July 22 2021
Parkinson Technologies' Dusenbery® brand is proud to announce the latest enhancement to the popular MasterSlit® DC2 duplex center slitter rewinder. The DC2, based on the original Dusenbery® 635, now incorporates safety system advances in accordance with upcoming national and industry standards and also now features operator interface refinements that further improve productivity.
To address the challenges to operator safety and ergonomics when producing larger finished rolls at higher operating speeds, the Dusenbery® team has incorporated the latest updated safety standards published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). These updates include integrating new guarding and safety features into the latest DC2 design. On the material inlet end, a transparent barrier guard remains locked during high-speed operation and provides safe viewing of the process without exposure to the hazards associated with slitting materials at high speeds. When required to enter the slitting area for setup or threading material through the machine, a new control station enables the operator to request safe entry. Once the request is made, access is declined until the machine reaches the safe speed specified in the newest safety guidelines. The latest hardware and software are used to monitor the machine’s operation to ensure that all safety-related functions are maintained should a machine malfunction occur.
Another new machine feature provides safe inspection of the winding area with the use of a hold-to-run device. When engaged, this hand-held device slows the machine to a safe speed and initiates a 2-minute timer that allows entry into the area while certain functions are temporarily and safely disabled. This feature gives the operator the ability to safely obtain a close-up view of how the material is wound and complete common quality checks such as roll hardness, edge profile, and core alignment. Failure to exit the winding area before the timer runs out or if the hold-to-run button is let go during the timer will cause an immediate emergency stop of the machine.
The Dusenbery Converting Systems team also implemented enhancements to the machine interface to provide an enhanced user experience. The team understands that as machines advance and become more sophisticated to handle high product throughput, quality, and safety, the user's experience shouldn't feel overwhelming or cumbersome to navigate. Many new features such as enhanced diagnostics, component status, and more straightforward navigation provide an intuitive experience for operators.
"Machine safety, safe working practices and operator interface refinements are always at the forefront when making enhancements to our machinery," says Joe Connelly, Product Manager of Winding and Slitting. "Working closely with PLASTICS and ANSI to understand the latest performance and safety requirements allows our team to offer a product that is best for our customers."
Those seeking more information about the DC2 should contact Parkinson Technologies at 401-762-2100 or sales@parkinsontechnologies.com.
May 21 2021
Parkinson Technologies is pleased to announce its 150th anniversary. It is not often a company can trace its lineage back 150-years. However, this year Parkinson achieved this incredible milestone. Each of the four brands started from humble beginnings. Yet today, the company has evolved into a global technology leader in high-performance web processing systems for the plastics, nonwovens, paper, and specialty materials industries.
Parkinson Winders
The company started in 1871, when Edward Parkinson, a young machinist from England, established the Edward Parkinson Mfg. Co. making and repairing loom forks and sewing machines. Mr. Parkinson moved his wife and daughter from Lancaster, Lancashire, England, to Providence, RI, around 1869, during a time of rebuilding and healing after a difficult four-year civil war.
During Mr. Parkinson's time growing the small machine shop, his company evolved to include many types of machinery. From 1884-1906, the company was awarded patents that included a knitting machine, a weft fork for looms, and a bobbin winder. Though relatively small, these machines and components echoed what the company's future would eventually become. Edward Parkinson passed away in 1907, leaving the company to his daughter and son-in-law, George Clarence Clark, who ran the company until passing it along to their son Edward Parkinson.
In 1941, Alan Metzger purchased the Edward Parkinson Company. Mr. Metzger, a talented engineer, relocated the company to Oak Street in Esmond, Rhode Island. The company developed a new product line, including surface winders for textiles, which were first manufactured in 1943. Under Mr. Metzger, the company expanded and grew for the next 25 years.
Alan Metzger died in 1983, and the ownership passed to his children, including Alan Metzger, Jr. Harry Prince was the new president from 1983 to his retirement. During Mr. Prince’s presidency, the company continued to expand its business supplying its automatic and manual surface winders for the textile industry and turret winders for the rapidly growing plastics industry. Upon the retirement of Harry Prince in 1991, Alan Metzger, Jr. assumed the presidency. Although the company expanded during its management, in 1993 the company was acquired by the current owner.
The company was renamed Parkinson Machinery and Manufacturing, Inc. and embarked on a new chapter in its long history. The company has been completely reorganized and its technology redefined to meet the requirements of the nonwovens, paper, and plastics industries. In 1995, the company moved its operations to the current Woonsocket, RI location.
Marshall and Williams Plastics
In the spring of 2000, Parkinson acquired the plastics division of Marshall and Williams Plastics and combined operations with its facility in Woonsocket. In 1920, Robert Marshall and John H. Williams founded Marshall and Williams Manufacturing Company, Inc. and opened their business on Calendar Street in Providence, Rhode Island in August 1921 for the sole purpose of repairing and servicing tenter clips used by the New England textile finishing industry. Robert Marshall served as the company’s first president. By 1925, business growth substantiated the manufacture of new tenter clip systems, prompting a move to a building on Westfield Street, doubling its space. In the summer of 1937, the company expanded the business to include the manufacture of tenter frames and relocated to Baker Street.
Early in 1946, new owners purchased the company and Richmond Viall was elected president and John Nash vice president. Later that year, the company established a sales and service operation in Greenville, SC. Around 1950, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., unmistakingly known today as simply DuPont, asked M&W about the possibility of modifying a textile tenter frame to stretch a thermoplastic material being developed by DuPont. As a result, during the following year the company completed the world’s first transverse stretching machine (now referred to as a TDO) and film tenter clip.
Upon Richmond Viall’s retirement in 1959, John Nash became president. In 1960, development of the company’s first machine direction film stretcher (MDO) began. The next year, Frederick Hyatt, an engineer from Greenville, SC (and son-in-law of John Nash) was transferred to Providence specifically to further the development of machinery to produce biaxially oriented thermoplastic film. Those efforts resulted in the issuance of many patents, pioneering the machinery used for orientation of plastic film. From this, M&W became recognized as the world’s leader in this type of machinery. It soon became apparent that a small line of on-site equipment would be necessary to validate M&W’s technical claims and to assist in resin and film development by M&W customers. In June 1962, the world’s first non-captive biaxial orientation film laboratory became operational.
In 1964, Bevis Industries, Inc. purchased M&W. John Nash continued as president. Over the next few years, export sales became more significant, primarily with plastic film machinery sales, and in 1968, the company formally established the Plastics Division. The following year, John Nash retired, and Frederick Hyatt became president. By then, the Plastics Division of M&W was deeply entrenched in the film industry. A management buyout took place in July 1971. The group consisted of six M&W managers (four in RI and two in SC).
In 1980, Frederick Hyatt stepped down and Stuart MacDonald became president. That same year, all textile machinery manufacturing was transferred to SC, and machinery manufacturing in RI was dedicated exclusively to film machinery. By 1990 the Plastics Division had gained a prominent position in the plastics industry, particularly in the BOPS (biaxially oriented polystyrene) marketplace, capturing 75% of the global BOPS market. Throughout the 1990s, the Plastics Division expanded its product line and provided complete turnkey process systems.
The company now operates as a brand of Parkinson Technologies Inc. and is the only large-scale manufacturer of equipment for biaxially oriented equipment in the United States. It has installed biax lines throughout the world, and it supports its customer base with a pilot/laboratory facility.
