FPD Highlights - October 2006

SPI Activities in Support of FPD

SPI URGES US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE to hold China accountable to its WTO obligations - On September 20, 2006, SPI submitted a report to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) outlining plastics industry concerns with China's compliance record under the World Trade Organization (WTO). Noting that China is and will remain an important market for plastics industry goods, SPI observed that many deficiencies in China's compliance record still exist, undermining the progress China has made thus far in honoring its international trade commitments. SPI highlighted China's undervalued currency as an unfair trade practice for which concrete progress is long overdue. Other concerns discussed include trade-distorting subsidies, stronger enforcement of intellectual property rights; and lack of transparency with respect to Chinese standards and regulations that may impede market access for plastics materials and packaging. SPI's comments joined the submissions of more than 20 other industry associations assessing China's WTO compliance record. USTR will use this input to prepare an annual report to Congress later this year.

SPI DEFENDS SOUND SCIENCE, CONSUMER SAFETY as big-box retailers go green - "Global sustainability" is the new anthem of corporate America looking to reduce costs of energy use and waste disposal. Big box retailers across the country are touting greener and more environmentally sound waste management practices, including Wal-Mart. Renew, reuse or recycle - that's the game plan. In a well-publicized national campaign, Wal-Mart touts that moving toward zero waste is its major corporate goal for the environment. While the big box retailers are looking to reduce America's waste stream by changing product lines as well as food and nonfood packaging materials, SPI is working with its affected member companies to ensure that business decisions are safe for consumers and based on sound science. For information or assistance related to product deselection issues, contact SPI's Susan Howe, executive director of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Packaging Materials Committee at (202) 974-5223.

SPI'S NEW ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM - High energy prices continue to threaten the viability and competitiveness of the U.S. plastics industry and the nation's manufacturing sector in general. SPI is working on energy solutions to help your company reduce utility expenses right now. Through an agreement with SPI, Affiliated Power Purchasers International, LLC (APPI), an independent energy and utility consultant, will work with your company to identify and implement solutions that reduce the costs of your energy, utility, and telecommunications expenses. SPI members pay no up front, hourly, or retainer fees. APPI is only compensated when it demonstrates and delivers savings and/or refunds. APPI savings solutions are available only to SPI member companies, and they include the following programs:

For more information, or to get APPI started on your energy savings program, contact Matt Schortall, APPI's manager, consulting services, at (800) 520-6685.

CHEMICALS IN PRODUCTS The European Commission will assess levels of exposure to chemicals leaching from consumer articles in several key sectors under a project called Chemrisks, developed to aid implementation of Reach, reports ENDS Environment Daily. Chemrisks will be led by the commission's joint research center, which has developed an "assessment toolbox" that will be applied to generate data about chemicals in clothing and home textiles, carpets, automotive textiles, toys and non-woven personal care products.

FPD Activities

SPRING 2007 CONFERENCE will be held at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM (near Albuquerque) March 25-27, 2007. Dan Loffa, AGC Chemicals Americas, and Kenneth Koziel, Saint-Gobain, are the conference co-chairs. Potential presentation topics include: Marketing/Internal Performance (Dr. Milton Berkstein), Quality Environmental/Risk Management (Joseph Caprio, Saint Gobain), Evolution of Coatings in Fluoropolymers History, and Health Care Costs/Management.

FALL 2007 CONFERENCE is planned for the Venetian in Las Vegas on Sept. 23-25, 2007. Please save these dates.

SOCIETAL VALUE OF FLUOROPOLYMERS - A subcommittee was formed, led by Bruce Nesbitt, to develop a Societal Values Powerpoint Presentation for the FPD website. The subcommittee members are Evan Laganis, AGC Chemicals and Dick Rockosi, Arkema. See the powerpoint presentation on the home page of www.fluoropolymers.org.

MEMBERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE Another subcommittee, led by Robert Smith, Dupont, was formed to reach out to the industry for additional members. Other subcommittee members include John Ostroot (Membership Chairman), Richard Baillie, Mike Patterson, Eric Walsh, and Terence Neville.

