Conor Carlin is managing director for Illig North America, and was recently named VP Sustainability of SPE. He spoke with Plastics Machinery Magazine editor Ron Shinn about his 20-year career in the plastics industry and how SPE is encouraging sustainable practices.
With continued interest in and development of sustainable plastics, it is clear that not everyone is working with the same lexicon. Terms such as 'degradable', 'bio-degradable', 'recyclable', and 'compostable' are subject to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, or outright fraudulent claims. SPE's latest webinar, "This is Not the Wild West: Sustainability Definitions, Standards, and Regulations" which took place on October 13th and was presented by Kelvin Okamoto, President, Green Bottom Line and Founder/CEO of Gen3Bio, addressed how ASTM standards are being used to create a common understanding based on science and testing. He also addressed the commonalities and differences among standards, certifications, and regulations.
Recordings from all SPE's Virtual Events are available for viewing 24/7. If you attended any of our virtual events, you can access session recordings by simply logging in. If you missed any, you can purchase virtual event recordings by going here and choosing which event(s) you would like.
SPE has announced its Call for Technical Papers for ANTEC® 2021. ANTEC® attracts over 3,000 plastics professionals from around the world with job functions encompassing managers, engineers, research and development, academia, operations, and consulting. Technical papers submitted for consideration for presentation at ANTEC® 2021 will focus on the latest in industrial, national laboratory and academic work.
The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has announced CoreTech System Co., Ltd. (Moldex3D) as an SPE Preferred Partner on October 1st. An SPE Preferred Partner is a converter, manufacturer, solutions provider or product distributor that has been recognized by SPE for demonstrated leadership and innovation in the plastics industry.
SPE announced the winners of the 2020 scholarships administered as part of the SPE Foundation. The SPE Foundation awarded 57 scholarships to 45 students totaling over $126,000. The SPE Foundation supports the development of plastics professionals by funding quality educational programs, grants and scholarships.
“Our scholarships are made possible through the generosity of individuals, SPE chapters and other organizations who believe in the value of supporting our future plastics workforce,” said Eve Vitale, SPE Foundation’s Chief Executive. “We are grateful for their contributions and impact on these students.”
The organizing committee for the SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) honored the Best Paper Award Winners for the group’s 20th annual Program at their Virtual Event, Sept. 9 – 11, 2020. The two authors who received the highest average ratings by conference peer reviewers out of a field of 40 contenders were honored for excellence in technical writing and will receive a plaque to commemorate their achievement.
SPE members, and others, continue to author many informative books about plastics and plastics technology. In upcoming issues of Plastics Engineering magazine, our Editorial Team will be offering their reviews of these books. If you would like to serve as a Book Review Editor, please provide your information by clicking here. Or, if you would like to submit your book for review, click here.
It's Our World - Let's Help Clean It Up!
Extending its efforts to lessen the impact of litter on the environment, SPE members are invited to participate in the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (The Alliance) event, ALL_TOGETHER GLOBAL CLEANUP. In celebration of World Cleanup Day 2020, the goal of this global initiative is to help remove litter "one piece at a time" from local communities worldwide. Starting Saturday, September 19th and continuing through October 3rd, ALL_TOGETHER GLOBAL CLEANUP will unite thousands of volunteers from around the world to engage with their communities to discover, identify, collect and dispose of any litter they find. The Alliance has joined with technology and innovation partner Litterati to provide an app that uses geo-tagged photos of litter to measure and track participation. For SPE members to participate, simply download Litterati from the App Store or Google Play Store, open the Litterati app and ENTER the code: 4SPE2020. Volunteers can then head out into their local community and use the camera in the Litterati app to take photos of the litter collected. SPE's challenge is to collect 1,000 pieces of litter! One piece at a time, SPE members can show how individual impact is multiplied when we work ALL_TOGETHER.
Let’s go! #AllTogetherCleanup
Be safe - wear your mask!
In light of the current international situation due to COVID-19, this main event of the European thermoforming industry has been postponed. The new date will be March 3-5 2021 and the Starling Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland will be the event's location.
The organizing committee for the SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) today announced the winners of the group’s annual SPE ACCE scholarships and the Dr. Jackie Rehkopf scholarships from an endowed fund that has been set up to honor the long-time SPE ACCE committee member, SPE Automotive Division board member, and automotive composites researcher. SPE ACCE and Rehkopf scholarship winners will be honored at the SPE ACCE Virtual Event, Sept. 9 - 11, 2020. Both scholarships are administered as part of the SPE Foundation.