Key Filters
In 2001, Parkinson Machinery and Manufacturing, Inc. changed its name to Parkinson Technologies Inc. During this time, the company brought Key Filters, which was acquired in 1989, under the Parkinson Technologies, Inc. umbrella to establish a concise family of machinery brands. Key Filters started in 1983 by John Fogarty, who developed a continuous filtration system whereby seal bars were attached to a wire mesh belt. As the contaminates collected on the screen and the pressure increased, he developed a system using heating and cooling of the polymer to seal the material inside the screen changer that allowed the screen belt to advance, based on a pressure build-up, without interruption of the flow to the die. This system allowed the screen belt to discharge the contaminates continuously without interruption and is the basis of the Key Filters KC, KCN, and the most recent KCH Continuous Belt Screen Changer.
Dusenbery Converting Systems
In 2008, Parkinson Technologies Inc. acquired the assets of the John Dusenbery Company, a well-known manufacturer of slitter rewinders and other converting equipment. John Dusenbery started his company in 1947, adjusting magnetic compasses and manufacturing sextants for the U.S. Navy but turned to peacetime manufacturing of wire drawing machines. In the late 1940s, the first slitter rewinder, known as the Model 585, was engineered for pressure-sensitive acetate tape. Now under Parkinson Technologies, the brand was renamed to Dusenbery Converting Systems.
Parkinson Technologies Today
Today Parkinson Technologies, Inc. continues to thrive and evolve. The Parkinson Winders brand remains one of the premier sources of web winding technology. Marshall and Williams Plastics continue to innovate and adapt to the changing plastics market, offering orientation systems installed worldwide. Key Filters offers the innovative KCH continuous belt screen changer. Dusenbery Converting Systems recently reorganized its offerings into the new MasterSlit™ lineup that includes the newly engineered DC2 and DC4 duplex slitter rewinders.
“It is truly fascinating to think about the lineage of our company and the historical eras it has witnessed. There are very few businesses that can say they’re celebrating 150 years of continuous operation. It’s a testament to all those who supported Parkinson and its brands over the years,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “Here is to another 150-years.”
March 26 2020
COVID-19 Update to our Customers & Partners
First, all of us at Parkinson Technologies hope that you, your families and colleagues are safe and remain healthy. We’d like to communicate our company status as we strive to keep things moving forward.
Our business remains operational 5 days per week and we are following the necessary protocols within our facility to maintain that status to the extent we possibly can. Supplier deliveries and machine/parts production and shipments continue. When possible, our technology labs are conducting customer trials without customers being present and, if necessary, can utilize real-time voice and video networking that allows customers to participate remotely. Customer support and commercial personnel remain active remotely, including our colleagues based in New Jersey and Shenzhen, China. Travel restrictions are in place for our personnel and access restrictions are in place at our customers so field service engagements and customer meetings are being rescheduled.
Many of our customers are defined as “essential” businesses due to their participation in personal care/safety and medical device markets and we have communicated to our state government that it is necessary for us to remain operational in support of that.
We wish you and your organizations the very best in getting through these challenges. Parkinson Technologies is here to support you, now and into the future, as this situation evolves and ultimately as we all get back to normal. In the interim, please note the best way to reach us is either through the contacts you regularly work with or one of the following links:
For customer support: service@parkinsontechnologies.com
For sales inquiries: sales@parkinsontechnologies.com
For spare parts inquiries: parts@parkinsontechnologies.com
Sincerely,
Peter Termyn
President & CEO
Parkinson Technologies Inc.
August 20 2019
Parkinson Technologies’ Key Filters brand is pleased to announce the latest refinements to the popular KCH continuous belt screen changer. New mechanical upgrades to the KCH lineup include more robust construction, cooling enhancements and maintenance features.
“From the start, the KCH has been a well-received, high-performance machine in the continuous melt filtration market and our team of engineers, assembly personnel and field service technicians worked closely with our customers to make a great machine even better,” says Justin Marriott, Product Manager of Key Filters. “In fact, this recent iteration saw the most advancements since the KCH’s inception.”
Introduced in 2012, the KCH has provided unparalleled performance with hundreds sold to companies seeking a solution to their melt filtration needs. Continuing that performance trend, the Key Filters team looked at ways to make the KCH even more robust, faster, more reliable, and easier to maintain. The result is an extension of the KCH’s high-performance capabilities even in the most demanding environments and challenging applications. To increase overall robustness, vital machine sensors were guarded, moved further away from high-heat locations and upgraded to meet extreme production environments. “As an example, the puller sensor was upgraded from a string potentiometer to an extreme-duty, non-contact inductive sensor,” says Justin Marriott. “The sensor selected is a proven solution across a broad range of demanding applications, one being heavy-duty sanitation trucks, just to give you an idea of our commitment to robust engineering.”
Additional advancements include increased cooling through the inlets and outlets, resulting in three times the flow rate compared to the previous version. This cooling enhancement accelerates the formation of the sealing plug, which allows the KCH to advance the screen at an even quicker rate, thus filtering out higher volumes of contaminants and reducing the risk of downtime due to seal failure.
When working with heated polymer in a real-world scenario, situations arise in an extrusion facility outside of the screen changer’s control that may cause significant down-time and damage to the machine. This is often due to accidentally increasing the screw speed on the extruder too quickly at start-up or interruption in the cooling water to the screen changer which results in a loss of the sealing plug in the screen outlet. The Key Filters team looked at ways to reduce potential down-time to these unfortunate situations by separating the puller and outlet assemblies. The heated polymer will bypass the puller assembly, eliminating component damage and providing an easier clean-up if plug loss occurs. An extrusion line can be fully operational in just a fraction of the time.
“The KCH continuous belt screen changer is an increasingly popular and successful product for our organization and the Key Filters team has done an outstanding job of working closely with customers to achieve ongoing continuous improvement,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We will continue to refine our machinery to increase performance, efficiency, and safety.”
February 20 2019
Parkinson Technologies’ Dusenbery brand will proudly exhibit its new MasterSlit® DC2 center slitter rewinder at ICE USA 2019 in Louisville, KY. The new DC2, which was based on the original Dusenbery 635, will feature the same roll pusher and laser core alignment system used on its big brother, the DC4. Demonstrations of the new center slitter will be held every two hours during show hours.
“The DC2 was based on the original Dusenbery 635, possibly the most popular slitter rewinder ever created,” says Joe Connelly, Product Manager of Winding and Slitting. “This new slitter expands on the popularity of that classic model by continuing to offer an economical solution but with the DC2 you’re getting a much higher level of performance and available features.”
The DC2 will be paired with a reengineered SD40 unwind. This entry level unwind was redesigned with safety in mind by eliminating pinch points during operation. The SD40 also incorporates linear bearings in the edge guide system for smoother and more accurate movement, a requirement for its higher speed operation. The unwind on display will feature the optional lift-from-the-floor loading arms and a splice table.
Also featured on the DC2 is the new PH90 pneumatic knife holder with removable knife cartridge. Three quick-change knife heads accommodate shear, score, and razor blade slitting methods. This holder was engineered for light duty converting applications with incorporated, proven, and dependable technology developed for the cost-conscious end user without compromising holder performance and reliability.
“With a machine like the DC2 it’s important to stay true to what made the original model 635 so popular while offering increased performance and innovative features,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We will continue developing cutting-edge machinery while never losing sight of Dusenbery’s heritage.”
October 27 2017
On Thursday October 12, Parkinson Technologies hosted a tour for the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) New England chapter. Members were invited to Parkinson Technologies’ corporate headquarters in Woonsocket, Rhode Island to explore the State-of-the-art film extrusion and biaxial orientation technology lab, the new slitting technology lab, and tour the assembly area.
Parkinson also demonstrated their new virtual reality (VR) system. Originally designed for trade shows and conferences, Parkinson setup a dedicated section of their facility for visitors to experience a complete biaxial orientation system. The VR features examples of all four brands of machinery including full scale melt handling, casting, MDO (machine direction orientation), TDO (transverse direction orientation), winding, and slitting. This system is like their technology lab but allows virtual full-scale representations of machinery to be viewed and interacted with in the absence of the actual equipment.
