What's Happening Around SPE
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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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.
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, 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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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
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.
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
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
National Week of Flame Retardants
Jan 22 - 25 | Online
Register
SPE 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
Register
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Plastics in AI: Reducing Plastic
Waste Through Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization
February 5-7 | Online
Register
View full events calendar
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