| Program Calendar | Section Officers | Committee Chairpersons | Board Members | Web Content/Section Coordinator |
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| David Hansen | 19 |
| Jeff Applegate | 18 |
| Avi Gadkari | 17 |
| Others | None |
For your review, the following are biographies of the new board members:
David R. Hansen
David Hansen is now a consultant after retiring from Kraton Polymers in 2008 as a Research Fellow after 33 years in Research, Plant Support, Technical Service, Marketing and Business assignments. Dave graduated from Whitman College with a BA in Chemistry in 1969 and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 1975. He spent 6 years in the California National Guard and left the Guard in 1975 as a 1st Lt. After graduating from Berkeley, he joined the Kraton® Elastomers Department of Shell Chemical in Houston, Texas. Dave has held several Research Development positions in Adhesives, Compounds, Modified Asphalts, Polymer Modification, Packaging, and New Markets. In 1980, he was an exchange scientist with Royal Dutch Shell in Amsterdam after which he spent 5 years in a Market Development assignment in Houston. He started up two new end uses which are major parts of the business today. He was the Research Manager for the ASC and New Markets group for 5 years, resulting in more than 65 MM lbs of new products. He has over 20 patents granted to him relating to styrenic block copolymers.
David is now President of SBC Polymers Consulting, is on the board of the MIT Enterprise Forum, runs the MIT New Venture Clinics, is active in the South Texas SPE, is program chairman for the International Polyolefins Conference (2011 and 2012), is on the Energy Screening Committee at the Houston Technology Center, and is a member of the Rice Alliance.
Avi C. Gadkari
Accomplished and well-rounded Business / Market Development and Project Manager with expertise in Petrochemicals/Polymers and related industries. Extensive industry experience at companies such as ExxonMobil, DuPont and ChevronPhillips. At present, Marketing/Market Development Manager in the High Performance ETP business of Ticona/Celanese focusing on Oil & Gas and related industries. Highly experienced in leading and managing multiple projects and strategically liaising between clients, technical groups, internal stakeholders/cross-functional teams and suppliers to effectively drive portfolio of projects toward higher sales and profitability. Significant experience in S&OP and other Sales & Marketing functions. Result-oriented experience in leading and managing products/applications commercialization activities and technical services in a multitude of industries. Motivated self-starter with the leadership, organizational and communication skills to manage commercialization and business development activities involving sales & marketing, product management, market/business intelligence, development of technologies, customer service, supply chain, pricing strategy and intellectual property. Good knowledge of polymer manufacturing, fabrication, compounding, testing and composition-property-performance relationship. Established contacts and resourceful networks via conferences/trade shows. High commitment to teamwork, safety and quality.
Jeff Applegate
Jeff Applegate began his career in 1989 with LSI Industries where he worked for 13 years and held a variety of positions in sales and management. LSI Industries is a Nasdaq listed company and is a manufacturer of lighting and graphics for large national retailers. From 1997 - 2001 Jeff led the sales and operations of the Technology Graphics Division that manufactures precision printed and die cut graphics for regional and global OEM manufacturing companies. In 2002, Jeff led the turnaround efforts for the south Texas region of a $500 million staffing company. Since 2003 Jeff has led the sales and operations of Blackwell Plastics. Blackwell Plastics manufactures custom injection molding and extrusion plastics for many regional OEM. Jeff graduated from Baylor University and is married to Julie Applegate and has 2 sons and 1 daughter.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2073302&trk=hb_side_g
Join the South Texas Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers on LinkedIn. Click on the above link and you will be directed to group page. LinkedIn serves as another communication tool for SPE-STX.
LinkedIn is a free web site for professional networking with over 120 million members in over 200 countries and territories.
LinkedIn enables discussions and networking between SPE-STX members and those related to the plastics industry. LinkedIn compliments the current SPE-STX web and membership to LinkedIn is free.
News Highlight
LinkedIn SPE-STX group currently has over 300 members as of September 2011. To date, the tool has been used primarily to promote and discuss SPE-STX meetings.
