FPD Highlights - November 2006

SPI Activities in Support of FPD

PRAISE FOR SPI PRESIDENT BILL CARTEAUX - Plastics News cites high energy, increasing respect and visibility for the association as hallmarks of Carteaux's first 19 months at SPI's helm. A large front page feature article on SPI President Bill Carteaux and his time in office as the leader of SPI was published in the October 30, 2006 issue of Plastic News. Headlined "Carteaux's energy contagious," the piece summarizes assessments made by SPI board members and staff, executives of member companies, Washington lobbyists and other insiders of Carteaux's progress in shaping the organization for the future and meeting a variety of industry challenges. The article also includes many statements from Carteaux himself on the changes he has tried to implement, his future plans for the organization and challenges that still need to be addressed. "Carteaux's voracious appetite for learning and driving SPI forward has given the association increasing respect in Washington and among its members," states the article. In particular, the piece highlights impressive strides made by SPI under Carteaux's leadership in the areas of government relations and international trade, membership gains, increased visibility inside and outside the industry, and stronger unity in the plastics sector via alliances and partnerships. "We congratulate Carteaux for building upon the work of his predecessor, Don Duncan," reads an accompanying "Viewpoint" editorial in the same issue, "SPI is on the right path."

JOIN SPI'S GLOBAL BUSINESS COUNCIL - Does your company experience difficulties in exporting overseas? Are you concerned about import competition in your market? Do you want to have input on SPI's positions on trade policy matters? Then consider joining SPI's Global Business Council. The GBC's mission is to increase global awareness and competitiveness by providing resources to SPI members, while fostering growth of the plastics industry worldwide. All SPI members in good standing are eligible to join. If you are interested in joining the GBC, please contact Gennie Ross. More information is available on SPI's website.

SPI CLARIFIES PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT SPI encourages all manufacturers to maintain the highest possible standards of product stewardship. SPI defines product stewardship as "the process in which the health, safety and environmental aspects of a product are identified and managed from its design through its disposal or thorough recycling." The SPI Executive Board also approved SMG 1's recommendation to specify that environmental, health and safety impacts should be minimized throughout the entire lifecycle by consuming the fewest resources and generating the least amount of pollution possible when both creating and handling products.

SPI SOUTHERN REGION recognizes safety achievements On October 13, SPI Southern Regional Director Richard Sturgis and Susan Howe, Senior Technical Director, worker health and safety, announced the recipients of the Southern Region Excellence in Safety awards for 2005. The awards recognize companies that have made worker safety a top priority. Among the six companies who met the criteria for SPI South's most prestigious award category - the Roll of Honor - by having no OSHA recordable injuries or illnesses for 2005 was Toray Fluorofibers in Decatur, AL.

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. Tentative 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 is being led by Bruce Nesbitt, to develop awareness of the societal values of fluoropolymers. The subcommittee members are Evan Laganis, AGC Chemicals, and Dick Rockosi, Arkema. A Societal Values Powerpoint Presentation has been placed on the FPD website.

MEMBERSHIP SUBCOMMITTEE Another subcommittee, led by Robert Smith, Dupont, was formed to reach out to the industry for additional members. Other subcommittee members include Al Damico (FPD Chairman), Richard Baillie (Membership Chairman), Mike Patterson, 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.

WINTER 2007 ISSUE OF FLUORONEWS We are now accepting input for the Winter 2007 issue of FluoroNews, the newsletter of the Fluoropolymers Division. This is your opportunity to brag on your Company and your Staff. Also, we are again offering 5 free business card size advertisements to members, first come-first serve. Only one free per company per calendar year, please. Please send your input to E. Robert (Bob) Hill at eben_hill@msn.com.

"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 did full updates of FluoroGuide and the related Section and Member tables in late January, mid-June 2006, and early November 2006. We plan to do updates of the section and membership tables every 4-5 weeks to keep them current, and do full updates of FluoroGuide 3-4 times per year. The next full update of FluoroGuide is expected in the first quarter, 2007. 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.

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, March 25-27.

