New Plastics Industry Established In Waimate-

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 8

New Plastics Industry Established In Waimate-

(From Our Own Reporter) WAIMATE, Feb. 24. The plastics industry is being established in Waimate as a result of the enterprise of a local businessman. Last week a machine from Switzerland was uncrated on the premises of a new com-

[pany Englefield Plastics? Industries. A second machineis expected to arive in March, also from Switzerland. , Trained technical staff will" join the company at the beginning of the month, and it is hoped that the fitting up* and testing will be completed very soon, so that' Waimate’s new industry may commence production. Plastics is the fastest-grow-ing industry in New Zealand today, said Mr Englefield. He paid a tribute to Mr A. D. Dick, M.P., through whose efforts a licence had been secured for importation of the two machines. It was as the result of the enterprise of Mr Englefield that the manufacture of copper fittings for the New Zealand trade was established in Waimate as one of the town’s much-needed industries. The S-shaped copper joints for equipment of kitchen sinks and bathroom basins have been despatched from Waimate to many town* in the Dominion for a number of years past: but now the soaring price of copper—- • dollar a foot of piping—has brought plastic pipe to the forefront Plastics has taken a firm hold In Britain, and before very long copper fittings will probably disappear from the New Zealand market. Mr Englefield has taken time by the forelock in establishing his plastic! undertaking. “Experiments are now under way overseas In the use of plastic piping for hoi water services," Mr Englefield said. He predicted ths early introduction of this usage in New Zealand.