September 2–4, 2026 All workshop days are from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET. Online
Summary
This introductory workshop will cover the subject of flame retardancy chemistry for many diverse industrial applications [large and small] Flame retardants are chemicals or materials when added to polymeric systems or other materials provide resistance to the ignition, spread, smoke generation and toxicity of material that is burning. We will be covering the following topics during the tutorial.
What are flame retardants?
How do flame retardants work?
What types of flame-retardants are there?
What are synergists and how do they work?
Developing flame retardant formulations.
What are the major applications for flame retardants?
What flame retardant test methods, and standards are there?
What environmental issues are there?
The health concerns with flame retardants.
The economics of flame retardants.
Finally, we will also cover the current marketing trends and technology advances present in the flame-retardant market and its applications.
Agenda
September 2, 2026
Duration: 1 Hour
Outline
What are Flame Retardants?
What Types of Flame Retardants Are There?
Chemistry and Mechanisms of Flame Retardancy
Major Applications for Flame Retardants
September 3, 2026
Duration: 1 Hour
Outline
Basic Sizing
Formulating Products for Flammability Resistance
Standards for Flame Retardants and Materials
Test Methods for Flammability Requirements
Governing Organizations
Trade Associations
September 4, 2026
Duration: 1 Hour
Outline
Economics of Flame Retardants
Health Considerations
Waste Disposal and Recyclability
Marketing and Technology Trends
Summary and Key Takeaways
If you can't attend one or several sessions live, or if you want to review some concepts, the recordings will be available after each session.
Roger Tietze is a technical consultant and co-owner of PART Consulting LLC. PART Consulting offers technical and marketing support services for firms in the composite, coatings, adhesive, electronic and electrical industries. Roger’s specialty is the formulation of various thermosetting resin chemistries to meet customer performance criteria and the need for applying the formulation to the customers manufacturing processes. Roger has managed various roles in research & technology, customer service technical support; and in engineering for manufacturing for more than 30 years.
This workshop is designed for professionals who work with polymeric materials, product safety, regulatory compliance, or applications where flammability performance is critical, including:
Materials, polymer, and plastics engineers
Product design and application engineers
Formulators, compounders, and additive specialists
R&D scientists and laboratory technicians
Quality, testing, and certification professionals
Regulatory, product stewardship, and EHS professionals
Technical sales and supplier support teams working with flame-retardant materials
Professionals involved in transportation, electrical/electronics, construction, consumer products, textiles, and other applications where ignition resistance, flame spread, smoke, or toxicity are key concerns
Why Should You Attend?
Flame retardants play a critical role in improving the fire performance of polymeric materials and finished products. However, effective flame-retardant design requires more than simply adding an additive; it requires understanding chemistry, mechanisms, synergists, formulation trade-offs, testing requirements, environmental considerations, health concerns, and cost implications.
This workshop provides a practical introduction to Flame Retardants, helping participants understand how flame retardants work, how materials are formulated for flammability resistance, and how standards, applications, regulations, market trends, and technology advances shape the use of flame retardants in real products.
Everyday Problems You’ll Address
What are flame retardants, and how do they reduce ignition, flame spread, smoke generation, and toxicity?
Which flame-retardant chemistries are most appropriate for a specific polymer system or application?
How do synergists work, and when are they needed in a formulation?
How do I develop a flame-retardant formulation that balances performance, processing, cost, and compliance?
Which flammability test methods and standards apply to my material or product?
How do environmental, health, recyclability, and waste-disposal concerns affect flame-retardant selection?
How do economics, market expectations, and technology trends influence flame-retardant material decisions?
What You’ll Learn
You will gain a practical understanding of flame retardants and flammability-resistant materials, including:
What flame retardants are and why they are used in polymeric systems
Major types of flame retardants and the chemistry behind their performance
Mechanisms of flame retardancy, including how additives affect ignition, flame spread, smoke, and toxicity
The role of synergists and how they improve flame-retardant performance
How flame-retardant formulations are developed for specific materials and applications
Major applications for flame retardants across industrial and commercial markets
Flammability test methods, standards, governing organizations, and trade associations
Environmental issues, health considerations, waste disposal, and recyclability challenges
Economics, market trends, and technology advances affecting the flame-retardant industry
Why This Course Matters
Fire performance requirements are becoming increasingly important across many industries, while material choices are also being shaped by environmental expectations, health considerations, recyclability needs, and evolving standards. Choosing the right flame-retardant approach requires a multidisciplinary understanding of chemistry, formulation, testing, regulation, application requirements, and economics.
This workshop matters because it equips participants with the foundational knowledge needed to make better material and formulation decisions, communicate effectively with suppliers and customers, understand testing and compliance requirements, and evaluate flame-retardant technologies in the context of performance, safety, sustainability, and cost.
This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.
Refund Policy
Full refund 14 days prior to the event start date. Please contact customerrelations@4spe.org for assistance with registration.
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