“This was a great opportunity for our members to visit Parkinson and get an understanding of their operation and offerings,” explained Joe Iannone, IoPP Chapter President. “Our members come from a broad range of backgrounds in the packaging industry and this tour gave them an insight into the orientation side of film and sheet. We would like to thank Peter Termyn and his group for hosting this successful event.”
Towards the end of the event a special plaque was presented by Lynne Barton, IoPP New England Event Coordinator, to Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies, for sponsorship contribution. This contribution went towards scholarships for college students in U-Mass Lowell’s plastics engineering program.
“It was a pleasure to have the IoPP New England group here for the tour,” says Peter Termyn. “It always gives our company a great sense of pride to host these types of events, to share with other members of the packaging community our capabilities and learn about theirs. It was also a great honor to receive the plaque from IoPP and be recognized as one of the many contributors assisting our next generation of packaging professionals.”
October 4 2017
Parkinson Technologies announces a new addition to its in-house technology lab offerings. Parkinson Technologies’ Dusenbery® brand has a new dedicated slitting lab featuring the MasterSlit™ DC4. This new lab will allow customers to conduct slitting trials and gain valuable hands-on experience using Dusenbery equipment.
“This is very exciting for us to offer more capabilities with this new slitting lab,” explained Joe Connelly, Product Manager of Winding and Slitting. “We’ve always had the ability to test customer’s material on our smaller prior generation machines, but now with the combination of the DC4 and TA72 heavy duty shaftless unwind we’re able to offer customers an even higher level of performance.”
The Dusenbery slitting lab will now offer customers the ability to test large mill rolls up to 72” maximum roll diameter at 10,000 Ibs. and rewind packages as large as 40” in diameter at speeds of 2,625 fpm. All three types of slitting tooling are available, including shear, crush, and razor. Customers are welcome to send in their materials to be tested or visit the Woonsocket facility to experience the new slitter rewinder’s performance, accuracy, and enhanced ergonomics.
The slitting lab is the newest segment of Parkinson Technologies’ technology lab offerings which also includes the Key Filters advanced melt filtration lab and the world-renowned Marshall and Williams Plastics extrusion & orientation pilot lab. In the coming year, the Dusenbery team has plans to add more capabilities to the new slitting lab including a compact slitter with an automatic knife position system.
“The Dusenbery slitting lab is a welcome addition to our lab capabilities,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “The ability to test material and offer hands-on experience on our equipment has always been an important offering to our valued customers.”
August 18 2017
Parkinson Technologies’ Dusenbery brand announces a new addition to their MasterSlit™ C-Series of slitter rewinders. The newly developed DC2 is a duplex center slitter that offers the same enhanced performance and ergonomic capabilities as its larger sibling, the DC4, but in a smaller more compact design.
“The DC2 was based on the original Dusenbery 635, possibly the most popular slitter rewinder ever created,” says Joe Connelly, Product Manager of Winding and Slitting. “This new slitter expands on the popularity of that classic model by continuing to offer an economical solution but with the DC2 you’re getting a much higher level of performance and available features.”
One of the new features of the DC2 which was not originally designed into the model 635 is the cantilevered design which allows for easier unloading of the rolls. Similar to the larger capacity DC4, the DC2 also features the optional roll pusher and automatic unloader which offers an even higher level of automatic roll handling. Another feature not available with the original 635 is the ability to rewind twenty-five-inch diameter rolls with or without top riding rolls, exceeding the legacy slitter’s rewind diameter capacity. The DC2 also allows for integration of any slitter tooling including a new automatic knife positioning system.
“With a machine like the DC2 it’s important to stay true to what made the original model 635 so popular while offering increased performance and innovative features,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We will continue that trend of developing cutting-edge machinery while never losing sight of what made our previous machines successful.”
Those seeking more information about the DC2 should contact Parkinson Technologies at 401-762-2100 or sales@parkinsontechnologies.com.
August 10 2017
As an AIMCAL member company Parkinson Technologies Inc accepted an invitation to host a plant tour and conduct a lab machine demonstration in conjunction with AIMCAL’s Web Slitting Technology Converting School Course held in Warwick, RI on July 18 & 19, 2017. Parkinson planned the tour as a follow up to showcase their new design Dusenbery® MasterSlit™ DC4 Slitter Rewinder, previously unveiled at the ICE 2017 Show in Orlando, FL earlier this year.
In time for the Converting School demonstration Parkinson unveiled the new Dusenbery® TA72 heavy duty shaftless unwind with lift-from-the-floor capabilities. This new unwind was integrated with the MasterSlit™ DC4 to support the Web Slitting Technology Course. Parkinson conferred with instructor, Dave Rumson – Slitting Educator/Consultant, on the best possible demonstration given the tight demo setup and run schedule along with the limited in-plant tour time. It was agreed that a simple comparison of different shear slitting overlap depth settings could support the course discussion held earlier that day.
The demonstration testing was run with 70 gauge (18 micron) commercially available biaxially oriented polypropylene film. A real-time camera was used to provide a close up of one of the holder knives with the knife overlap set first to a more common 0.030” (0.76mm). The camera output was broadcast to a large screen monitor placed in front of the DC4 for attendee viewing. After an 8,000-ft. run the machine was shut down and the overlap was increased to 0.120” (3.05mm) and the 8,000-ft run repeated.
“Although no major difference in high edge roll profile was seen on both test runs, possibly due to the relative small roll diameters, subsequent examination showed a significant difference in web fracture debris collected on both top and bottom knives of the 0.120” overlap test, whereas there was virtually no debris on the 0.030” overlap knives,” explained Dave Rumson. “It was a positive experience for tour attendees to observe the overlap slitting demo and for AIMCAL and I to work with Parkinson Technologies in support of the course.”
Said Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies, “It’s always a pleasure to offer Dave Rumson and AIMCAL the opportunity to give their students the ability to see firsthand real world slitting demonstrations on our machinery. Events like these are certainly in-line with our goal to offer more demonstrations in our new slitting lab. As we continue to increase our capabilities in the lab, we’re planning to add more of these types of events.”
Those seeking more information about the DC4 slitter or TA72 unwind should contact Parkinson Technologies at 401-762-2100 or sales@parkinsontechnologies.com.
May 17 2017
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. announced that it has expanded its sales team with two new employees: Joe Kenney as Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast and Jorge Goldschmied as Sales Manager for Key Filters in the Americas.
“It’s a pleasure to welcome two such experienced and reputable professionals to the Parkinson Technologies family,” said Stephen Montalto, Vice President of Sales at Parkinson. “We’re proud to now offer our customers dedicated sales support in the Northeast region as well as a dedicated individual handling all activities for our Key Filters brand.”
Joe Kenney is a growth-focused sales leader with over 27 years of experience helping to bolster sales and revenue for various organizations in the converting sector. He will be based in Parkinson Technologies’ Woonsocket headquarters and handle all Northeast activity for the Dusenbery, Parkinson Winders, and Marshall and Williams Plastics brands.
With over 16 years of hands-on experience in the plastics industry, mostly in the Latin American market, Jorge Goldschmied is an industrial engineer with significant expertise in cast and blown film, foam, and sheet extrusion lines. He will head up all Key Filters activities in the Americas, including North and Latin America.
Said Peter Termyn, President and CEO, “The addition of Joe and Jorge to our sales force is an integral part of Parkinson’s growth strategy, particularly in the Latin American market. Both will play an instrumental role in expanding our market reach and providing our customers with the stellar product knowledge and support they expect from Parkinson Technologies’ numerous machinery brands.”
