Extrusion International 3-2025-USA

40 Extrusion International 3/2025 40 INDUSTRY NEWS nesses reinvest, expand, and create jobs here in the United States,” said Matt Seaholm, President and CEO of PLASTICS. “America continues to lead the world in manufactur- ing excellence, and reinforcing that leadership through pro-growth tax policy is essential to sustaining long-term innovation and competi- tiveness.” “The plastics industry plays a foundational role in the U.S. econ - omy, supporting more than one million jobs and contributing over $548 billion annually. Pro-growth tax policies provide the certainty our companies need to drive further progress—whether through pack- aging innovations, investments in advanced recycling, or expanded domestic manufacturing. These provisions are vital to accelerating our industry’s impact and leader- ship,” concluded Seaholm. The legislation includes several top priorities for the plastics indus- try and the broader manufacturing economy: • Restores full and immediate ex- pensing for R&D – allowing compa - nies to accelerate product develop- ment, improve sustainability, and remain competitive. • Extends 100% bonus depre - ciation for capital equipment pur- chases – supporting modernization of manufacturing lines, including high-efficiency and precision ma - chinery. • Preserves the globally competi- tive 21% corporate tax rate – essen - tial for attracting investment and maintaining U.S. manufacturing leadership. • Enhances the Section 199A pass-through deduction – providing meaningful tax relief to the small and medium-sized manufacturers that make up the bulk of the U.S. manufacturing industry. • Increases Section 179 expensing thresholds – helping smaller firms immediately deduct equipment purchases and reinvest faster. • Protects interest deductibility rules – ensuring continued access to capital for plant upgrades and facil- ity expansions. PLASTICS urges Congress to build on this progress and move swiftly to enact measures that deliver certainty, reward investment, and protect American manufacturing jobs. PLASTICS looks forward to continued engagement with law- makers to advance pro-growth policies that strengthens American manufacturing. www.plasticsindustry.org Most Current, Comprehensive Carbon Black Article Published Carbon black has been used since ancient times in China and Egypt, yet today it remains a high-tech material worthy of scientific interest. This is due to the numerous ways it can be engineered to serve as an essential component in a variety of everyday products – from paint and textiles to tires, power cables and batteries. To explore both the fundamentals and the latest innovations, Orion scientists have authored a new re- source: “Carbon Black” in the En - cyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology Online, available via the Wiley Online Library. The 104-page article is the most current and comprehensive refer- ence about carbon black. It covers the material’s history, morphology and production processes. It also presents recent technical findings on sustainability, rubber reinforcement, coloristic properties, electrical con- ductivity and structure breakdown. “Many of the products we take for granted would not be possible without carbon black – one of the most ubiquitous materials in mod- ern life,” said Natalia Scherbakoff, chief technology officer at Orion. “We continue to discover new ways to use carbon black to improve the products we rely upon every day.” The article’s authors include: • Werner Niedermeier, vice pres- ident of Innovation, Polymer Systems • Ricardo Chavez, innovation manager for Thermoplastics • Hauke Westenberg, innovation manager for Rubber • Arndt-Peter Schinkel, vice pres - ident Innovation, head of Mod- elling For more details: Orion S.A. https://orioncarbons.com/technical- highlights-from-orion-s-a-s-new-car- bon-black-paper/ The authors of “Carbon Black” from left to right: Werner Niedermeier, Arndt-Peter Schinkel, Hauke Westenberg and Ricardo Chavez