Members are also notified of meetings from board members plus email blasts sent by SPE International.
As always, both the monthly newsletter and SPE-STX web site are the leading sources of information on SPE-STX activities.
The Houston Public Library on McKinney has resources on plastics and polymers. Check out their catalog at www.hpl.lib.tx.us. If you are not near the McKinney location, you can arrange to pick up your books at your local branch.
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 http://library.rice.edu/.
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/.
Issues Affecting Vinyl World Wide
Oct. 17- 19, 2011
New Orleans, Louisiana
Heart of the French Quarter
Information & Registration:
www.spe-stx.org/Vinyltec_2011.php
Preconference seminar
• Selecting the correct PVC Resin
Session themes
• Vinyl and Competing Materials
• Industry Response to Vinyl Issues
• Building and Construction
Luncheon speakers
• Prof. John Christy on Global Warming
• American Chemistry Council on Packaging
by David R. Hansen, Program Chairman
Mark your calendars for the 2012 SPE International Polyolefin/FlexPacK Conference on February 26-29, 2012 at the Hilton Houston North Hotel in Houston, Texas. The theme for the Conference is “Global Advances in Plastics Engineering”. In addition to the Plenary session for a global overview, the conference will include:
Rigid Packaging
Polyolefin Foams
Trends, Drivers, & Techniques in Flexible Packaging
Catalysis and Process Advances
Specialty and New Polyolefin Applications
Polyolefin Testing and Characterization
Advances in Stabilization and Additives
Polyolefin Nano Composites
Materials & Methods for Flexible Packaging
Environmental, Health, and Safety
There will be a short course on Sunday afternoon, February 26, on “Catalysts for Olefin Polymerization and Their Impact on Structure Property Relationships” given by Pal Argenun from Albemarle.
If you have a paper that you would like to give at the conference, please contact David Hansen at David.Hansen47@yahoo.com or 713-248-2273 or go to the paper collection website at www.SPEPolyolefinPapers.org. For more information, contact the Conference Chair, Jill Martin at jmmartin@dow.com.
Last year there were over 500 people at the Conference and we are expecting an even higher attendance for the 2012 conference. We look forward to seeing you there.
Present: Tom Walsh, Susanne Diecks, Bill Diecks, Pamela Auburn, Iman Ibrahani, Robert Portnoy, Don ?, Jill Martin
June meeting minutes were approved.
Pamela Auburn elected secretary
Presidents Remarks: Tom Walsh
1. We are still lacking a vice president.
2. We have 110 tickets remaining for the Astro's game
3. We need more sponsors for the Astro's game. Currently we have CenterPoint ($1000) and Ticona ($500)
4. We are looking to have a board meeting in August rather than September. The preferred date is August 8th pending checking with International for their availability for a conference call.
Treasurer's Report: none
Program: Robert Portoy presented 2012 programs schedule. The December meeting will be a dinner including spouses and a presentation on antique plastic jewelry by Connie Voss pending confirmation.
Pamela Auburn will contact Connie
Education:
1. We need a new education chair
2. Last year we spent 42,954.16 of an approved $49,500 budget
3. $6545.84 returned to the general fund represented monies not dispersed to UHD or Baylor. Neither institution filed required paperwork.
4. 2012 budget proposal is in progress.
Young Professionals:
No report (Jason ? Chair)
Membership:
No report (Dave Resler Chair)
Housing: (Iman Ibrahani Chair)
1. We are still seeking a new meeting venue
2. Pamela Auburn will inquire about use of the United Way facility on Waugh
Public Interest:
1. We need a new chair for this committee following the position being vacated by Joe Nelson.
Newsletter:
No update
We need to work on increasing advertising revenue
Webpage:
Adept Developers have taken over and need files from CKI. We are still working on this transition.
Polyolefins Conference: (Jill Martin)
There will be a presentation from International this month. We are seeking to broadcast the plenary session and there will be some changes to posters with the intention of making the experience more dynamic.