May 12 2017
Building on a successful 2016 conference with nearly 400 attendees, over 100 presentations and more than 75 exhibitors, The Flexible Packaging Division of SPE and the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters, and Laminators (AIMCAL) will again present a combined event in 2017.
A program of parallel tracks will address extrusion, coating, lamination, metallization, converting, and the performance requirements driving design for flexible packaging. Presentations are anticipated to include recent developments in machinery, materials, and packaging designs targeted to an assortment of applications from food to electronics to transportation. Issues facing consumer product companies from food preservation to supply chain security are program considerations.
SPE FlexPackCon and AIMCAL R2R 2017 conference will be held at Naples Grande Beach Resort, October 15-18, 2017 in Naples, Florida. Touted as "The Happiest and Healthiest City in America," Naples Florida has everything offered for meetings, fine dining, spa, beach getaway, golfing, and watersports, etc.
The event will begin with a series of seminars or tutorials providing in-depth overview of the technologies addressed in the event.
Program Deadlines:
Abstract: May 27
Papers: July 1
Presentations: July 29
Topics will include:
For program and exhibition questions, please contact:
Donna Davis
General Operating and Program Chair
Dave Constant
SPE Exhibitors and Sponsor Chair
To submit abstract, please visit: http://www.4spe.org/flexpackcon.
April 3 2017
Parkinson Technologies’ Dusenbery brand will introduce its latest slitter rewinder innovation, the DC4, at the upcoming ICE USA show taking place in Orlando April 25-27. In a continuation of Parkinson’s machine development program for the brand, the DC4 is an advanced, large-capacity duplex slitter rewinder equipped with enhanced performance and ergonomic capabilities.
“The announcement of the DC4 marks a whole new chapter for the Dusenbery brand,” explained Joe Connelly, Product Manager of Winding and Slitting. “This latest advancement is the result of intensive market and industry research, and the DC4 is well-aligned with what today’s converting businesses need when it comes to large capacity duplex slitting.”
The Dusenbery brand will continue its slitter rewinder evolution under its new “MasterSlit™” trademark. The DC4 is the first of the C-Center series, offering a new look and design with superior performance over previous slitter rewinder models. This technologically advanced machine offers attributes that the market finds appealing including faster speed, higher capacity, enhanced ergonomics and easier thread-up. The DC4 also fuses technology acquired from its sister brand, Parkinson Winders to offer exceptional web handling accuracy and technology by maintaining consistent web strain throughout the finished roll structure.
Said Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies, “I’m extremely proud of our DC4 development team. They designed and built a truly world-class, cutting-edge machine from the ground up and we’re thrilled to be unveiling it this spring at the biggest converting show in North America.”
Those seeking more information about the DC4 should contact Parkinson Technologies at 401-762-2100 or sales@parkinsontechnologies.com.
January 24 2017
At the K-Show in Düsseldorf, Germany (October 19-26), Parkinson Technologies, Inc. drew a captive audience when it introduced its new virtual reality (VR) technology. This groundbreaking VR platform—used as a tool for demonstrating Parkinson’s plastics processing machinery on a large scale—piqued the interest of industry media, potential customers, and even the U.S. Consulate.
“This was an exciting chance for Parkinson to highlight the tremendous potential of VR in manufacturing,” said Brian Lundgren, Marketing Manager at Parkinson Technologies. “This technology is a game-changer for manufacturers who can’t bring large-scale, customized machinery to a show due to logistical and economic reasons. VR also shows promise with respect to troubleshooting and factory maintenance.”
Parkinson’s virtual line showcased machines from all of its brands, including Key Filters, Marshall & Williams Plastics, Dusenbery Converting Systems, and Parkinson Winders. The system was built on the HTC Vive/SteamVR platform, which, in addition to Facebook’s Oculus Rift, is the first commercially available PC-based VR platform. Handheld input devices allowed visitors to start and stop the machine’s operations and push buttons to hear more information on various components.
The technology was test-driven by many members of the industry media, including representatives from Plastics Technology Magazine, Plastics News and Plastics Technology. Engineering students from surrounding European countries also visited the exhibit, as well as the U.S. Consulate Michael Keller and members of his office.
A virtual reality model has considerable benefits over a real-life demonstration machine. For example, structures can be made transparent to reveal machinery that is not typically visible to the naked eye. Additionally, proprietary technologies can be concealed from view.
“The enthusiastic response to our VR technology far exceeded our expectations, capturing the attention of everyone from the media to government officials to engineering students and, most importantly, our customers,” said Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We were able to convey who Parkinson Technologies is and what we do in a most compelling way. What’s more, we generated interest in our newest innovations, including the Dusenbery 280 center surface slitter rewinder and the Key Filters ScreenLync interlocking continuous belt screen system for continuous belt screen changers.”
Parkinson plans to continue investing in its VR platform. Lundgren envisions that, in the future, potential customers will have the ability to walk through a turnkey setup before the manufacturing of their new equipment begins.
December 23 2016
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. partnered with the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center for Domestic Violence Help to make this Christmas brighter for three local families. Two Parkinson employees organized a gift drive for the families, which drew an overwhelming response. Jessica White and Maria Quintana collected over $700 in cash donations and filled several boxes with toys, clothes, and other items from “wish lists” compiled by the recipients. The remaining money was used to purchase $45 worth of gift cards for each family.
“Words cannot express how grateful we are to work with such an amazing group of people,” White said. “It’s truly heartwarming. Because of everyone’s generosity, these families—which include several children—will enjoy a very special holiday.”
“Knowing the caliber of people who make up our workforce, I’m not at all surprised at the enthusiastic response to the gift drive,” said Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn. “Giving back to the community is integral to our mission here at Parkinson Technologies, and we’re proud to continue this tradition into the new year.”
September 20 2016
Cutting-Edge System Will Allow Company to Demonstrate a Full Biaxial Line
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. is excited to announce that it is introducing a new virtual reality (VR) system for exhibiting and illustrating its broad base of plastics production and web handling machinery to potential customers and industry stakeholders. This system, which utilizes HTC Vive technology, will be premiered at the upcoming K-Show in Dusseldorf, Germany, taking place October 19-26. It will allow users to transport themselves into an environment featuring a full-scale biaxial web line and to interact with the line or individual machines—something that is impossible at trade shows due to a number of logistical factors.
“Communicating the full capabilities of our products in a trade show setting is extremely challenging due to a variety of reasons,” said Brian Lundgren, Marketing Manager at Parkinson Technologies. “For starters, most of our large-scale machinery is customer-specific, so it goes from the shop floor directly to the customer’s facility. Then there are the logistics of shipping, booth size, and machine availability. But now, with a VR system, we’re able to bring the complete experience on the road with us.”
Instead of having machinery in bits and pieces—such as a screen changer or slitter—Parkinson Technologies will be able to show customers larger equipment such as a casting machine, MDO (machine direction orientation) and TDO (transverse direction orientation) systems, along with integrated technologies. “You’ll even be able to see the tenter frame of the TDO as the oven disappears, with just the click of a button,” Lundgren said. “Users feel like they’re standing right in front of the machinery and interacting with it in real time.”
Virtual reality technology has been in development for many years. However, it is only with the release of hardware such as Oculus and HTC Vive—combined with the appropriate computer horsepower—that Parkinson Technologies is able to deliver a life-like presentation of its machinery. Following October’s K-Show, the company will establish a virtual reality lounge at its headquarters in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where customers will be able to experience its machinery virtually, in addition to equipping Parkinson sales personnel with mobile versions of the system to allow customers a similar experience via mobile devices.
Says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies: “VR is a game changer for us. To our knowledge Parkinson is one of the first manufacturers doing anything of this kind in the industry and we are extremely excited to leverage this technology to engage with customers. As an engineering-driven manufacturer, we’ve always been about pushing boundaries, and this new VR system underscores our position as an industry innovator.”
