Since first becoming commercially available more than half a century ago, plastics have seen exponential growth in demand. As a result, plastic has become one of the essential materials used in all walks of life, including electronic products, textiles, automobiles, and construction.
Plastic innovations have also revolutionized medical science. In this regard, plastics production has increased substantially, and the U.S. has kept a prominent position in the industry. In 2019, the production of plastic materials in North America accounted for roughly 20 percent of global production. Some of the world’s largest plastics companies, including Dow Chemical and ExxonMobil, are based in the United States.
Best Paying Jobs In Plastic Products
Production Associate
Your responsibility in this role is to ensure our products are appropriately handled by performing critical tasks such as loading, unloading, weighing, bagging, packing, and unpacking pallets.
Responsibilities of Production Associate
- Work at the plant in general.
- Performing housekeeping tasks such as mopping, sweeping, emptying trash, and picking up trash
- Spills in the plant should be cleaned up with a shovel.
- Make sure trash and products are removed from barrels.
- Make sure all parts of the equipment are clean.
- Help unblock screw conveyors.
- You will need to cut the plastic and product off of the screw.
- Ensure to keep drain covers on drains and clean out the floor drains.
- Follow the directions for painting.
- As needed, perform other duties.
Associate Standards and Components engineer
A Standards and Components associate engineer is responsible for electronic materials used within electronic and mechanical components, including adhesives, encapsulants, plastics, metals, printed wiring board materials, and surface finishes (e.g., paints, primers, platings, conversion coatings). As part of my responsibilities, I support packaging design efforts and design reviews, review and approve vendor/supplier engineering drawings, ensure compliance with regulatory directives (e.g., REACh), and address production material issues.
Responsibilities of Associate Standards and Components Engineer
The candidate will serve as a liaison to many internal organizations and departments.
Suppliers must be able to communicate effectively with both internal and external parties.
Knowledge of the materials used in electronic and mechanical components, including adhesives, encapsulants, plastics, metals, printed wiring board materials, and surface finishes (e.g., paints, primers, platings, conversion coatings).
Material Recovery
This position removes defective wire and cable from bobbins, spools, and boxes and packages them into containers suitable for scrap recovery. As an incumbent, you are responsible for accurately segregating salvaged products. The incumbent will also operate various rewinding and cutting equipment to prepare the cable for shipment. Cross-training will be provided for the incumbent to work in other plant areas as needed.
Responsibilities of
- Approximately 60% of insulated wires and cables should be removed from wood, plastic, and metal bobbins and reels before returning to the process.
- Ensure that all cable and wire types are adequately separated—different wire types. Group recyclable materials together.
- Operate regrind, payoff, and take-up machines at the Mini Cut Stand and Cable Repair to regrind, rewind, cut, repair, and strip shields and jackets from finished cable.
- Move pallets and reels with a forklift and hand truck.
- Additional tasks as directed by supervisor.
Machine Operator – Plastic Manufacturing
Operators of plastic mixing machines, calendering equipment, extruders, and molding machines use such machines to manufacture plastic parts and products. Manufacturers of plastic products employ them.
Responsibilities of Machine Operator
- Operation of mixing machines
- Analyze resins, colorants, and other chemicals based on the formula
- Put the materials in the mixing machine and blend them to a desired consistency or viscosity by operating the machine.
- The mixture is monitored, the material supply is regulated, and chemicals and colorants are added.
- To operate controls to control temperature, speed, and other processing parameters.
- For further processing, load the mixture into containers or conveyors.
- Perform minor repairs and maintenance on machinery as necessary
- Ensure that all materials are in stock and the work area is clean.
- Process operators for calendering
- Establish and operate machines that produce plastic sheets or films from dough-consistent plastic mass
- We troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment and adjust calendar rollers for production line changes.
- Make sure the material being produced is of high quality.
- Ensure that all materials are in stock and the work area is clean.
- Operators involved in the extrusion process
- Set up and operate an extruding machine that extrudes plastic composite products from a nozzle or die
- Extruding machines’ dies should be changed according to changes in production lines.
- Make minor repairs, troubleshoot, and maintain equipment.
- Make sure the material being produced is of high quality.
- Ensure that all materials are in stock and the work area is clean.
- Operators involved in the molding process
- Installed and operated a molding machine that produced plastic products according to specifications.
- Adjust equipment and molds for a new production line
- Perform minor repairs, maintenance, and troubleshooting on equipment
- Monitoring the quality of material produced and adjusting machine settings as necessary
- Injection molding ingredient batches should be mixed according to the formulation card.
- Ensure that all materials are in stock and the work area is clean.
Packaging Operator
A packaging operator’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the product is packaged in compliance with the company’s and industry’s standards. Your responsibilities will be to operate packaging machinery and perform routine inspections and preventative maintenance. As part of her responsibilities, she labels products, troubleshoots equipment issues promptly to avoid delays, and promptly completes packaging orders. Additionally, you are required to ensure compliance with safety standards and operational policies as a packaging operator.
Responsibilities of Packaging Operator
- Clean-room filling and packaging clinical supplies require personal protective equipment and aseptic techniques.
- All hourly and salary employees should attend basic ISO training.
- Perform maintenance, operation, and troubleshooting on heavy machinery and conveyor systems.
- Utilize various regulations during military equipment and property movements, such as DOD 4500.9R and AFI 24-203.
- You can reduce the cost and time of unloading and cleaning milk tankers by reducing the caustic time wash.
- Safe work practices and OSHA standards, regulations, and restrictions are frequently reviewed.
- Conduct special monthly safety inspections following OSHA guidelines.
- Ensure smooth packaging operations by maintaining and troubleshooting equipment.
- Utilize project management tools to keep track of logistics projects.
- Use GMP practices to divide and package material according to job specifications.
- Assist in a GMP manufacturing and packaging environment independently and as part of a team.
- Superb performance in cleaning and preparing Merrill hopper for FDA regulation testing recognized by supervisor.
- We are working with electricians to troubleshoot PLCs and replace motors and gearboxes.
- To move, rotate, shift, and stop tubes and bottles, install sensors to a PLC.
- A comprehensive understanding of pharmaceutical quality control, standard operating procedure documentation, and FDA guidelines.
The Environmental Benefits of Plastic
- Lighter weight, better fuel economy – Plastic components in new vehicles are increasing, mainly because they make them safer. The lighter weight of plastic also enables cars to obtain better gas mileage because the internal components do not have to work as hard to carry the vehicle’s weight forward. By improving fuel economy, fewer trips to the gas station are needed, and fossil fuel consumption is reduced.
- Packaging reduction—Due to the lightness and durability of plastics, product packaging has become more streamlined. Package lids are getting smaller, which contributes to fuel efficiency as well—if trucks aren’t carrying as much weight, they aren’t burning as much gas!
- Less impact than paper – Many natural resources are required to produce paper products because they degrade much faster than plastic. Making paper requires a lot of trees, water, energy, and waste that can be hard to remove. Plastics are also energy and resource-intensive, but they make up for that by being more accessible to recycle and last longer.
- Savings on energy—Plastic is also frequently used in the construction of commercial and residential buildings and vehicles. In addition to filtering UV rays, plastic windows, and other building parts can lock in heat to keep buildings warm in winter and cool in the summer. As a result, we can save money and energy on keeping our homes and workplaces comfortable, which reduces our environmental impact and saves money every year.
- Durability and strength—Compared to other materials, plastic is less likely to require frequent replacement because it’s resistant to corrosion, impact, UV rays, and many other environmental factors. In addition to reducing maintenance and replacement, it can help save time and money by reducing the need for machinery and sewage pipe components.