November 2008

November Meeting
Algae: A Sustainable Biopolymer for the 21st Century

Join the South Texas Society of Plastics Engineers as we welcome Barry Cohen of Biofuel Capital Partners and founder of The National Algae Association as we discuss the timely and relevant material applications and opportunities for the use of Algae to make biopolymers.

Date: Monday November 10, 2008

Event: Networking and Cocktails @ 5:30 PM (cash bar) Talk and Dinner at 6:15 PM

Advertising Options: 6ft tables are available for $20.00 to display wares during the networking event.

Location: Hess Building, 5430 Westheimer, Houston, 77056 (map)

Make Reservations: online at https://www.spe-stx.org/MeetingRegistration.cfm?MID=31.

Cost: $35.00 includes dinner and $25.00 for retired folks. (Retiree’s should contact me to adjust pricing.)

President’s Message

Do any of you feel as if someone pressed the accelerator in the month of October? The world economic system and financial markets have experience dramatic change in the last month and will probably never be the same. Regardless of the outcome of the election, our government is also headed for significant change. As we experience turbulence in our lives I am encouraged by the familiar quote. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

October has been a busy month for all of us in the gulf coast region as we cleaned up from Ike and worked double time to catch up on our work. Our local section also had many successful activities that were well attended. The month started out with good attendance at the IHOP for the breakfast bunch where it rained as much in the IHOP as it rained outside. Evidently they did not realize the roof damage from the hurricane and will be back in business for the November meeting. I trust that we also had a successful lunch bunch meeting at the Steel City Pizzeria. On October 17 the South Texas Section of the SPE co-hosted the Advanced Materials conference with the Belgium Trade Commission. We learned about some of the technological developments and opportunities to partner with companies in the region. Solvay and Total presented their work using nano-sized materials to develop high performance products. The meeting attracted a diverse crowd from many industries, educational and research organizations. The attendance for the event held at the Houston Technology Center exceeded 60 people. Marti Husti hosted another successful Breakfast Bunch Golf tournament at Windrose Golf Club. Congratulations to Christain Taylor, Wes Summer, and Doug Reed on their first place finish! I also want to express our appreciation to Donna Davis, our section Councilor and Scott Owen, Executive Committee Liaison for making the effort to represent us at the SPE Council meeting at headquarters in Connecticut. Their report is included in this newsletter. Our Polyolefins committee and Education Committee have been busy working hard executing all the tasks necessary to prepare for our conference in February.

So, what is coming for November? Brandon has lined up an exciting program for November 10 with the National Algae Association. That is right….The National Algae Association. They will be presenting the exciting advancements in creating fuel and biopolymers from fast growing and productive algae. Dave Ressler has assumed the responsibilities for membership and is preparing to launch an effort to update all of our contact information and expand our distribution. “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another” This quote really frames the value of our membership as professional society. The best way to receive value is to find an opportunity to plug in to an area of interest. Volunteering your time, ideas and efforts is where you will gain valuable relationships and information that will help you and help those you work with. Volunteering can be limited to greeting at a section meeting, making a few membership update calls or serving on a committee. We welcome all volunteers regardless of the time you can commit. The more people we involve in our section the stronger we will all be. Thank you for all of the time and effort that each of you commit to make our Section so valuable!

Warmest wishes!

Jeff Applegate
SPE South Texas President 2008-2009

Plastics Information: Check it Out

Since the Houston Public Library on McKinney St is essentially closed for remodeling, you cannot go there to browse for books on plastics/polymers. However, go to their catalog at www.hpl.lib.tx.us and arrange to pick up books at a branch library.

The Fondren Library at Rice University has the most complete collection of books on plastics and polymers. This is also a prime resource for patent and trademark information, as well as other US Government documents. You cannot check out books there unless you join Fondren Library [$50], but you can arrange for books to be sent to your library by inter-library loan. Use their catalog at www.rice.edu/fondren/.