June 16 2016
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. has introduced a first-of-its kind feature to its Key Filters brand that will lend added safety and efficiency to continuous belt screen changer operation. Called ScreenLync, this innovation enables the operator to hook the new full RDW (Reverse Dutch Weave) roll to the end of the depleted RDW roll in less time than is currently required, thereby reducing operational downtime.
“With every manufacturing operation, time is money, and any opportunity to minimize delays and downtime is significant,” says John Whaley, Product Manager for the Key Filters brand. “ScreenLync is completely new to the industry and will save our clients valuable production time. It reduces the roll change time to minutes.”
The screens used in Key Filters continuous screen changers are high-tensile Reverse Dutch Weave filters, which filter out contaminants in thermoplastic materials. ScreenLync allows an operator to link two screens together, providing a fast and easy way to feed the screen through the machine because it no longer needs to be cleaned out before the new screen is installed. ScreenLync also provides a measure of added safety when used in the Key Filters KCH model. Since it enables the new filtration screen to be pulled directly through the chamber, the operator is able to avoid contact with this high-heat area of the machine, thereby minimizing their handling of the screen roll.
“Parkinson Technologies is continually evolving its product lines to meet the changing landscape of the plastics industry as well as the specific needs of our customers,” says Parkinson’s President and CEO, Peter Termyn. “Our development team is always searching for ways to make production processes faster, safer, and more reliable. ScreenLync represents this commitment to our customers’ success, and we’re excited to see its impact in the marketplace.”
Now available for all filter screen sizes, ScreenLync works with Key Filters systems as well as other brands of continuous belt screen changers. Those seeking more information should contact Parkinson Technologies at 401-762-2100 or sales@parkinsontechnologies.com.
April 18 2016
The new Dusenbery 280 Center Surface Slitter Rewinder from Parkinson Technologies is ideal for both high and low volume converting operations seeking the versatility to accurately slit paper, film, nonwovens or foam up to 86 inches (2185mm) wide with center, center-surface or center winding in minimum gap mode. The 280 features a new and innovative direct-acting winding carriage that provides exacting nip control and winding tension. The 280 also features an exceptional ergonomic design providing easy/safe access to wound rolls and slitter blades. Slitting options include razor, shear or score. Automatic blade positioning, laser core positioning, and an advanced control structure help to consistently produce the highest quality rolls quickly and economically. The 280 is the newest model in the Flex Series slitter rewinder line from Dusenbery® Converting Systems offering exceptional flexibility for slitting and rewinding of rolls up to 50-inch diameter at speeds up to 2500 fpm.
February 25 2016
Turnkey Production Line Expected to Boost the Chinese Company’s Annual Output Value by $40 Million USD
January 2016 marked a milestone in the history of China’s packaging material industry when Guangdong Huaye Packing Material Co., Ltd. (Huaye) introduced to the public its biaxial-orientation PETG shrink film production line, designed and manufactured by Parkinson Technologies. The grand opening ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries, business leaders, and industry associates including Parkinson’s President and CEO Peter Termyn, who addressed the crowd.
“New materials, technologies, and markets grow rapidly in China and we cherish the opportunity to enable that effort,” Termyn said. “Congratulations to Huaye, our esteemed customer, and we sincerely thank them for the opportunity to partner on this historical project. Parkinson Technologies offers its ongoing support, cooperation, and best wishes for continued prosperity to Huaye as it leads China’s packaging material industry to new levels of performance that will undoubtedly earn recognition and respect worldwide.”
PETG (polyethylene terephthlate glycol-modified) is a heat shrinkable film that combines high overall shrinkage with excellent printability and clarity. PETG resin is considered more environmentally friendly compared to other shrink films since it is fully recyclable. It also provides a high degree of contour, allowing the material to cover the entire body of end products. The demand for PETG shrink film has been steadily rising in recent years, with an average growth rate of 14.6% —and this growth is expected to continue.
Huaye’s new PETG production line is represented by all of Parkinson’s machinery brands with the inclusion of Marshall and Williams casting, MDO and TDO equipment, Parkinson Winders winding equipment and Key Filters continuous extrusion filtration equipment. Its annual capacity is 8,000 tons, with an estimated material output value of 250 million RMB ($40 million USD) annually. It also features a zero-waste edge trim recycling system, praised by Huaye’s investors.
"It's been an honor to help Huaye bring world-class film production capabilities to its customers,” said Alman Chow, Regional Sales Manager for Parkinson. “This is an exciting and timely investment that will help the company reinforce its leadership in China’s packaging material industry.”
Parkinson Technologies is currently working with other Asian companies to bring new and innovative solutions to their PETG, OPS, and other specialty oriented film and sheet applications.
July 15 2015
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of its new blog—a collection of articles focused on the company’s products and services, the latest industry innovations and other topics relevant to the plastics, nonwovens, paper, and specialty materials sectors.
“The amount of history and expertise at Parkinson is extraordinary,” says Brian Lundgren, Marketing Manager at Parkinson Technologies. “It’s a pleasure to be able to work with such seasoned co-workers, learn from them, and share some of that vital knowledge with others in our industry—especially those just entering the industry from college. In doing so, we inspire interest in our industry and keeping it moving forward.”
The Parkinson Technologies Blog will feature content about standard web production systems and technologies the company is working on, insights from Parkinson’s technology labs, and tips and tricks that can make customers’ lives easier. No proprietary information regarding Parkinson’s customers or its competitors will be divulged. Posts are authored by employees, who possess many collective years of experience related to the company’s four brands— Marshall and Williams Plastics, Parkinson Winders, Dusenbery Converting Systems, and Key Filters.
Says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies: “It’s wonderful how readily information can be shared and exchanged using social media technology. The Parkinson Technologies Blog gives us an instant platform for providing valuable and often elusive information to our customers. You won’t find this information in a book or manual; it’s derived from the hands-on experience of converting industry veterans who so generously share their expertise. Our objective is to help our customers understand their production process and equipment better, resolve their production challenges, and make sound business decisions that lead to improved operations. We hope the blog becomes a go-to resource not only for our customers, but for anyone associated with the industry.”
The Parkinson Technologies Blog can be accessed here: www.parkinsontechnologies.com/blog, and is generally updated with fresh content every two weeks.
June 10 2015
For Parkinson Technologies customers, the simple act of filling out a quick survey can bring big rewards. Just ask Laure Bancroft from Nuway Tobacco in South Windsor, Connecticut. Laure found herself the lucky winner of a new iPad Mini after responding to an email survey sent out by Parkinson’s Dusenbery brand. All customers who completed the survey were automatically eligible for a special iPad drawing, which took place back in December.
“It was exciting to hand the iPad to such a wonderful customer of ours,” says Tony Cirillo, Dusenbery Sales Engineering Manager, who randomly drew Laure’s name from a hat. “People really do win our contests! Laure was actually out on leave when her name was selected, so we had to wait for her to return to work to give her the prize. The suspense nearly killed us, but it was worth the wait. She was absolutely thrilled with her gift, and said she’d never won anything in her life.”
The iPad Mini contest was part of a promotion for Dusenbery’s Parts Volume Discount Program. Parkinson Technologies is planning to continue this program and will select new prize options for customers who complete upcoming surveys.
“Surveys are an essential part of our efforts to better understand our customers’ needs and how Parkinson can fulfill them,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We know how busy everyone is on a daily basis, and we’re extremely appreciative to all those who took five or ten minutes to answer our questions. Presenting Laure with her new iPad was truly our pleasure, and I hope she gets plenty of use and enjoyment out of it.”
