Contact: Jennifer Dills
(202) 974-5282

For Immediate Release

SPI Puts Business Solutions on Display at NPE 2000

Washington (April 26, 2000) — As proud sponsor of NPE 2000, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) will have a major presence at the triennial plastics exposition, highlighting a variety of products and services to help plastics companies save money and be more productive.

SPI's pavilion on the Grand Concourse lobby at Chicago's McCormick Place, site of NPE 2000, will be a convenient central location for companies from all segments of the plastics industry to get information on resources including workforce development, regulatory compliance and legislative affairs, industry data, community involvement and specialized forums for molders, moldmakers and machinery and equipment manufacturers.

"NPE 2000 is the premier global plastics showcase, and SPI is an important provider of services to help the industry advance," said Catherine Randazzo, SPI vice president, strategic business initiatives. "While NPE is our largest and most visible undertaking, visitors to the show will find that no matter their area of interest, SPI likely has a program, product or business unit to help their company be more competitive and profitable."

Workforce Development Will be Key Theme of SPI Pavilion

Throughout the show June 19-23, SPI will highlight a number of workforce development solutions for plastics companies, including:

• hands-on demos of SPI's unique Orient Me! worker orientation software program, which can dramatically reduce company turnover costs.

• the National Certification in Plastics exam, which assesses skills and knowledge for machine operators in injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming and blow molding.

• the Plastics Learning Network, a new distance learning initiative that delivers state-of-the-art worker training to a company's local community college or plant site

SPI staff will be on hand to provide answers to visitor questions about the plastics industry and the benefits of SPI membership, including members-only access to valuable industry information, compliance assistance and other resources as well as significant discounts on products and services.

In addition to the Grand Concourse pavilion, SPI will offer other services at the show including on-site National Certification in Plastics testing and an International Center which will provide company matchmaking, networking and education events and multilingual business services.

Special On-Site Services Available for SPI Members

SPI members will also have exclusive access to SPI's membership lounge. Adjacent to the SPI pavilion, the lounge will offer business services and conference rooms.

"Our members told us they need a quiet space at the show to do business, take a break or network with their colleagues," Randazzo explained. "We're offering this service to meet that need and thank our members for their support of NPE and their commitment to the industry."

NPE 2000 will take place June 19-23, 2000 at Chicago's McCormick Place, North America's largest exhibition complex. The 23rd NPE since the first one in 1946, it is expected to surpass the 1997 show, which set three NPE records: number of exhibiting companies (1,726), net exhibit space (1.015 million sq. ft.), and number of registered participants (82,634). Visit the NPE Web site at www.npe.org.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc is the trade association representing the fourth-largest manufacturing industry in the United States. SPI's 1,700 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.3 million workers and provides $274 billion in annual shipments.

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