Business
41-EOLUTILIP
NO Ci1L0,1111S1
but they're still fun.
These 'frozen moments' can be found at
Sherwood Studios and there's lots of
these goodies to choose from...
sodas, cakes, ice cream cones and more!
GIFTS ARE ALWAYS 30% OFF
(most mfrs.)
and we offer complimentary gift wrapping.
Shop Sherwood.. it's worth it!
6644 Orchard Lake Road at Maple Road
West Bloomfield 248 855-1600
Mon-Thur-Fri 10-9
Tue-Wed-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5
Internet: www.sherwoodstudiosinc.com • E-mail: SherwoodWBOAOL.com
8tUd108
Tustmtrusa •
ACC-MUM • QM
Inside Orchard Mall • West Bloomfield, Michigan
Orchard Lake Road, North of Maple
M-626-0886
bathroom fixtures market — Plasson
does not sell them abroad. The clum-
sy shape and fragility of the items
means that each tank must be packed (1 \
individually, making shipping prohib-
itively expensive. And, since most
countries have very particular stan-
dards, Plasson could not sell its toilet
cisterns overseas.
In the 1970s, with the idea to
export, Plasson again decided to
expand its product line. From the
kibbutz's experience, there was no
efficient system for distributing clean
water to chickens. Thirsty chickens
would flap around the troughs, pre-
venting others from getting their
fill.
Plasson's automatic drinkers for
chickens and turkeys drip water into
trays, making water distribution more
efficient and sanitary. Today, Plasson
has 30 percent of the U.S. market for —/
poultry drinkers.
While the toilet cisterns and poul-
try drinkers gave Plasson its founda-
tion, the company's third develop-
ment propelled the business into the
ranks of an international plastics
heavyweight. About 20 years ago,
Plasson began to manufacture pipe
fittings. Today, the company's 420
rf
fittings and valves, which comprise
70 percent of sales, are used in irriga-
tion systems, water and gas distribu-
tion and industry and mining opera-
tions.
Inside a huge, hot factory, big tubs
of imported polyethelene pellets are
dropped into sealed vats. There, they
are heated to the melting point. The
liquid plastic is then funneled
through the pipes, which channel the
goo into moldings located at various
stations along an assembly line. Once
inside the molds, the plastic cools,
and the automated machines spit out
the pipe fittings, toilet tanks and
chicken feeders.
Dressed in the kibbutzim's trade-
mark blue work shorts, company
workers then x-ray the goods for
faults, before wrapping and packag-
ing them for local distribution and
export.
Although the 500-employee
enterprise — 70 percent of whom
are members of Ma'agan Michael — (1/
is in every way part of the kibbutz,
the company's keen business sense
has helped propel it onto the world
stage. Via wholly owned subsidiaries
in Germany, France, Italy, the UK,
Australia and Brazil, as well as joint
manufacturing ventures in India and
PLACTIC page 146