We need pricing information
The end of June target for a “call for papers” announcement was missed and is still pending.
VinylTec:
We are still light in sponsorship and tabletops. The program is full
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm
TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATION IN TX, LA & OK
C.W. Brabender Instruments, Inc., a leader in polymer process control and testing instrumentation, has a need for a Technical Sales Representative in the TX, LA and OK region. Experience in technical sales of single/twin screw extrusion or polymer processing is required. Knowledge of testing instruments for the chemical and plastics industry is desired. Must have established customer base.
Contact: Mike DiNatale, C.W. Brabender® Instruments, Inc., 50 East Wesley Street South, Hackensack, NJ 07606. P: 201.343.8425x30 F: 201.343.0608 mdinatale@cwbrabender.com
Margaret H. Baumann, G.H. Associates, Lebanon, NJ
Abstract
This paper will try to establish a business case for sustainability by defining "sustainability" as a net energy reduction when an LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) is done. This means we must reduce our overall footprint (carbon and ecological) in terms of how much of the earth’s resources we use and how much damage we leave behind. By making this the strategic objective sustainability becomes “good business”. If we take this objective seriously what are the implications for the plastics industry?
Introduction
In the last couple of years the words “sustainability” and “green’ has become part of the mainstream vernacular. Manufacturers, marketers and consumers are all taking a more serious look at the meaning of “sustainability” in their business plans.
There are still a lot of misconceptions regarding just what sustainability means. How do you define sustainability? What does having a neutral or negative carbon footprint really mean and why does it matter?
In 1789 Thomas Jefferson wrote the first definition of sustainability. “Then I say the earth belongs to each generation during its course fully and in its own right. The second generation receives it clear of the debts and encumbrances, the third of the second, and so on. For if the first could charge it with a debt, and then the earth would belong to the dead and not to the living generation. Then, no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid during the course of its own existence.” Today we could re-state Thomas Jefferson's quote as “our generation must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Right now, due to the perfect storm of geo-political events, our generation must take seriously the need and advantage of the opportunity for more sustainable usage of our resources.
In the book, Hot Flat and Crowded, Thomas Friedman makes the case for“"why we need a green revolution and how it can renew America”. The first half of the book is a diagnosis of the unique energy, climate and biodiversity challenges the world faces. Friedman suggests the world is getting hot, flat and crowded due to tightening energy supplies, the intensifying extinction of plants and animals, deepening energy poverty and accelerating climate change. The second half of the book is how we can meet those challenges. The challenges he describes effectively in the book are an opportunity for America and especially the plastics industry. America is always at its most powerful and most influential when it is combining innovation and inspiration, wealth building and dignity building. We agree with Thomas Friedman’s thesis that it is hard to imagine an acceptable solution to the issues our earth is facing without the leadership of the US politically, technically and economically. We have the opportunity to become the world's leader in innovating clean power, energy systems and renewable materials. By addressing these three areas in earnest we can begin to solve the problems facing out world today. Although the plastics industry alone does not hold the keys to all the solutions, it certainly can play a major role and it is important for our industry to continue to contribute to innovation in this area.
Foreign Oil
The US (due to relatively low prices for energy historically) has become the major consumer of energy and raw materials in the world. Inadvertently we have become a model for others to emulate.
China and India have emerging middle classes that will want to emulate and copy us. That means they will want to have the things we have and use the energy we use. It is hard to travel anywhere today and not see how our culture is influencing others as they gain more economic power and become consumers. Thomas Friedman predicts that by 2050 the middle class will triple. Even if we do not reach that number due to increased education of women, it still will mean a doubling or tripling of the world population from today's levels. All of those consumers will have the ability to purchase goods and services that will surely tax our current resources if we do not develop other methods to produce those goods and services more efficiently.
It is also clear that an over-dependence on foreign oil and natural gas is risky. The governments with the greatest available resources in oil and natural gas are governments that are not democracies – in many ways they are feudal in nature and do not respect the rights of their people. Power is in the hands of a relative few and those natural resources help support their oppressive policies and world view. The Chemical and Plastics Industries can assist here by continuing their emphasis on energy efficiency, alternative energy solutions and developing raw materials based on biological sources.
