Children Fighting Cancer. What We Can Do To Help

It’s back to school time for many – but not for all.  September is National Childhood Cancer month. We dedicate this month’s issue to all children who inspire us with their brave fight against cancer. Too many, too soon Cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease among children Roughly 16,000 children in the U.S. will…

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Five Human Resource Tips To Improve Your Bottom Line

3 people at conference table with laptop

At family-owned Hoffer Plastics, Gretchen Farb oversees the finances of the plastic injection-molding business as well as the Hoffer Foundation. She manages the company’s investments and its 401(k) plan. In the last 12 to 18 months, Farb instituted new enterprise resource planning software and helped lead the company to a record year. Revenue last year rose 12.5 percent to $90 million . . .

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It’s National Wellness Month

We’re sharing some interesting new trends and approaches to wellness that we hope will inform and inspire you. Read on! Prescribing Nature What if your doctor prescribed a 30 minute walk outdoors instead of prescribing a drug? It’s happening, and there’s solid science behind it. A study among the world’s longest living people (> 100)…

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It’s Mid Year 2019. Time for a Turnaround?

It’s Mid-Year 2019. Time for a Turnaround? July is the heart of summer, but also marks the onset of the second half of the year. Much like making resolutions in January, the second half is a great time to reassess and get back on track for achieving personal and professional goals. Stay cool, and go for it!…

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Gretchen Farb Named Crain’s Notable Women in Finance

At family-owned Hoffer Plastics, Gretchen Farb oversees the finances of the plastic injection-molding business as well as the Hoffer Foundation. She manages the company’s investments and its 401(k) plan. In the last 12 to 18 months, Farb instituted new enterprise resource planning software and helped lead the company to a record year. Revenue last year rose 12.5 percent to $90 million . . .

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Limited Growth Among Top 100 Injection Molders

Must be summer because it is time to look at the numbers behind Plastics News’ ranking of the Top 100 North American injection molders. Look to next week’s issue for the smaller firms.
There are 102 firms in the top 100 this year, that’s due to the three ties at No. 100. The companies have combined molding sales of $29.1 billion. The top 10 alone make up 34 percent of that total revenue. The average sales per firm is $284.7 million, holding steady compared with last year.
The general trend in automotive was down, although a few lucky firms managed to grow. Medical molders also grew. I read many annual reports where company executives explained that their sales increases were due to resin pricing pass-through to customers.
For those firms reporting growth at the top 100, the average increase was 15 percent. The figure rises to 23 percent if you include acquisition-related growth. Six percent of the top 100 executives in this list are women.

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National Safety Month

hoffer employee with hair net looking down

June is National Safety Month! Learn about the devastating impact of workplace injuries and simple steps you can take to improve safety on the job. Welcome, summer, and a shout out to all the grads, dads and father figures this month. The High Cost of an Unsafe Workplace In the U.S., a worker is injured…

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National Inventors’ Month

hoffer-team-in-vienna

May is National Inventors’ Month! We highlight new products, inspirations and thoughts on improving innovation in any context. And as Memorial Day closes out the month, please remember to thank a Vet and honor all who’ve served. Hoffer Plastics and BBC Cellpack Team at the Plastics Pouches Trade Show, Vienna, April 2019 Spotlight on Hoffer Plastics…

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China Tariffs Will Hit Consumers Hard

For many Americans, President Donald Trump’s trade war may soon get very real.

His administration is preparing to extend 25% tariffs to practically all Chinese imports not already hit with duties, including toys, sneakers, shirts, alarm clocks, toasters and coffeemakers. That’s roughly $300 billion worth of products on top of the $250 billion targeted earlier.

“The administration’s decision to announce a tax on every product coming from China puts America’s entire economy at risk,” the Retail Industry Leaders Association said in a statement. “Americans’ entire shopping cart will get more expensive.”

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Fallout from China Trade War

For many Americans, President Donald Trump’s trade war may soon get very real.

His administration is preparing to extend 25% tariffs to practically all Chinese imports not already hit with duties, including toys, sneakers, shirts, alarm clocks, toasters and coffeemakers. That’s roughly $300 billion worth of products on top of the $250 billion targeted earlier.

“The administration’s decision to announce a tax on every product coming from China puts America’s entire economy at risk,” the Retail Industry Leaders Association said in a statement. “Americans’ entire shopping cart will get more expensive.”

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