June 9 2015
Parkinson Technologies demonstrated its commitment to industry advancement by exhibiting at Converting School Connect, an event presented by the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters, and Laminators (AIMCAL) in Charlotte, North Carolina from May 11-15. Parkinson hosted a tabletop display during this educational forum, where attendees were able to participate in group sessions and engage directly with manufacturers.
In its first year, Converting School Connect brought together AIMCAL's top converting classes for an intensive week of training. Classes from leading experts ranged from Web Slitting Technology by David Rumson to Web Handling and Converting by Dr. David Roisum. Chris Duncan, Regional Sales Manager at Parkinson Technologies, represented the company at the event.
“I took David Rumson’s course a few years ago and thought it was a fantastic source of information about slitting and slitting techniques,” says Duncan. “I enjoyed meeting Mr. Rumson again and being part of this year’s AIMCAL event. Anyone in the converting business would benefit greatly from his course, no matter their role. As an instructor, Mr. Rumson keeps the material fresh and engaging. This time around, he added a new section on electric technology and its impact on the slitting process, and it was very eye-opening.”
Founded in 1970, AIMCAL is an international, nonprofit trade association representing converters of metallized, laminated, and coated flexible substrates and their suppliers. It provides a global forum for exchanging knowledge and information and building relationships between member companies worldwide.
“Parkinson Technologies has been a member of AIMCAL since 2010, and we are proud to be active supporters of their efforts,” says Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies. “We share a common goal: to promote worldwide, profitable industry innovation and growth. Converting School Connect was a huge success this year, thanks to terrific instructors like David Rumson and the industry suppliers who came out to learn and interact with their community of peers.”
May 28 2015
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. announced that as part of its global growth strategy, it has established an exclusive partnership with Plastec USA in Miami, Florida. As an authorized representative for Parkinson Technologies, Plastec will represent all of the company’s brands— Dusenbery®, Marshall and Williams, Parkinson Winders, and Key Filters—in the Latin American region and provide local sales and service for Parkinson machinery and equipment.
“Latin America is a rapidly evolving market, with rising demand for flexible packaging and labels,” says Vice President of Sales Stephen Montalto, who is leading Parkinson’s expansion into these target markets. “Our collaboration with Plastec will allow us to capitalize on this demand. This organization has an excellent reputation and a proven track record of providing outstanding service and support to end users. Since Plastec currently represents other companies that are aligned with Parkinson’s offerings, they have a keen understanding of our customers’ needs.”
Adds Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn, “Although Parkinson is already a formidable player in the international marketplace, Plastec will enable us to gain traction in Latin American countries and broaden our global presence even further. We look forward to working closely with them to make this a highly successful venture for both companies.”
April 20 2015
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. generated excitement at the NPE International Plastics Showcase (NPE2015) in Orlando last month (March 23-27), which drew a record number of attendees. In addition to running continuous demonstrations of its Dusenbery® Genesis 700 Center-Driven Duplex Slitter Rewinder, the company introduced the ScreenLync system, a new innovation from its Key Filters brand.
“The NPE is one of the world's premier plastics tradeshows and conferences, and it’s grown extensively since I first began participating,” says Stephen Montalto, Vice President of Sales at Parkinson Technologies and an SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) equipment council and committee member. “This event brings together players from every corner of the industry to exchange ideas and drive business growth. It was an excellent opportunity for us to introduce our ScreenLync feature to the industry in addition to showcasing our Dusenbery Genesis 700 and its full-speed capabilities. All in all, the show was a great experience for Parkinson Technologies.”
The NPE International Plastics Showcase is a triennial exposition owned and produced by SPI. More than 60,000 industry professionals attended NPE2015 to engage with over 2,000 exhibitors at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. For its demonstration of the Genesis 700—one of Parkinson Technologies’ most popular slitter rewinder models—the team ran the machine at its full speed of 1,500 FpM (Feet per Minute) throughout the five-day show.
Parkinson Technologies also presented ScreenLync, a new feature it recently developed for the filter screens used in its Key Filters continuous belt screen changers. The ScreenLync system enables an operator to connect sequential screen rolls together, providing a quick and easy way of feeding the new screen directly into the chamber of the machine. Since the machine does not have to be cleaned out prior to installing the new screen, operational downtime is reduced.
Says Parkinson’s President and CEO, Peter Termyn: “The NPE show is a defining industry event, and vitally important to Parkinson Technologies’ engagement with the industry. Being able to share our latest product ideas with our customers in a face to face environment is absolutely invaluable. Given the success of this year’s show, we’re most certainly looking forward to NPE2018.”
February 26 2015
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. made a lasting impression at the International Converting Exhibition (ICE) USA 2015 in Orlando (February 10-12) when it conducted live demonstrations of one of its slitter rewinder machines. The only slitter exhibitor at ICE to run a machine at production speed, Parkinson conducted continuous demonstrations of its Dusenbery® Genesis 700 Center-Driven Duplex Slitter Rewinder throughout the three-day event.
“There are huge investments being made in the U.S. converting market, and the ICE show is essential to bringing customers and technology providers together” says John Marold, Dusenbery Product Specialist at Parkinson Technologies. “ICE is a great opportunity for us to showcase our slitter product line and connect with companies that want innovative, cost-effective solutions to their converting challenges. It’s always a little risky running a machine at a tradeshow, but we had complete confidence in the Genesis 700 and it performed flawlessly, even without anchoring on padded carpet.
ICE is North America’s largest converting industry event, attracting several thousand converting professionals from nearly 50 countries. Over 350 suppliers attended this year’s show, which took place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Parkinson ran FLEXPET 48G BOPET film produced by the Kentucky-based company Flex Films, which donated the film to Parkinson Technologies.
Says Parkinson’s President and CEO, Peter Termyn: “Parkinson Technologies is proud to exhibit at this industry-leading event. Not only is it a forum for exhibiting our products and capabilities; it helps to advance the entire industry by enabling converting professionals from around the world to meet, exchange ideas and experiences, and gain insight into the latest market trends. We’re thrilled to have received such a fantastic response to our demonstration of the Dusenbery Genesis 700. I’d like to thank Steve Sargeant at Flex Films for generously providing the material that allowed us to run the demos.”
The Dusenbery Genesis 700 is one of Parkinson Technologies’ most popular slitter rewinder models, due to its versatility, small footprint, and competitive price point. The company plans to showcase this machine again at the upcoming event NPE 2015, The International Plastics Showcase, which is being held at the Orange County Convention Center March 23-27, 2015.
November 12 2014
“Machine Direction Orientation and its Effects on Multilayer Sealant Film” Presentation Highlight Findings from a Study Conducted with Dow Chemical
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. Director of Business Development, Ken Forziati, delivered a presentation titled “Machine Direction Orientation and its Effects on Multilayer Sealant Film” at the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Flexible Packaging Conference 2014 (FlexPackCon), which took place in conjunction with the AIMCAL Web Coating and Handling Conference on October 19-22 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This presentation was previously given by Mr. Forziati and one of his co-authors at SPE’s ANTEC® conference in Las Vegas in April. It highlights results from an ANTEC paper co-written by Parkinson Technologies and The Dow Chemical Company, which investigates the effects of machine direction orientation (MDO) on the performance of multilayer polyethylene sealant films.
“Results of lab trials conducted in our technology labs are typically proprietary to our customers, making it very difficult to share with a wider audience,” says Mr. Forziati. “However, from time to time we have the opportunity to partner with material suppliers to conduct independent investigations which yield results that can be shared without compromising customer confidentiality. Combining Dow’s materials expertise and Parkinson’s machine and processing knowledge, this study led to some interesting findings with respect to sealant film on MDO systems. It’s exciting to be able to disclose the details of these findings to our industry.”
