portion in clude a temporary five percent corporate franchise tax, but no new energy taxes... Prior to release of Sen. Dole's proposal, he was reportedly considering a $3-per-barrel oil import fee and a $l-per-barrel domestic oil tax. ****** SPI/SPE PLASTICS SHOW AND CONFERENCE-EAST: EXHIBITOR/SPACE UPDATE... Number of exhibitors: 146 (as of 10/20/83)... Exhibit space: 42,500 square feet (as of 10/13/83)... Show, scheduled for June 21-23, 1984 at Philadelphia's Civic Center, designed to amplify and complement triennial SPI-sponsored National Plastics Exposition in a geographic region where NPE has grown too large to he accomodated. Survey Results Indicate Sellout at NPE'85. Recent survey of 550 organisations which exhibit ed at NPE'82 in Chicago's McCormick Place and McCormick Place West last June reveals plans for healthy increases in their participation in next national U.S. show, NPE'85... At this writing--almost two years before scheduled event--29? of 550 companies surveyed, an impressive 54 percent, responded... Projected, this response indicates sellout of all four McCormick Place exhibit halls for NPE'85 (June 17-21, 1985)... Respondents represented balanced mix of resin producers, machinery manufacturers, and producers of auxiliary equipment, including 60 machinery manufacturers and 33 resin producers. ft ft ft ft ft SPI OPERATING UNIT NOTES... Coordinating Committee on Consumer Safety has changed name to Coordinating Committee on Fire Safety... International Trade Policy Development Committee formed to study international issues, bring them to Public Affairs Committee for adoption of SPI positions... Vinyl Institute approves Initiating fire reconstruction team to assist in immediate investigation and analysis of significant fire occurences... Expects to realize two important benefits: immediate availability of such expertise will allow prompt and ac curate response by VI representatives to media, and firsthand information received by such experts will be valuable to VI members should they become involved in litigation. ft ft ft ft ft ft PLASTICS MEDICAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURER URGES IMPROVED COMMUNICATION WITH SUPPLIERS... In key note address at SPI First Annual Medical Plastvcs Conference last month in New Brunswick, NJ, Morgan Morton, speaking for Donald O'Neill, Health Technology Group, Warner-Lambert Co., indi cated three ways supplier can help device manufacturer: 1) Be consistent with quality; 2) Be consistent with formulations; and 3) Be tolerant of special requirements imposed on health care industry, particularly by Food and Drug Administration... Also urged supplier cooperation in providing required and essential information to FDA in support of license applications; ad vocated long-term partnership between health technology industry and medical plastics supplier. SPI MIDWEST 'FOUNDERS' HONORED AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE... HUGH SILBERMAN, presi dent, Automatic Molded Plastics, presented with Midwest Founders Award during SPI 14th Annual Midwest Section Conference in September at Lake Geneva, WI... Recognized for his support of SPI through service on numerous committees, ac tion as conference planner and program participant, as Midwest Section chair man... ROBERT W. SHERMAN, SPI vice-president, regional operations and member ship, received Staff Founders Award, first time in its history award given to SPI staff member... Honored for his 14 years of service as Midwest manager, "having brought the Society closer to its membership through the organization and establishment of the first SPI Midwest Regional Office, the first SPI Mid west Board of Directors, and the first SPI Midwest Annual Conference." BOR 007906