INJECTION MOLDING: Markdom International is going big

Founded in 1975, Markdom spent decades as a small fish in the big pond of automotive parts molders. But under new ownership since 2021, the Toronto-based injection molder is growing into a powerhouse North American auto supplier while also expanding into the industrial and consumer goods markets.

ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION: Robots vs. cobots

Automation is a critical part of staying competitive and a proven solution to labour shortages. But it’s equally critical to pick the right robotic solution for your needs, which often means deciding between collaborative robots and traditional industrial robots. Since both have their advantages and disadvantages, it all depends on the task and the products to be automated.

DRYERS: Smart new world

The days of drying resin according to the dictates of resin data sheets, regardless of the wetness of the material, are finally coming to an end. Smart drying technologies, up to and including artificial intelligence, eliminate the guesswork by precisely measuring resin moisture and automatically adjusting drying times.

SPOTLIGHT ON BRAZIL: Unpacking Brazil’s plastics industry

Brazil is Latin America’s plastics powerhouse, and the biennial Plastico Brasil trade show in São Paulo is where the country’s – and the continent’s – heavy hitters come to network and unveil new processing machines and other technologies. Canadian Plastics attended the recent 2025 edition. Here’s what we saw, heard, and learned.  

RECYCLING: Going green in the Great White North

Mother-and-son team Janna Swales and 13-year-old Will Powell co-founded Whitehorse-based Yukon Plastics last year, with the goal of transforming waste plastics into usable products and accessories for northern Canada and beyond.