The next best place to browse is at the MD Anderson Library at the University of Houston central campus. South Texas Section has donated many plastics books to this library. If you plan ahead, you can get a TexShare library card from a library where you are a member, which will allow you to check out books from any U of H library. Their catalog is at www.library.uh.edu/.

Bulletin Board

Breakfast Bunch Golf Outing

The 4th annual Breakfast Bunch Invitational Golf Outing was again a success! Take a look at this for photos and winners' names.

Thank You Letters

Request for Equipment

The University of Houston has a relatively new student SPE chapter and wants to broaden their plastics education from the graduate area into the undergraduate area. In order to do that they are looking for a company to donate an idle GPC. They currently have an extruder, injection molder and an Instron tester. This would let them have an undergrad plastics course with a lab. If anyone has an idle GPC or some other equipment that could complement this course, please contact:

Ted Marker
Lyondellbasell Industries
Phone: (281) 604 3326
Email: ted.marker@lyondellbasell.com

or

Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti
Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Cullen College of Engineering
University of Houston
Phone: (713) 743 4312
E-mail: ramanan@uh.edu

Seminar in Rio

On Friday, November 14, Polyolefins Consulting, LLC and Dr. Alfredo Friedlander will hold a Petrochemical Overview and Polyolefins Technology Review Seminar in Rio de Janeiro, just before the Latin American Petrochemical and Chemical Association (APLA) annual meeting. The emphasis of the seminar will be on polyethylene and polypropylene catalyst, polymerization and additive technologies. It should be of interest to both potential polymerization technology licensors, and polyethylene and polypropylene resin users.

2008 Petrochemical Seminar

Presentations will be made by industry consultants and invited speakers. Speakers will be presenting developments in many of the polyolefins polymerization technologies in use or being considered for the region. This will be a unique opportunity to hear about the most recent advances in polyethylene and polypropylene technologies and their products. Invited speakers will include representatives from the following companies:

• Chemtura – USA
• Dow Latin America – Brazil
• LyondellBasell – Italy
• Milliken Serviços – Brazil
• Nova Chemicals – Canada
• Polyolefins Consulting – USA
• Shell Global Solutions – USA
• Süd-Chemie Inc. – USA
• Univation Technologies – USA

If you are involved in the polyolefins industry, from monomer and polymer producers to processors, including equipment and raw material suppliers as well as end users, this event will provide a chance to better understand the technologies that shape the industry.

This seminar is directed towards middle to senior level managers interested in polyethylene and polypropylene technologies and products. The seminar will be relevant to directors, managers and company owners, business unit managers, marketing and business development personnel, as well as sales, research, development, technical service and manufacturing engineers, chemists and managers throughout the polyolefins industry.

Find a seminar program and registration form here. Or you may contact Polyolefins Consulting at info@polyolefinsconsulting.com for a brochure and additional information.