The MDO study focused on how physical, sealant, and barrier properties of films with varying core densities would be modified after being MD-stretched over a full range of possible draw ratios. Three-layer, linear, low-density polyethylene films were fabricated on a commercial-scale blown film line at Dow’s PackStudios Innovation Center in Freeport, Texas and were subsequently stretched by the machine direction orientation unit at Parkinson’s BIAX technology lab in Woonsocket. Significant favorable effects were seen in the areas of modulus, dart impact, haze, tear, heat seal, and barrier properties.
According to Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn: “Our Marshall and Williams brand designed and built the first MDO device in 1961. In the years since then, through our onsite testing facilities and collaborations with leading organizations like Dow, Parkinson has gained valuable insights into the capabilities and implications of this technology. We’re proud to take an active role in driving innovation by sharing these insights with the industry as often as we can.”
October 10 2014
New IR TDO System is a Welcome Addition for Customers Seeking to Develop and Test High-Temperature Polymers
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. today announced the latest addition to its on-site technology laboratories: an infrared transverse direction orientation system (IR TDO). This new system expands the company’s lab capabilities to allow customers to run high-temperature specialty polymers at narrow web widths.
“The IR TDO is a small scale tenter-frame plastics stretching system that uses infrared technology to heat the material, versus our full BIAX pilot line that uses gas-fired hot air convection heating,” explains Ken Forziati, Director of Business Development at Parkinson. “Our customers will now have the option of running different specialty polymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), at temps as high as 1,300°F compared to 650°F on the BIAX line – and this will yield materials with novel finished properties. The IR TDO will also give our customers the ability to work with smaller quantities of precursor material and at narrower web widths. That allows customers to work more efficiently with high-value and sometimes scarce raw materials.”
The IR TDO system is located at the Parkinson Technology Labs at its headquarters in Woonsocket, separate from its main Marshall and Williams Plastics Extrusion and Orientation Pilot Lab (BIAX Lab). Since this new system serves as a stand-alone lab, one customer can book the IR TDO while another is using the full BIAX line. Like Parkinson’s other labs, the IR TDO can be leased for a variety of purposes, including developing new products, conducting trials, creating test samples, and optimizing processes. In some cases, customers can even opt to produce low-volume quantities of commercial materials.
Parkinson Technologies plans to expand the capabilities of the IR TDO to run other types of high-temperature specialty polymers in the near future.
“Research and development is the lifeblood of the plastics industry, and it’s a driving force in so many of our customers’ businesses,” says Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn. “By providing more opportunities to innovate, we facilitate customer success more than ever and we are proud to offer them a world-class research facility with the capabilities to enable breakthrough polymer solutions.”
August 14 2014
Study Underscores Parkinson’s Commitment to Supporting Customers in Their Research and Development of Polymers
Two Parkinson Technologies, Inc. employees have been named as active contributors to a research study that appeared last month in the international technical journal Polymer (Publisher: Elsevier).1 Titled “Machine Direction Orientation of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Barrier and Optical Properties,” the paper was authored by Dr. Tirtha Chatterjee, Associate Research Scientist and Dr. Rajen Patel , Fellow at The Dow Chemical Company along with other Dow coauthors. Ken Forziati, Director of Business Development at Parkinson Technologies and Nik Shah, Process Development Manager for Parkinson’s technology labs, facilitated the research that was the basis for the paper.
During the study conducted at Parkinson’s technology labs, blown films produced at Dow’s PackStudios Innovation Center in Freeport, Texas from three different high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) resins were oriented by Parkinson Technologies along the machine direction using either traditional machine direction orientation (MDO) or compression roll drawing (CRD MDO) technology. The stretched/oriented films were compared for their water vapor transport and optical properties as a function of the extent of orientation (or, draw ratio: DR) and directly compared between the oriented and unoriented (blown) films of the same thickness. Contrasted with their MDO‐stretched counterpart, the CRD MDO‐stretched samples showed superior barrier properties and optics.
“Getting this study accepted by such a prestigious journal as Polymer would not have been possible without collaboration with Mr. Forziati and Mr. Shah,” says Dr. Chatterjee. “The blown films were stretched at Parkinson Technologies’ world‐class lab facility after which further fundamental research was performed at Dow. Results of this collaboration should have significant impact in the polymerbased packaging industry aiming for economically and environmentally sustainable solutions to improve end‐use properties.”
Located at its corporate headquarters in Woonsocket, RI, Parkinson Technologies’ labs provide its customers with a fully equipped environment for polymer extrusion, plastics orientation, and melt filtration testing. There, customers are able to evaluate machinery, conduct product and process development trials, produce marketing samples, and perform materials training.
According to Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn, “When it comes to the research and development of polymers, Parkinson has always offered unprecedented support to our customers, including two state‐of‐the‐art, on‐site laboratories. We will continue to share our technical knowledge and practical experience in the interest of advancing both our customers’ businesses and polymer science.”
1. Chatterjee, T., Patel, R.; Garnett IV, J.; Paradkar, R.; Ge, S.; Liu, L.; Forziati Jr., K. T.; Shah, N.; “Machine Direction Orientation of high Density Polyethylene (HDPE): Barrier and Optical Properties”, Polymer 55 (16), 4102 (2014)
July 16 2014
Parkinson Technologies, Inc. today announced that it is the recipient of a Worksite Health Award from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce (GPCC). At a breakfast attended by hundreds of state business leaders in early June, the company was one of 75 local organizations recognized for their successful efforts in advancing the health and well being of their employees.
“Our employees are the backbone of our company, providing the innovative thinking, engineering prowess, and customer support we need to stay competitive,” says Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn. “Actively engaging them in making healthier lifestyle choices is a critical part of building a culture of success here at Parkinson, and it’s a true win-win-scenario. When employees feel better more of the time, that translates into a greater sense of happiness, higher job satisfaction, and improved productivity—not to mention lower healthcare costs for everyone. Plus, our wellness activities strengthen bonds by bringing everyone together to unwind and have fun.”
Parkinson’s employee health and wellness initiatives have included friendly weight loss competitions in the style of the popular “Biggest Loser” TV show as well as educational resources that provide self-care strategies and preventative health guidelines. The company also sponsors regular team-based activities to help promote physical exercise, such as softball games, weekly golf outings, and bowling nights.
“As we all do our part to transform the healthcare system in Rhode Island, Parkinson Technologies and the other businesses we recognize with the Worksite Health Awards have succeeded in implementing smart, effective programs to help create a healthier workforce and improve employee well-being,” said Peter Andruszkiewicz, President and CEO for BCBSRI. “BCBSRI celebrates the leadership of all award recipients, and congratulates them on building programs to support their employees in making healthier decisions.”
“We applaud the commitment and leadership shown by Parkinson Technologies and the other businesses recognized through the Worksite Health Awards,” said Laurie White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. “By supporting and enhancing the health and morale of their employees, Parkinson is creating a stronger and more productive workforce. Along with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, we are delighted to recognize this year’s award recipients and thank them for inspiring us all to improve our worksite wellness.”
Going forward, Parkinson Technologies will offer on-site wellness clinics where employees can participate in voluntary screenings for cholesterol levels, bone density, glucose levels, and blood pressure. The company also plans to make free flu shots available in the late fall.
March 13 2014
Manufacturing is alive and well in Rhode Island—and it’s an industry ripe with career possibilities. This was the message conveyed to local high school students by Parkinson Technologies, which invited students from Cumberland High School to tour its facility on November 1 and December 14. The goal of these tours was to banish common misperceptions of manufacturing, raise awareness of the industry, and inform students and educators about the types of skills currently in demand in industrial settings.