The executive planning committee for the SPE® Automotive Composites Conference & Expo (ACCE) is announcing their second keynote speaker for their ACCE 2020 Virtual Event, September 9-11, 2020. Dr. Deborah Meilewski, Senior Technical Leader of Sustainable and Advanced Materials at Ford Motor Co. will present “GREENER MATERIALS FOR A GREENER WORLD.” The presentation will highlight the broad portfolio of greener materials available now and in the future that can reduce the carbon footprint of the automotive industry and other industries worldwide.
SPE and the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) recently announced they are joining together to launch Plastics in Food Packaging: The Virtual Edition. This virtual event will take place October 14-15 and will include insights on sustainability, how plastics can help ensure food safety, and plastics materials used in a range of styles from bottles and tubes to flexible packaging and more. Food packaging innovations expected in the coming years will also be addressed.
In a recently published blog post for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), SPE CEO Patrick Farrey discusses the brave new world of virtual events and how ANTEC® quickly shifted from a live event to a virtual one in just 13 days.
Presented by Tobias Husemann, Product Management Team Leader, Anton Paar, on August 27th, Improve Your Chromatography with Refractive Index focused on how you can minimize uncertainty — and expensive errors - with a fast, highly-precise refractive index measurement. Featured topics in this webinar included: GPC calibration process; the role played by dn/dc values; how a refractometer can improve the GPC calibration process; and requirements and the specifications your refractometer must meet.
Did you miss Plastics in Medical Manufacturing: The Virtual Edition? Not to worry - recorded presentations are now available. Gain insights on polymers used in medical equipment, mold making, medical material innovations, supply chain solutions, and more. Get access today!
Gustavo Lidzki, Vice President, Global Engineering & CI Systems, Ampacet Corporation, was recently named to SPE’s Executive Board as VP at Large. Current SPE President, Jaime Gómez, appointed Lidzki to this position. Lidzki’s position as VP at Large started on July 1 and will continue for a period of one year.
The SPE Blow Molding Division's top priority is the health and safety of conference attendees, speakers and sponsors. After much consideration, the division has made the difficult decision to cancel ABC 2020, October 5-7 in Chicago, IL. The Blow Molding Division is looking forward to the future with the hope to gather again at ABC 2021, October 11-13 in Atlanta, GA.
Plastics in Cannabis Packaging: The Virtual Edition, which took place July 28 online, was filled with insights on sustainable materials, environmentally friendly designs and bio-based solutions. Other areas explored analyzed what innovations we can expect in the coming years with this product. If you missed the live event, you can register now for access to the recorded sessions!
Recorded presentations are now available to all attendees of Plastics in Clean Water: The Virtual Edition. But if you missed the event, you can register now to gain access to the event's recorded presentations! Or if you have multiple employees from your company wanting to view the recorded presentations, you can purchase a 10-Pack for team access!
The auditor's report for SPE's financial statements, which are comprised of financial position statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, are now available for viewing.
Plastics in Clean Water: The Virtual Edition, taking place online July 16, will provide a deep dive into how polymers are used in water filtration and new technology surrounding this as well as engineering that can go into products ahead of time to minimize microplastics in the waterways. Keynote presenter Lola Olabode, Research Program Manager for The Water Research Foundation, will provide insights into microplastics in the water cycle and its effect on human health and ecosystems.
SPE is pleased to announce Dr. Brian Grady as recipient of the Society’s President’s Cup award for 2020. The award was presented to Dr. Grady during SPE’s Honors and Awards Ceremony, which was presented virtually this year on June 30. Dr. Brian Landes, SPE’s outgoing President, presented the award to Dr. Grady during the ceremony.
SPE’s annual Honors and Awards Ceremony, which was presented virtually on June 30th, announced the President’s Cup recipient, acknowledged the recipients of both the 2020 Honored Service Members (HSM) Award and the Fellow of Society Award, and introduced SPE's new Executive Board. The event is available for viewing on SPE's YouTube Channel.
The organizing committee for the SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) today announced the transition from an in-person event to a virtual platform for its 20th anniversary event. The virtual ACCE will be held Sept. 9 – 11, 2020 (the dates it was originally planned for) and will include keynotes, panel discussions, technical sessions, sponsorship and exhibit options, and online networking opportunities.
