Exhibitor interview: Slide Products
In our latest exhibitor
interview we spoke to Betsi Burns, Business Development Manager at SLIDE Products, Inc.
SLIDE Products helps Plastic Processors and Mold Makers optimize cycle times and maximize molding performance with our full line of aerosols and liquids that have been manufactured in our Wheeling, Illinois facility for nearly 70 years. Operators can mold more parts, quickly clean and protect molds and eliminate defects, specks and streaks with SLIDE’s smart, productive formulations of mold cleaners, mold releases, rust preventives and high-temperature ejector pin grease.
What do you think sets your company apart from your competitors?
Our most important benefit to the industry is that we have several full-time SLIDE Factory Representatives, who have more than 100 years of combined experience, traveling around the US, and into Canada and Mexico, working with our 200+ distributor partners. SLIDE’s experts will assist customers personally based on their individual needs, applications and issues through our Top Tier Service program. Customers get expert advice on ways to maximize their molding performance at NO CHARGE. SLIDE Products is known throughout the plastics molding industry for producing consistent quality across our product line. We pledge absolute reliability, quality and satisfaction, and are proud to offer this complimentary service.
Are there any new technology developments that your company is working on at the moment?
At SLIDE we’re always looking for ways to assist our customers in making their companies more profitable, safe and efficient. Our new mold polish has been developed to meet the latest new regulations meant to minimize the impact on our environment. It has no petroleum distillates, so it is low VOC, making it a safer alternative for the user and the environment. We also recently introduced our new Hi-Temp Purge Compound that works at temps up to 750ºF to quickly and thoroughly clear all residue and carbon buildup. Using a purging compound engineered to be effective and stable at temperatures up to 750ºF will dramatically shorten purge times. Color and resin changes are fast. The amount of resin required is significantly reduced. Fewer test shots are required as specks and streaks are eliminated. And you don’t have to pull the screw and barrel.
What are the biggest challenges facing the injection molding industry today and how can this be overcome?
Supply chain issues and the rising costs of resins and freight are some of the challenges we hear about from our customers every day. There are some things a company can do in order to make these issues less of a burden on their operation. At Slide we have weathered the supply chain storm very well and our customers continued to receive their orders in the same timeframe as always. So, working with a manufacturer who keeps plenty of raw material and packaging supplies on hand is essential for end users. By working with a local stocking distributor, end user customers can reduce their freight bills; and by using the proper mold cleaners, mold releases and purging compounds users can eliminate production challenges that lead to higher scrap rates and wasted resin material.
How do you see the sector developing in the next five to ten years?
Sustainability and recycling of plastic parts will continue to grow in importance within the plastics industry over the next decade. The industry needs to buy into and adopt best-practice standards that help the industry meet these sustainability goals. Let’s not fight against the trend. We need to embrace the change and be part of the solution. At Slide we embrace being as environmentally friendly as we can be and have installed a solar array at our manufacturing facility to offset our carbon footprint, partnered up with non-profit organization, One Tree Planted to donate trees to be planted for each online order we receive, and we offer customers the SLIDE Hazardous Aerosol Return Program (SHARP) whereby they can send us their used SLIDE Products cans for proper disposal and recycling.
You are exhibiting at the Injection Molding and Design Expo, what are you most looking forward to?
We are looking forward to reconnecting with many of our customers who will attend, as well as meeting new potential customers. We are also excited to see new products and learning how our industry peers have weathered the past couple of years, and to talk to them about how they see the sector developing.
Slide Products will be exhibiting at the Injection Molding and Design Expo 2022.