Book Bag

	Essentials of Polymer Science and Engineering By Paul C. Painter & Michael M. Coleman, 2009, 525 pages Price: $190.00 This book is both an introduction to polymers and an imaginative invitation to the field of polymer science and engineering as a whole, including plastics and plastics processing. The text explains and helps students as well as professionals appreciate all major topics in polymer chemistry and engineering: polymerization synthesis and kinetics, applications of probability theory, structure and morphology, thermal and solution properties, mechanical properties, biological properties, and plastics-processing methods. Designed to supersede many standard texts (including the authors’), Essentials of Polymer Science and Engineering is unique in a number of ways. Special attention has been paid to explaining fundamentals and providing high-level visuals. In addition, the text is replete with engaging profiles of polymer chemists and their discoveries. The book explains the science of polymer engineering and tells the story of the field from its beginnings to the present, indicating when and how polymer discoveries have played a role in history and society. In addition it contains study questions and problems.
	What Every Engineer Should Know About Career Management By Mike Ficco, 2009, 237 Pages Price: $52.00 Despite their education and experience, many engineers fail to notice critical issues in the workplace that can directly affect their career advancement and day-to-day job satisfaction. Part I of this text looks at the interaction of engineers and managers working on projects in a corporate environment. It specifically addresses the life and career advancement of the engineer, beginning with engineering-school student and advancing to the seasoned professional. Along the way, it explores various stops, diversions, and alternatives, including a view of the corporation as a living organism with its own unique personality that responds to stimuli of the world. Part II discusses engineering projects, product development, schedules, budgets, and related topics. Although framed in the engineering environment, the observations on people skills are relevant to all occupations.
	Engineering Documentation Control Handbook: Configuration Management for Industry, 3rd Edition By Frank B. Watts, 2009, 376 pages Price: $84.00 Control of engineering documentation, sometimes called “Configuration Management,” is a critical component of world-class manufacturing. The third edition of this popular engineering documentation handbook improves upon one of the best blueprints for efficient EDC/CM ever published, and continues to provide a significant company strategy for managers, project leaders, chief engineers and others. It can be used in many industries to improve the control of engineering documentation. Use the Engineering Documentation Control Handbook to get on track right away and make the release of new products and their documentation flow smoothly and easily. The book is packed with specific methods that can be applied quickly and accurately, to almost any industry and any product, to control documentation, request changes to the product, make those changes, and develop bills of material. The result is a powerful communications bridge between engineering and “the rest of the world” that makes rapid changes in products and documentation possible. With the help of the simple techniques in the handbook, companies can gain and hold their competitive advantages in a world that demands flexibility and quick reflexes -and has no sympathy for delays.

Councilor’s Report

SPE Council met at Southbury, CT, October 17-18.

The first big agenda item for the meeting was election of officers. Ken Braney, Chair of the European Advisory Board, was elected President-Elect. Ken will take office as President at ANTEC 2010. The next SPE President, Paul Andersen, Extrusion Division, will take office at ANTEC 2009 whichwill be held in conjunction with NPE. Paul works for Coperion. RussellBroome, Piedmont Coastal Section, was elected Senior Vice President.Russell works with PolyOne. Brent Strong, Rocky Mountain Section, waselected to the Executive Committee. Helen Basso was elected to chair the Council Committee of the Whole, the informal gathering of the Council for general discussion outside the formality of Council meetings.

The other major agenda item was the budget. The budget for 2009 isrelatively conservative in that it furthers the shift in revenue from member dues toward sales of products and services. It also underwrites continued development of the website capabilities, most of which willdeliver enhanced functionality for interaction and content management. President-Elect Andersen is particularly focused on growing participation of the Gen X and Gen Y membership. The new website will improve blogging, pod-casting, etc. it is possible that additional revenues will be realized from expanded journal publishing. The backlog for the SPE journals has grown substantially, and an additional title may be justified.

This meeting of Council was the first to offer a web-based alternative to physical attendance. Because the bylaws do not allow online ballots,members only “observed”. However, a first reading of several bylaw changes would allow online balloting. This is anticipated to improve participation by non-North American Councilors. Many details are still in development, including the roles and requirements of proxies, etc.

SPE will offer it's first online 2-day conference next March. A demonstration of the technology was given. The topic will be Failure Analysis. Three to five new 1-hour presentations will be developed, and the program will be filled with archived Failure Analysis presentations. A virtual exhibit will be offered, which allows visitor tracking, and other traditional tradeshow features. A virtual lounge will allow interaction by participants. SPE is licensing the technology for a year, so if the conference goes well, additional topics may be offered. Brookfield is also working with the Polyolefins Conference to allow on-line attendance to the plenary session of PO2009.

This was the first year for combining the major agenda items of the traditional Fall and Winter Council meetings. Several Councilors noted that combining the elections and budget items went well; however, there was some concern with the limited face-time for committees.

As always, I will be delighted to answer any questions about the SPE governance and international operations. The section Councilor will be up for election again this year with a 3-year term beginning at ANTEC 2009. Anyone interested is invited to let me know, as we will be developing the slate of candidates over the next few months.

Donna Davis

SPE-STX Board Meeting

Location: HESS @ 5340 Westheimer Road
Date: October 13, 2008