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Show PRESENT ERA TO RE KNOWN AS NEW PLASTIC AGE History has had its Stone Age and its Iron Age. The present era dating from 1936 may well go down as the Plastic Age, say industrialists. in-dustrialists. The chief point on which they are staking their future is the fact that in 10 years the plastics industry has risen from a $20,-000,000 $20,-000,000 business in 1936 to $750,-000,000 $750,-000,000 in 1946, with the prospect of reaching $1,000,000,000 a year by 1950. The only limit these industrial leaders can see for the plastics trade is the limit that can be placed on discovery of new materials, ma-terials, processes and the development devel-opment of new applications. Today plastics that were given the acid test of war are beginning to flow into the civilian market. That is so despite curtailment of production in 1946 caused by the I same factors that have slowed I down all industry. Technical names of the materials mate-rials polystryene, vinylchloride, cellulosics and crylids have no meaning for the man and women in the street. But they can appreciate ap-preciate the fact those tongue-twisting tongue-twisting names have been converted con-verted into toys, household appliances, appli-ances, handbags, women's shoes and upholstery. This new product, labeled "teflon" "te-flon" by its makers, can withstand with-stand heat up to 350 degrees centigrade, cen-tigrade, and at the same time is resistant to acids, alkalies and other chemical agents. |