“Parkinson has just doubled its machinery assembly capacity,” says Parkinson Technologies President and CEO Peter Termyn, referring to the company’s recent expansion. “This is testimony to the fact that our sector of manufacturing, as well as many others in this country, is growing at a healthy rate. In our facility alone, we are actively seeking skilled candidates for engineering, field service, and machine operation positions. By partnering with area schools for these tours, we hope to help students and parents understand that there are not just jobs — but great careers to be had in manufacturing, and they are right here in our own backyard.”
Inspired by Manufacturing Day—a designated day during which manufacturers and schools around the country host educational events for their communities—Parkinson teamed up with a local career coordinator to organize the tours. The first, presented to CAD (computer-aided design) students from Cumberland High School, featured a presentation by Sales Engineer Vikram Raju; a 3D Solidworks demonstration by Jessica White, a Mechanical Engineer; a tour of the shop by Peter Galanis, Director of Materials Management; and a demonstration of a Dusenbery Slitter Rewinder by John Marold, Dusenbery Product Specialist. The second event in December was attended by students in the Robotics and Engineering course at Cumberland High. During this event, David Dziadzio, Director of Operations/Engineering at Parkinson, spoke about the manufacturing industry, what it means to be an engineer, and the importance of math and science.
“The students had no idea what our CAD classes could allow them to do in an industrial setting," says Carl Chiulli, the career coordinator from Cumberland High School who helped set up the tours. "What they saw at Parkinson Technologies really excited them and made them think."
After having received positive feedback on both events, Parkinson hopes to offer monthly tours to other area high schools, vocational schools, and colleges. The company is already in discussions with several area institutions.
“America’s manufacturing sector directly impacts the health of our global economy,” Termyn says. “Educating the next generation about our industry is important to securing its future, and Parkinson is proud to do our part to help spread the word.”
February 1 2014
WOONSOCKET, RI - Parkinson Technologies, Inc. today announced that its facility expansion, necessary to accommodate its continued growth, will be completed ahead of schedule. The expansion will double the company’s machinery assembly capacity and give Parkinson the flexibility to increase output of individual machines and integrated production systems for its global customer base.
“Maintaining top-tier manufacturing capabilities means being able to consistently adapt to the needs of our customer base,” says Parkinson Technologies President and CEO, Peter Termyn. “We’ve been beyond full capacity for awhile, and it was time to grow our physical capabilities to mirror customer demand. This expansion will allow us to take on more large-scale projects while also accelerating build times over the full scope of our product lines.”
Parkinson Technologies’ growth is driven by unique capabilities in developing systems and process technology for plastics biaxial and uniaxial orientation, extrusion melt filtration, primary winding, and slitting/rewinding converting systems for applications across diverse industries. In 2008, Parkinson acquired the assets of The John Dusenbery® Company and has since infused new life into the brand, which has flourished under the Parkinson umbrella.
“Parkinson is a forward-thinking company that’s committed to continuously making our customers’ production processes faster, simpler, and safer,” Termyn says. “Investing once again in our manufacturing operations demonstrates that this commitment is stronger than ever, and we’re excited to have reached another important milestone in our company’s evolution.”
September 18 2013
Woonsocket, RI – Parkinson Technologies Inc. will be exhibiting at the upcoming K-Show 2013 in Dusseldorf, Germany (October 16-23, Stand 3D54), promoting its lines of melt filtration, converting, winding, and plastics orientation processing machinery for the plastics industry. As the world’s premier trade fair for plastics and rubber, the K-Show is held once every three years. It is the leading industry showcase for all major market innovations.
Parkinson Technologies is scheduled to exhibit their new KCH Continuous Belt Screen Changer, in addition to other innovations across their product lines. The KCH was unveiled at last year’s NPE show in Orlando, FL with positive response to the high level of efficiency and performance over a broad range of polymers. This year, Parkinson Technologies will showcase an enhanced version of the KCH offering even more capability with a new safety feature of an automatic screen shear system.
“Working closely with our customers, we implemented further advancements to our already innovative design,” said John Whaley, Business Manager Key Filters Products. “By making novel modifications to the shape of the flow passage we were able to double the filtration area, resulting in a substantial capacity increase. This provides a more even distribution of polymer flow and promotes a much more efficient use of the filter media.”
“We also added an automatic screen shear system to offer customers an increased level of automation and safety,” said Whaley. “Once the operator programs the desired cut-off length, which can be as short as 2.5 inches (63.5mm), then he or she can simply allow the machine to handle cutting the filter waste. This eliminates manually cutting the screen with a saw while the machine is running, increasing operator safety.”
Parkinson Technologies encourages prospective buyers to visit their stand at the K-Show 2013 to see the Key Filter KCH Continuous Belt Screen Changer and other product innovations.
April 9 2013
Woonsocket, RI – Parkinson Technologies Inc., an industry leader in the development, design and manufacturing of web processing machinery for the plastics, nonwovens, paper and specialty materials industries, has announced the addition of Shruti International as its authorized representative in India and the U.A.E. Mumbai-based Shruti International, led by Bharat Muchhala, has represented North American machinery and plastics processing equipment manufacturers for more than 17 years, providing highly personalized sales and service support.
Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies, commented, “The Indian market continues to evolve towards more sophisticated processes, especially within packaging applications, and Shruti is an excellent fit with Parkinson Technologies to offer distinctive plastics orientation technologies that add value and allow customers to differentiate their end products."
Ken Forziati, Director of Business Development for Parkinson Technologies, added “We feel there are unique opportunities in India for the types of higher value-added polymeric films that are manufactured on our equipment. Having explored these application areas with Bharat for some time, it is clear to me that he and his colleagues at Shruti International bring the right combination of technical expertise and familiarity with the Indian plastics and packaging industries that will enable Parkinson Technologies to gain targeted exposure in this exciting marketplace.”
February 20 2013
Woonsocket, RI - Parkinson Technologies will be proudly exhibiting its new Dusenbery® Converting Systems Model Genesis 700SL center-driven duplex slitter/rewinder at ICE USA 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
The exhibit will highlight the Model 700’s latest feature, a shaftless unwind. In addition, Parkinson Technologies personnel will be conducting slitting demonstrations throughout the show, which runs from April 9-13 at the Orange County Convention Center. As with the Genesis shafted model, the shaftless unit is capable of speeds of 1,500 fpm, widths of 62”, and 40” unwind diameters. It is also fully featured with PLC touch screen controls, tension controls, and a single point utility connection.
Todd Skibinski, Product Specialist for the Genesis Model 700SL, expressed enthusiasm in regard to the upcoming event saying, “The Genesis’ new shaftless design option greatly improves the machine’s productivity and allows for parent rolls to be loaded more quickly and easily.”
Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies, went on to say, “ICE continues to draw an excellent crowd. Attendees want to see innovative, yet economical solutions and it’s been a great place for Parkinson Technologies to showcase our new products.”
Parkinson Technologies will be located at Booth 825 for ICE USA 2013.
April 2 2012
Woonsocket, RI - Parkinson Technologies Inc. will feature numerous products and technologies at its exhibit at NPE 2012, being held in Orlando, Florida from April 2-5. The company will show its latest winding, slitting and melt filtration product offerings for the plastics and converting markets.
“We have been looking forward to the new NPE venue in Orlando because it allows more of our budget to be devoted to bringing equipment, and for us that’s what this show is all about,” said Peter Termyn, President and CEO of Parkinson Technologies.
At NPE, the company will show machinery from three of its brands: a new Dusenbery® Converting Systems Genesis 700 slitter/rewinder, which offers superior entry-level value and performance; a Parkinson primary winder with advanced cut-and-transfer technology for difficult webs, and an all-new Key Filters KCH screen changer, designed for lower viscosity and elastomeric materials.
While the company will not display a full-scale Marshall and Williams biax orientation line, they will show numerous film and sheet samples showing recent processing developments from the Marshall and Williams in-house technology lab.
