From Westward plastics group to Brissco: Plastic has Come of Age



Westward to Brissco

The first time plastic came into the mass consciousness of people was in that scene in the 1967 movie, The Graduate, where a businessman advises Ben, the newly-graduated character of Dustin Hoffman, with this iconic line, “Just one word: Plastics. . . . There’s a great future in it.”

Well, the future has indeed come – in fact, a long time ago – even as early as the 30’s when the first polystyrene was made by BASF. Modern society would not have progressed as rapidly as it has without plastics. Think of the toys, furniture, appliances, textiles, computers, cars, planes, houses, buildings and factories that use plastic in one way or one form or another.

If Ben, or any other enterprising individual, had followed that prophetic advice in 1967, he or she would have become a billionaire by now. With that “one word”, life today has been made not just clean, colourful, convenient and comfortable but also affordable, replaceable and durable.

Plastic as building component is one of Brissco’s main supply materials. Building plastics has various applications for domestic, commercial and industrial use. Name it, the possibilities are unlimited by our imagination. Or as the website says: Brissco “offers a wide selection of products to suit every need”. Whether it is new installations or constructions or replacement of existing building parts, Brissco delivers. Examples are: uPVC fascias, polycarbonate roofing sheets, canopies and walkways.

Plastic gutters and pipes are especially crucial in roof systems. Although essentially hidden or invisible to most of us, they provide an essential function to buildings. Brissco’s rainwater systems, in fact, offer a wide choice of profile design, both traditional and modern, in a variety of colours to suit all tastes and applications. These systems are made of a material which is not readily flammable and will not support combustion. Most of all, these products, including pipes and fittings, comply with the material requirements of government technical standards.

Ben was a fictional character in a movie. Yet the idea planted into his mind was real and is now a reality in our times. One word that we all need to know and appreciate, if not make or save money out of is: Plastics.