Cookson, Ashland Bond to Create Strongest-Ever Plastic Pallets
Cookson, one of the foremost manufacturers of plastic pallets in the world, has joined with Ashland to develop a proprietary process in the manufacture of its plastic pallets.
"Our use of the EMABOND process," said John M. Kourouglos, executive vice president of Cookson MHD, "creates a weld that is stronger than the material itself and guarantees a greater strength of the bond.
"Our desire," said Bob Reivik, president of Cookson MHD, "was to weld together a two-piece pallet that would perform better at a lower pallet weight. The two-piece pallets using the EMABOND process in manufacture is a synergism that makes them as strong or stronger than one-piece molded pallets," Reivik said.
"Working with Ashland to incorporate the EMABOND process is, and will continue to be key as we continue to develop new, high-performance plastic pallets," Reivik said.
The pallets manufactured using EMABOND currently are marketed under Cookson's RACK'R 2K and Duro-Cell product line. Cookson anticipates using the EMABOND process in the manufacture of most of its welded plastic pallets made in the United States by the end of the year.
"The EMABOND process produces structural, leak-proof, pressure-tight bonds for plastic-part assembly," said Steven M. Chookazian, business development manger of SP&A Division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company in Norwood, N.J. "As used in Cookson's applications, it consists of an inductive heat source, a press and specially developed EMAWELD -- a formulated thermoplastic resin.
"EMAWELD material," said Chookazian, "is composed of 100 percent solids, is environmentally friendly and extremely reliable. The EMABOND process, combined with the special-formula EMAWELD material, not only meets Cookson's needs, but replaces sonic welding and provides part-to-part repeatability."
The RACK'R2K, among the plastic pallets being welded with the new process, is a truly rackable, automation-friendly, fully recyclable plastic pallet that meets or surpasses the performance standards currently established for 40" x 48" edge-rackable Grocery Manufacturers' Association-specified wood pallets.
Cookson also uses the EMABOND process in the manufacture of two newly introduced footprints in its extensive line-up of Duro-Cell Finished Goods Pallets -- the 36" x 36". (914mm x 914mm) and 37" x 37" (940mm x 940mm). While those particular pallets have features that are beneficial to the beverage industry, they also have a wide range of general warehouse applications for the food processing, paper, publishing and pharmaceutical industries.
For more information, contact Cookson Plastic Molding Corp. at 888-738-8800 or email to sales_info@cooksonpm.com. Visit Cookson's web site at www.cooksonmhd.com/pr.
Cookson Plastic Molding Corp. Material Handling Division has manufacturing facilities in Essex, U.K.; Lawrenceville, Ga.; Mora, Minn.; and Cookson Plastic Molding, Material Handling Division. Cookson Group plc is an international industrial materials group which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
The Specialty Polymers and Adhesives Division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company (www.ashspec.com) is a leading producer of high-performance, pressure-sensitive and structural adhesives and specialty resins that serves the transportation, aerospace, construction, industrial and converting industries.
Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, a division of Ashland Inc., is a leading worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals serving industries, including plastics. Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH) provides basic industrial materials and services to customers throughout the world, with a primary focus on transportation- and construction-related markets. Its web site is www.ashland.com.