MONTHLY FPD HIGHLIGHTS - Please include E. Robert (Bob) Hill on your press release list at eben_hill@msn.com, so we can note your company and staff accomplishments and honors.

FLUORONEWS SUMMER 06 ISSUE was posted on the web site at month-end July and issued in hard copy in early August. This issue includes a lead article on "Coping with Globalization." Check it out!

"COPING WITH GLOBALIZATION" lead article is included in the recent Summer 2006 issue of FluoroNews. This article is also posted here on this web site. The article includes an overview of how companies are coping with the challenges and opportunities of globalization and how the SPI, the Department of Commerce, and the World Trade Center Association can help.

FLUOROGUIDE - We updated the FPD section and membership tables in early September, 2006, and did full updates of FluoroGuide and the related Section and Member tables in mid-June and in late January 2006. We plan to do quick updates of the section and membership tables in the future every 4-6 weeks to keep them current, and do full updates of FluoroGuide 3-4 times per year. The next full update is expected by early November, 2006. Please check your company input on our website and give Bob Hill any needed further revisions at eben_hill@msn.com.

FPD WEB SITE HITS continue to increase steadily, and reached 508k hits, up from 454k hits in the prior quarter. The Summer 2006 Issue of FluoroNews was the most popular hit. The Safe Handling Guide had 4011 hits.

We continue to steadily add new material to our websites. Check them out!!!

FPD Section Activities

FPD Section activities continue to be strongly emphasized at all of our conferences. The PFOA issue is a major issue in all sections. See this website under Conferences in early 2007 for the Section Programs for the upcoming Spring Conference at Albuquerque in March.

People on the Move

VIC NUNAN with great regret, we report that Vic Nunan has resigned from FPD. Vic has been a great friend and a member of FPD for several decades!

DYNEON Doug Chirhart, the Marketing Communications Manager, just retired. John Price is now handling their company announcements, etc. His email address is jmprice1@mmm.com. Welcome, John.

Industry Highlights

ADVANCED FLEXIBLE COMPOSITES, INC. AND WHITFORD WORLDWIDE have announced the formation of Whitford Flexible Composites ("WFC"), an international joint venture. WFC will service the European and other international markets. WFC will provide high-performance coated and laminated fabrics, belting and pressure sensitive tapes from Whitford's facility in Runcorn, Chesire, England.

In addition to the creation of WFC, AFC and Whitford have established a supply and technology exchange agreement for North America. This agreement will make use of Whitford's ability to conceive and develop nonstick coating and AFC's capability to process high performance fabrics. The objective of this partnership will be to quickly develop innovative products and solutions to customers' requirements and problems.

W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, makers of Gore-Tex fabric products, has launched a product it says can increase the service life of ropes used in high-stress bending applications, such as deepwater installation of subsea hardware. Gore Omnibend Fiber, composed of Gore's proprietary expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, acts as a dry barrier to abrasion, reducing friction and elevated temperatures normally caused by friction, the company says. The result is increased service life and reliability for synthetic rope.

SOLVAY PIONEERS E-BILLING SOLUTION IN EUROPE - Solvay is the first European Chemical group to offer an innovative e-billing solution to its customers, aimed at facilitating the treatment of invoices and cutting costs while complying with strict European Union requirements.

The e-billing solution, which Solvay is implementing in its chemical and plastics sectors, allows the distribution of legally formal invoices through electronic mail. This generates a number of advantages for customers, such as the optimization of the circulation of the invoice within their organization and shorter processing times, thanks to automated systems and real-time information. Every e-bill is accompanied by a qualified electronic signature compliant with the provisions of the most recent relevant European Union legislation. The electronic signature that accompanies the invoice, as set out in EU legislation, guarantees the authenticity of the invoice's origin and the integrity of its contents. It has the same value as the handwritten signature of a physical person, which ensures its validity.

This leading edge solution, providing substantial cost savings for invoice senders and recipients, is based on software licensed from AuthentiDate, a German based specialist for global software solutions using digital signatures and time stamps.