NGOs and the New Administration
Registered Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are also known as “Private Voluntary Organizations” or Citizens Associations. Nonprofit NGOs are on the rise worldwide. This is re-shaping politics and economics both at domestic and global levels. This phenomenon is almost equal to the rise of the nation-state at the end of the nineteenth century. They address every conceivable issue and operate in all parts of the globe.
NGOs form a distinct third sector separate from business and governments. This sector provides essential social services and the profit in this case is primarily social progress. They target various organizations as examples of abusive behavior. For example, NIKE has been targeted for poor labor conditions in its overseas factories. In short, NGOs are increasingly playing a vital role as lobbyists and activists at the corporate, national and international levels and their criticisms sometimes lead to reassessment of policies.
It is one of the greatest paradoxes of our time that globalization has been associated with increased intra-state tensions, and has exacerbated a host of worries; over the environment, labor rights, human rights, consumer rights, and so on. NGOs have and do play an important role in highlighting and addressing these concerns. Through the power of the internet, NGOs provide network services, by building coalitions through a network of contacts domestically and internationally providing information on important issues to concerned interest groups and individuals. Through these networks and coalition building they can organize to demonstrate against or even derail the gathering of any organization whose operations they feel detrimental to the environment, labor rights, or poverty reduction.
With the new Administration, attacks on the plastics industry are sure to escalate — and already have since election night-- since NGOs are well poised and funded for this moment in history. Climate change and possible anti-supply energy legislation is very likely to take center stage while the swell to increase regulatory scrutiny of plastics manufacturing and the materials could become intense. For example, the incoming Obama administration could renew an Executive Order banning offshore oil and natural gas drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). President Bush removed that Executive Order this past July.
Climate
Carbon is present in the atmosphere as inorganic Carbon dioxide. It helps trap heat to contribute to an atmosphere that supports life as we know it. Our unique atmosphere allows our planet to support organic life while other planets do not have the ability to support life as we know it. The current level of CO2 in our atmosphere is about 380 ppm. Figure 1 depicts the Global carbon cycle. There is data available that shows that the level of CO2 has increased significantly in the last 100 years or since the industrial revolution. This increased generation of CO2 has contributed to global warming. It is prudent to believe that there is a level of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere that would begin to limit the type of life that can survive on the Earth. Is it 500 ppm or higher? Scientists might argue just what that level is but whatever the level, we will continue to see an increase in the CO2 in the atmosphere and if we do not make an effort to understand and limit its growth, the quality of life for future generations may be bleak. You might argue that it is the conservative thing to do to understand ways to manage the level of carbon dioxide and since we are still able to support many species of plants and animals today we need to try to keep Carbon Dioxide at a similar level as it is today. At least that should be a goal and part of our vision for the future.
Energy
Even though the price of a barrel of oil has decreased since early 2008, the pressure should remain on short, medium and long term strategies to reduce the amount of energy we use. Short term we need more sources of domestic oil. However we cannot retain short term thinking here. We need to plan and develop alternative energy sources – these are areas that the plastics industry is already contributing to as part of the solution. For example DuPont and others are working on Solar cell technology to both improve its performance and cost. Fuel cell technology utilizes polymeric electrodes; the technology using polymers is the most promising of the fuel cell approaches. Polymer composites contribute to wind turbine technology, another technology being used as an alternative energy source.
One of the biggest challenges facing our planet is finding ways to run our conventional industrial processes that use non-renewable feedstock into processes that are eco-efficient. At present more than 85% of the United States' energy supply is fossil-based with less than 4% coming from solar, wind, geothermal and biomass, 8% coming from Nuclear and 4% coming from hydro. Currently hydro energy constitutes almost half (48%) of the renewable energy used in the US, but that figure is expected to decline as concerns over water shortage continue. The next largest segment is biomass (44%) comprised primarily of lumber company waste.