Through partnering with more than fifty-three other leading societies to form the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine), SPE's involvement in the Consortium will address sexual and gender-based issues to ensure that all individuals may work in STEMM industries in a safe and welcoming environment.
SPE and the ICIPC - Instituto de Capacitacion e Investigacion del Plastico y del Caucho –announced they are joining together to launch the first Plastics Forum as a virtual event. Plastics Forum 2020: Nuevas Tecnologías y Sostenibilidad, taking place online September 17-18, will be SPE’s first all-Spanish language conference and will be the society’s first collaboration with ICIPC, Acoplásticos and other Colombian institutions.
SPE is pleased to announce Barry Morris, Ph.D., as Chair for the Council Committee of the Whole (CCOW). The CCOW consists of all current SPE Councilors and the properly authorized proxies. The CCOW exists solely as an open forum to explore ideas, projects and concerns of the membership; and to discuss and debate issues of interest to the Council. The CCOW Chair position’s term begins on July 1 and will run for one year.
The Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers is announcing the postponement of its 50th annual Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, the oldest and largest recognition event in the automotive and plastics industries. Originally planned for Nov. 19, 2020, the event commemorating “50 Years of Plastics Innovation,” is rescheduled to Nov. 10, 2021 and will be held at the Burton Manor in Livonia, Michigan, where it has been held for many years.
SPE's latest webinar, "iMFLUX's Novel Low, Constant Pressure Molding Technology Overcomes Traditional Barriers to Achieving A Truly Sustainable, Circular Operation," presented by Gene Altonen, Chief Technology Officer, iMFLUX, discusses one of the biggest challenges facing the plastics industry today -- the need for technology solutions that enable a Circular Economy. This is especially true for injection molded parts, where operational tradeoffs are often encountered when running many sustainable materials.
SPE is pleased to announce recently elected Executive Board members as well as a newly appointed President. Additional board positions announced include VP Business & Finance, VP Sustainability and President-Elect.
SPE's recent webinar, "Impact Failure of Plastics," presented by Jeff Jansen, Senior Managing Engineer and Partner, The Madison Group, discusses impact loads, which are among the most challenging stresses that plastic component designers and manufactures must deal with. In many cases impact stress is not adequately accounted for and can lead to unnecessary premature or unexpected failure. Jansen's webinar looks at this issue and potential solutions.
Recorded presentations are now available to all attendees of Empowered Processing: The Virtual Edition. But if you missed the event, you can access recorded presentations by registering now to gain access! Or if you have multiple employees from your company wanting to view the recorded presentations, you can purchase a 10-Pack for team access!
The SPE Foundation 2019 Impact Report is now available for you to view! With your help, the SPE Foundation: brought PlastiVan® to more than 24,535 students; awarded $113,250 in scholarship dollars; raised more than $38,000 from membership renewal donations; awarded $43,653 in total grant dollars; and raised $10,509 on #GivingTuesday from 37 donors. Thank you to all SPE members for your time and support. Even in the midst of our current events, we are working together for a better future for our industry and our planet.
New SPE conference explores the symbiotic relationship between the plastics and water industries.
Recorded presentations are now available to all attendees of Plastics in Aerospace: The Virtual Edition. But if you missed the event, you can access recorded presentations by registering now to gain access! Or if you have multiple employees from your company wanting to view the recorded presentations, you can purchase a 10-Pack for team access!
Empowered Processing: The Virtual Edition, presented by the SPE Injection Molding Division offers attendees the opportunity to learn and apply best practices for the injection molding process from industry leaders and innovators. The online event, taking place June 9, includes a powerful speaker line-up, presenting on topics relevant for today’s plastic processing environment.
To honor longtime plastics journalist Bill Bregar, SPE and Crain Communications recently announced the launch of the Bill Bregar Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will support aspiring journalists and business communicators in the plastics and manufacturing industries. Bregar, who passed away on April 5, 2020, at the age of 58 of an apparent heart attack, spent 31 years reporting on the plastics industry. He joined Crain Communications’ Plastics News as a staff reporter shortly before the publication's launch in 1989.
SPE recently announced the launch of SPE Polymers, a peer-reviewed, fully open access journal dedicated to all aspects of polymer science, polymer engineering, and polymer technology. Open access provides the opportunity to quickly make article acceptance decisions leading to prompt online publication. SPE Polymers articles are immediately open upon publication which also allows for faster broadcasting of research data to a much broader audience.