People on the Move

DAIKIN AMERICA has appointed Mike Ladd as the Unidyne Business Manager, reflecting their ongoing commitment to the rapidly expanding UNIDYNE businesss. Mike has been with Daikin for over 13 years.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Congratulations to Al Damico, Daikin America, and Tim Walsh, Jeneet, who have been elected Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively of FPD's Executive Committee, effective immediately.

Industry Highlights

3P SOLD - Compagnie Plastic Omnium sold the North American industrial assets of its Performance Plastics Products - 3P Division to Britain's Fenner for $15 million in early October 2006. A leader in reinforced polymers with 2005 revenue of £313 million, Fenner has acquired the assets of 3P Inc., which is based in Houston, Texas, and will hire all 3P Inc.'s personnel. The businesses sold applications in the electronics, pumps, valves, compressors, aerospace and oil and gas industries represent revenue of $34 million in 2005. The Performance Plastics Products - 3P Division will continue to operate in the United States through its EPSCO distribution subsidiary.

CHROMATICS INC. will present its newest ranges of Fluoropolymer-based heavy metal free color concentrates at IWCS/Focus in Providence, RI, 13-15 November 2006. Heavy metal free colors and in particular red, orange and yellow are typically based on organic pigments, which are more sensitive to heat and shear than the traditional heavy metal pigments. The processing of these organic pigment based concentrates in Fluoropolymers requires special operating attention from the cable maker. The company has designed a methodology to help cable producers determine the optimum processing conditions for specific extrusion lines and types of Fluoropolymers. For further information, call Chromatics Inc at 203/743-6868.

SAINT GOBAIN announces NEW FlexPro™ Flexible Hose - A Smooth Bore Flexible PTFE Fluoropolymer Hose. Features include: precisely engineered for true smooth bore id with ultra flexibility, high pressure rating, broad temperature rating, sterilizable for high purity, steamable, autoclavable, full vacuum rating for critical applications, and highly chemical resistant to handle the most aggressive materials.

W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. has released a new freeze-drying container that is ideal for research and stability studies, scale-up evaluations and multi-product lyophilization operations. These new containers, which hold up to 60 ml of product, are single-use, autoclavable packages with removable, screw-on lids that provide easy access to the pharmaceutical cake. GORE™ LYOGUARD® Freeze-Drying Products contain and protect pharmaceutical compounds in a "closed" system, while at the same time providing a means for sublimation of solvent (normally water) to occur. GORE™ LYOGUARD® Freeze-Drying Containers improve consistency and accuracy of research and test results because they are non-particulating, eliminate fly-out, and prevent cross-contamination. The success of this design is due to Gore's proprietary expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane that is incorporated into the container's removable lid.

AGC CHEMICALS AMERICAS, INC. announces the opening of a new business and technical center located in Exton, Pennsylvania. The new center will serve as an operations center for the Sales and Marketing Group as well as promote research and development of new products and technical solutions as part of the company's overall business development strategy. The company plans to have the business and technical center fully operational by Q1 of 2007. Dr. Evan Laganis, Business Director, Fluorocopolymers, said "Our new Technical Center will allow us to provide customers with quick response technical service and improved new product development capabilities. It clearly demonstrates AGC Chemicals Americas' commitment to meet the needs of our customers now and in the future." For more information, please visit their website www.agcchem.com or contact them by email at fluon@agcchem.com.

DUPONT PLUNKETT AWARDS Entries for the upcoming DuPont Plunkett Awards competition will be considered in three regions: the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and Asia Pacific. Awards will be granted for each region. Entries must be in English and be received no later than December 31, 2006. The DuPont Plunkett Awards recognize your achievements in the use of DuPont fluoropolymer resins, films, fibers and finishes. Judges will select entries based on degree of innovation, breadth of use and commercial significance. The awards competition is open to processors or users of fabricated products who have devised new or improved products or applications, incorporating DuPont fluoropolymers as a critical component.

DYNEON LLC announces the appointment of Chemtech Specialties Inc. as an authorized distributor of the company's polymer additive products focusing on the northeastern United States. Polymer additives from Dyneon's Specialty Additives business are used in engineered plastics applications to achieve critical performance characteristics, such as wear and mar resistance or anti-drip properties. Chemtech Specialties is a major chemical distributor with headquarters and warehouse facilities in Philadelphia, PA.