In Thomas Friedman’s book he describes the utilities industry (the largest user of oil as an energy generation source) an energy “all you can eat” buffet. He is recommending that the Utilities industry of the near future should be more demand based, i.e. incentives should be in place to make the industry more sensitive to demand inputs. He suggests that a solution would be smarter systems or those that recognize lower periods of electricity demand and run their functions then. Energy efficiency should be the goal of any technology developed for the market today. We should not fund technology that doesn't promise a reduced carbon footprint or net energy efficiency. The plastics industry has the know-how to help in this area as well.
Thomas Friedman concludes that we are entering a period of Energy/Climate and we need to be focusing our technology research on solutions for managing increasing global energy requirements and stewardship of the earth for future generations.
Green Chemistry and Carbon Footprint
A report written by the DOE and USDA in 2001 highlighted the need not only for investment by public-private partnerships but also the use of integrated R&D to foster innovation in bio-based materials. Currently there are more than 250 companies in the US producing a variety of bio-based products. A number of these companies were fostered by the federal mandated use of recycled products and by the low cost agricultural availability of the starting materials. Conversion to bio-based products would provide more income to agriculture and forestry producers and processors. It offers one more tool to conventional approaches to materials and energy.
European BioPlastics estimates that annual global production of bioplastics will increase six-fold to 1.5 million tones by 2011, up from 262,000 tonnes in 2007. The volume in 2007 includes biorenewables as well as bio-based. This will still be only about 0.7% of the petrochemical based plastics used today. The following table lists the current producers of bio-based plastics.
PLA-Polylactic Acid Polymer, PHA-Polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHBV-Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate, Materbi (Starch), Cereplast – compounder of starch and PLA blends, HDPE-High Density PE
Bio-based Definitions
One of the recent challenges has been developing common standards and definitions for bio-based products. For a product to be biobased, it must be organic and contain in whole or part carbon from biological sources as opposed to petrochemical based carbon. As shown in Figure 2, the C14 signature forms the basis for identifying and quantifying biobased content. Plants and animals that utilize carbon in biological food chains take up C14 during their lifetimes. As soon as the plant or animal dies there is no replenishment of radioactive carbon, only decay. Since the half life of carbon is around 5730 years, the fossil feedstocks formed over millions of years will have no C14 signature. By using this methodology one can identify and quantify biobased content. ASTM has developed test method D6866 for bio-based content.
Reducing the Carbon Footprint using LCA (Life Cycle Analysis)
Life cycle analysis is a good way to quantify and measure the sustainability of products. ISO 14040 or ASTM D7075 standard addresses LCA. LCA involves the compilation of a comprehensive inventory (Life Cycle Inventory or LCI) of relevant inputs and outputs of a production system. This involves an organized effort to measure specific input components contributing to the production and delivery of the material to its end-use application. In addition, an LCA requires an evaluation and assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the processes.
LCA represents the best method available to help define R&D goals and economic and environmental targets. R&D on the current bio-based polymers needs to be focused on continued reduction of the carbon footprint either through energy efficiency or raw materials which have a smaller carbon footprint.
Figure 3 compares the current state of the art of carbon footprint for PLA and where the research on PLA is aimed at reducing its carbon footprint. Figure 4 illustrates what is expected when bio-based PP is compared to current petrochemically based PP – there is a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
Industrial Biotechnology
Lower capital expenditures, lower raw material costs, the ability to create new functionality and the promise of low environmental footprint are all potential benefits which are motivating the increased research in the field of biotechnology and industrial chemicals. Even though Chemicals and Plastics only account for about 13% of fossil fuel usage, it offers the promise of reduced carbon footprint by replacing old carbon with new carbon.
Both Dow Chemical and Braskem (Brazil) are planning to bring bio-based polyethylene plants (sugar cane bagass) by 2009-2010. The benefits of “white” or industrial biotech are numerous. In addition to reduced dependency on oil based derivatives, biotechnically based chemicals and polymers have faster cycle times, low cost bio-feedstocks, more efficient bio-processes and more means of production than conventional processes. The biobased materials however have different handling characteristics.