ANTEC® 2020: The Virtual Edition kicked off on Monday, March 30 with three full days of amazing keynotes and technical presentations that continued over a six-week period beginning on Monday, March 30th and concluded on Tuesday, May 5. Didn't attend? No worries. Just because you didn't attend ANTEC® 2020: The Virtual Edition doesn't mean you can't keep abreast of the latest technologies, developments and trends in plastics. Register to gain access to technical session proceedings and recorded presentations, keynotes, podcasts and demonstrations.
SPE’s ANTEC® 2020: The Virtual Edition was host to plastics professionals globally and from all industries for a six-week period beginning on Monday, March 30th and closing on Tuesday, May 5. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the first five weeks and Monday and Tuesday on the sixth week, attendees logged into day-long keynote presentations and technical sessions focused on plastics used in a range of industries from medical to automotive to aerospace and more. During the six-week period, over 3,300 participants from over seven countries viewed 14 keynote speakers and 167 technical presentations facilitated by over 58 session moderators. Over 20 presentations, podcasts and demonstrations were live-streamed on YouTube and are currently accessible to everyone.
SPE recently announced a new virtual event focused on plastics in the aerospace industry. The first offering in SPE’s “Plastics In…” virtual series, Plastics in Aerospace: The Virtual Edition, taking place May 18-19, 2020, is a one and half day live online event that is focused on insights from aerospace industry leaders. Plastics performance, material innovations, supply chain challenges and solutions, and how plastics usage is growing in aerospace will be addressed. Event co-chairs Dr. Jason Lyons, SPE Vice President/Divisions, and Dr. Scott Eastman, SPE Vice President/Sections, are guiding the speaker selection process.
Dr. Prithu Mukhopadhyay is the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of Vinyl & Additive Technology (JVAT). He will assume his role on May 1, 2020. He succeeds Randy Brown who served as the editor of the journal since 2015.
The SPE European Thermoforming Division has postponed their main event of the European thermoforming industry due to the increase in COVID-19 cases internationally. The conference will be now hosted at the Starling Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 30 - October 2, 2020.
Taking place May 18, SPE's new one-day virtual event will include insights from aerospace industry leaders. Event will focus on industry trends, opportunities and challenges, new and emerging technologies, and more! Want to share your knowledge in this growth industry? SPE is conducting a call for presenters for Plastics in Aerospace: The Virtual Edition.
SPE’s ANTEC® 2020: The Virtual Edition went live using the Zoom conferencing platform on Monday, March 30. The virtual event kicked off with a keynote session featuring Thomas (Tom) Salmon, CEO and Director, Chairman of the Board, Berry Global Group, and Jim Fitterling, CEO, Dow. The session was moderated by Don Loepp, Editor, Plastics News, who also led a Q&A, fielding questions asked by attendees. Dr. Brian Landes, President, SPE, started the session with a brief overview of SPE and ANTEC®. The opening session streamed live on YouTube and was available to the public. More than 1,750 viewed the opening keynote session on both the Zoom platform and on YouTube.
This webinar, presented by Dr. Abhishek Shetty, Lead Scientist, Anton Paar USA Rheology Division, on March 24th, looks at how DMA can be used to gain a better understanding of the viscoelastic and thermal properties of your material. The theoretical basics of DMA measurements are also covered along with the test methods and their resulting information. Access to this webinar is open to all.
SPE is pleased to announce that Thomas (Tom) Salmon, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Chairman of the Board, Berry Global Group and Jim Fitterling, Chief Executive Officer, Dow, will kick off ANTEC® 2020: The Virtual Edition. This opening keynote session, which will begin on Monday, March 30 at 10:00 a.m. ET, will be streamed live on YouTube and will be available at no charge to the plastics industry at large. Each CEO will provide their insights and perspectives on the plastics industry.
After hearing individually from hundreds of ANTEC® attendees, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors it became clear that meeting in-person was an impossibility. Unanimous, however, was the desire (need!) to hear from the speakers scheduled to present. ANTEC® 2020: THE VIRTUAL EDITION addresses this need.
Registration is now open! Precision extrusion in a “4.0 environment” requires a thorough knowledge of extrusion fundamentals, advanced theory and knowing where to go to get answers.
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