SPE News - January 19, 2024
What's Happening Around SPE
SPE Now Offers Premium Membership
SPE’s NEW Premium Membership takes you to the next level of your SPE member experience. Unlocking additional benefits provides you with more opportunities to advance your career-building education. Premium Membership includes all Professional Member benefits PLUS 10+ Select webinars, additional discounts, and deeper technical resources. You can join as a Premium Member OR upgrade your current membership and reap major membership rewards!
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Carlin Named Notable Leader in Sustainability by Plastics News
In a recent issue ofPlastics News, SPE President Conor Carlin was featured as a notable leader in sustainability. Carlin, who started his tenure as SPE’s President on January 1st, has put a lot of thinking and work into what the term ‘sustainability’ actually means.
Long Time SPE Member Bruce Litchfield Passes Away
Bruce W. Litchfield, 77, passed away peacefully at his home in Swanzey, NH on January 16, 2024 after a courageous battle with dementia. Born in Winchester, MA, Bruce and his wife lived for 16 years in Enfield, CT where they raised three children. Bruce was a veteran, having spent four years in the U.S. Navy, stationed mostly in Florida. He studied plastics engineering at Lowell Technological Institute in MA and worked in upper management for most of his career, where he spearheaded innovative processes for increasing corporations' profitability. He was very active in SPE, eventually working his way up to national councilman.
ANTEC® 2024 Agenda Announced
ANTEC® 2024, taking place March 4-7, 2024 in St. Louis, MO, is focused on plastics innovation with a treasure trove of cutting-edge sessions featuring speakers addressing topics such as Recycling and AI in Polymer Processing to Injection Molding, Circular Economy, Sustainable Transportation, and much more. Plenary speakers will explore machine learning, innovative polymer design, and sustainable growth, offering a glimpse into the future of plastics. Early rates and the ANTEC® All-Access VIP Experience opportunity ends on Jan. 31! Don't wait. Register Today!
Juliana Montoya Joins SPE as Plastics Engineering Content Director
SPE is excited to welcome Juliana Montoya as the new Content Director for Plastics Engineering (PE). With a background in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's degree in Materials Engineering, Montoya brings a wealth of expertise and a creative viewpoint to the publication.
Call for SPE Instructors
Are you a knowledgeable professional with a passion for sharing your expertise in an impactful manner? We invite you to join our team of instructors as we develop educational programs and workshops for our audience of plastics professionals seeking to enhance their work skills and abilities. Instructors will lead workshops that break the mold, offering unique perspectives and insights that resonate with our audience.
Unlock Your Leadership Potential
If you're aspiring to move into a leadership position, whether it involves managing teams or projects, SPE's Essentials of Management & Leadership in Plastics is ideal for you to refine your leadership skills. The fourth cohort of this online program starts in April 2024 and runs through September 2024, and is expertly guided by Dr. Sarah Skidmore, a seasoned leadership specialist and experienced strategic consultant.
National Week of Flame Retardants Next Week!
SPE’s National Week of Flame Retardants, hosted by the SPE Non Halogen Flame Retardant Materials TIG, taking place online January 22-25, 2024, will feature industry leaders showcasing recent advancements in flame retardant (FR) technologies. Attendees will engage in discussions surrounding the technological and regulatory landscape of flame retardants.
What’s in Store for the Future of Rotational Molding?
Get inside information about what the future holds for rotational molding at SPE’s must-attend event, The Future of Rotomolding: Making Our Industry Innovative & Sustainable, hosted by the SPE Rotational Molding Division and taking place online January 30-February 1, 2024. Connect with rotational molding leaders and learn about the trends that are shaping the industry moving forward.
New Episode of PlastChicks® Podcast Out Now
PlastChicks Lynzie Nebel and Mercedes Landazuri host the co-CEOs of Hoffer Plastics: Gretchen Hoffer Farb, Charlotte Hoffer Canning and Alex Hoffer. They discuss the dynamics of a family-owned injection-molding plastics business, their approach to innovation in the plastics industry, the advantages of having multiple co-CEOs, the importance of family being part of company values, and working together with customers and staff at all levels to address the needs of the customer, end consumer, and those on the production floor. You can listen to the PlastChicks® podcast at 4spe.org/podcasts or on YouTube!
SPE Foundation
SPE Foundation Bringing Science Patch to Girl Scouts Event in Chicago
On Saturday, April 6, the SPE Foundation is bringing its SPE Color Your World with Polymer Science Patch Program to the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana for an all-day event in Lemont, IL. More than 150 Girl Scouts will experience fun activities as they discover the amazing science behind plastics and polymers. Donor and partner support continue to make these opportunities possible! Want to offer your support for more Positive Plastics Education programming? Gifts are welcome anytime at give.4spe.org. Want to learn more about our Girl Scout Patch Program? Email us at foundation@4spe.org.
Applications for SPE Foundation Scholarships Are Now Open
We have more scholarships available than ever before! Awards range from $1,000 to $10,000. If you are a student pursuing a degree beneficial to the plastics industry, we encourage you to apply before April 1 at 4spe.org/scholarships to be considered. Know a student? Pass this along!
SPE Foundation Offers Multiple Scholarships
The SPE Foundation is offering multiple new scholarships thanks to generous donors and partners who wish to impact students for generations. The Dr. Matthew and Mrs. Patricia Harthcock Applied Plastics Research Scholarship recognizes graduate students committed to applied research and the development of new technologies. The Jonathan Meckley Memorial Scholarship is for students in the Plastics Engineering Tech program at Penn State Behrend. Do YOU want to make a lasting difference for students with a scholarship endowment? Let’s talk! Email us anytime at foundation@4spe.org. To see our full list of available scholarships, visit 4spe.org/scholarships.
SPE Chapter News
SPE Supporter Shamrock Technologies Appoints New President
Shamrock Technologies, Inc., a global leader in wear, slip, and texturing additives, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Kellen as President, effective immediately. Kellen has managed direct sales and chemical manufacturing divisions for the last 25+ years, as he has held senior leadership roles in the inks, coatings, and chemical industries.
Poly(Phenylene Ether) / High Impact Polystyrene (PPE+HIPS) Fatigue Resistance
The robustness of materials under cyclic loading is a critical factor often overshadowed by their tensile strength. Plastics, by nature, exhibit lower fatigue strength than their measured tensile strength, emphasizing the need for meticulous fatigue testing in material selection processes. Jeff Jansen, Engineering Manager, The Madison Group, will be presenting, Effects of Knit Lines of the Long-term Performance Properties of Modified Poly(phenylene ether), co-authored by Andy Simon of TA Instruments, at ANTEC® 2024 on Thursday, March 7.
Industry News
SPE Carolinas Section Newsletter Now Available
The recent SPE Carolinas Section Newsletter, Perspective, includes President’s Message, plant tour info, annual financial report, and more.
SPE News Story Ideas?
Know a member who is doing outstanding things in plastics or in SPE? Have you heard about or are part of a chapter that is making an impact or a difference in the industry? Let us know if you have any story ideas for SPE News! Feel free to contact Chris Barry at cbarry@4spe.org.
Upcoming Events
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Register
National Week of Flame Retardants
Jan 22 - 25 | Online 
RegisterSPE Webinar: Plastic Datasheets: What They Do and Don’t Tell Us
February 13 | Online-
Register
The Future of Rotomolding: Making our Industry Innovative and Sustainable!
Jan 30 - Feb 1 | Online .jpg)
RegisterPlastics in AI: Reducing Plastic Waste Through Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization
February 5-7 | Online
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