Some commercial products that use bioenergy or are bio-based products include bio-polymers (PLA, PDO, and PHAs), fuel (bio-ethanol), chemicals (ethyl lactate, succinic acid and lactic acid) and lignin.
Experts believe that biotechnology will play a big role in many markets-drugs and vitamins, textiles, leather, pulp and paper, mining, metal refining, electro-plating, molded goods, film packaging and fibers.
Industrial Biotechnology is becoming attractive from a business perspective because it:
• Decreases production costs
• Increases sustainability profile
• Allows broader use of agricultural feedstocks instead of petroleum
• Provides precision catalysis •New bio-catalysts constantly being discovered
• Not controversial like medical biotech
• Bio-based polymers with enhanced or added-value properties
The continued research in making biobased materials more valuable is centered on the utilization of non-food based raw materials like biomass and alternative energy for powering the plants contributing to the successful management of the carbon footprint.
Conclusions
The Plastics Industry has and needs to continue to contribute to "sustainable products and systems". Polymer solutions continue to improve alternative energy technology whether solar, wind, fuel and other alternatives. Recycle content polymers and composites contribute to energy savings and raw material efficiency. Biobased polymers continue to improve in their performance and reduced carbon footprint.
R&D needs to remain focused on net energy efficiency and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) as tools to measure the progress of sustainable solutions.
In our current environment and world role, the US plastics industry needs to make sustainability “good business” by addressing the multiple challenges of energy sources, climate change and growing middle class. We need to keep this front and center as we decide where we focus our human capital and resources.
References
Keywords
Sustainability, Reduced Carbon footprint, Alternative energy, Biobased polymers
Date |
Event Title |
Event Specifics |
Topic |
Location |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/12/2011 | Astros game | Drinks, dinner, and Astros game | None | Minute Maid Park | 5:30pm |
| 10/10/2011 | BASF tour and polyurethane presentation | Tour, presentation, and dinner | Polyurethanes and PU Foams | BASF | 5:00pm |
| 11/14/2011 | Ticona presentation | Drinks, dinner, and presentation | TBD | TBD | 5:30pm |
| 12/12/2011 | Holiday Dinner – Antique Plastic Jewelry | Drinks, dinner, and presentation, BRING A GUEST | Plastic in Jewelry | TBD | 5:30pm |
| 1/9/2012 | University affiliate talk | Drinks, dinner, and presentation | TBD | TBD | 5:30pm |
| 2/26-29/2012 | PO Conference | Annual technical conference and trade show | Various | Hilton Hotel No. Houston | Various |
| 3/12/2012 | Potters, Glass Beads | Drinks, dinner, and presentation | Plastics Application for Glass Beads | TBD | 5:30pm |
| 4/9/2012 | Golf Outing | Annual golf tournament, lunch, and dinner | None | TBD | TBD |
| 5/14/2012 | Awards Night | Drinks, dinner, awards and technical presentation | TBD | TBD | 5:30pm |
|
President – Tom Walsh President-Elect – Robert Portnoy Treasurer – Terry Vermaas Secretary – Pamela Auburn Councilor – Donna Davis Executive Committee Liaison – |
Awards – Kurt Hayden Education – Shawn Smith Golf Outing – Lynette Russo Housing – Iman Bahrani Membership – Dave Ressler Newsletter/Communication – Polyolefins 2012 Conference Chair – Polyolefins 2012 Tech ProgramChair – Vinyl Tech 2012 Conference Chair – Public Interest & Special Events – Technical Program – Robert Portnoy |
William Talbott Brandon Cleary Shawn Smith Don Witenhafer Pamela Auburn Roger Starr Iman Bahrani Jeff Applegate Dave Hansen Avi Gadkari |
Web Content Master/Section Coordinator Suzanne Biggs – 713.829.9226 |
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