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For SPI Members Only — February 10, 2006 In This Edition
Contact. . . Jane Adams, phone: 202.974.5206 Tell Congress to increase natural gas supply February 15–16, 2006. . . SPI members have another opportunity to educate lawmakers by participating with the Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA). This fly-in spotlights the serious impact sky-rocketing natural gas prices are having on the “other” consumers – the industrial sector – and the need to increase supply. To register, go to www.ieca-us.org and click on “Sign up for future press releases and meeting announcements” located on the left side of the page. For more information contact IECA at 202.223.1661. Please let SPI know that you are participating by emailing Natha Freiburg.
More information. . . | Contact. . . Lynne Harris, phone: 202.974.5217
If you have questions about this policy or your membership renewal, contact Wilda Von Stein, phone: 202.974.5241
Plastics play key role in Olympics. . . The 2006 Winter Olympic Games begin February 10 in Turin, Italy. This is a good time to remember the key role plastics plays in today’s sports, and nowhere more than the Olympics. From skis to protective clothing to helmets to split-second timing devices, plastics are the choice of champions, making all sports significantly safer while enabling athletes to enhance their performance. Every time we hear of a new world record at the upcoming winter Olympics, we should remind ourselves that it wouldn’t have happened without top-quality plastics equipment. To all SPI member companies who have made materials used by this year’s U.S. team, we say: take a bow. You make us proud.
Contact. . . Barbara Darby, phone: 864.239.2939, ext. 4 Call for entries: Safety Statistics and Awards Program. . . SPI’s Occupational Health and Environmental Issues Committee (OHEIC) is accepting entries for its annual Safety Statistics and Awards Program. The benchmarking data generated by the program reflects safety rates by process (such as extrusion, thermoforming and injection molding) or by general category (such as processor, material supplier and machinery/auxiliary equipment), and is made available only to SPI members who participate in the program. In order to facilitate comparison within a given sector of the industry or the industry as a whole, the data is also sorted by plant types. Companies with excellent safety records are recognized in four award categories: Distinguished Safety, Achievement Safety, Merit Safety and Special Recognition. Contact. . . Susan Howe. phone: 202.974.5223
Don’t pay more tax than you owe!. . . The SPI Tax$aver Program can decrease your personal property taxes and increase your bottom line. It can help your company become stronger, more competitive and more profitable. Average tax savings for participants in the program is now approaching 20 percent. The SPI Tax$aver Program is a partnership between SPI and The Property Tax Advisory Group (PTAG). Want to improve the quality and efficiency of your hiring process?. . . Developed for the industry by SPI and the Spherion Assessment Group, PeopleScreen™, quickly and accurately screens any number of job candidates, from hourly positions up to mid-level managers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Stop wasting time interviewing “nonstarters.” PeopleScreen™ helps you focus only on the best candidates for your team. SPI continues growth trend. . . The Society of the Plastics Industry continues to be the recognized trade group leading the U.S. plastics industry. Over the past year, 154 new companies have joined SPI’s membership ranks, including 75 machinery and equipment manufacturers, 25 processors, 15 corporate professionals, 14 resin and materials suppliers, 13 associate members, nine moldmakers and three individual professionals. Eleven new members joined SPI in January 2006, including five processors, two resin and materials suppliers, two corporate professionals and two associate members. Visit SPI’s Web site to see a special listing of the new members for 2005 and 2006. SPI’s online Membership Directory & Buyers Guide allows you to search and sort by geographic region and industry segment as well as key words and company names.
SPI, business units and regions offer full line-up. . . This year SPI’s 2006 events calendar includes a full line-up of educational opportunities, trade shows, management and technical training. View the complete calendar of events or see below for highlights of upcoming meetings. OHEIC “call-in” to address static electricity. . . SPI’s Occupational Health and Environmental Issues Committee (OHEIC) invites SPI members with questions or expertise on static electricity in the manufacturing environment to participate in a call-in Tuesday, February 21 at 3:00 pm EST. Participants will share information on the generation of static electricity in manufacturing environments, contributing factors, how it can build up within a process and how it can be reduced or eliminated. OHEIC call-ins are offered as a technical forum for SPI members to ask questions and exchange knowledge on worker health and safety, environmental and product regulatory topics. Contact. . . Marie Martinko, phone: 202.974.5330, to learn how to participate or to suggest a topic for future OHEIC call-ins OCS breakfast briefing to champion “zero pellet loss”. . . A special breakfast briefing on “Operation Clean Sweep” (OCS) will be presented in Norwalk, CA on February 23, 2006. Sponsored by SPI, the California Film Extruders & Converters Association and the American Plastics Council, “Zero Pellet Loss” will introduce plastics processors, transporters, packagers and others to OCS – a free, flexible, voluntary program that teaches practical steps for containing plastic pellets at facilities and avoiding regulatory infractions. The proper containment of plastic pellets is a critical issue for the environment – and a priority for the plastics industry. Beginning at 7:00 a.m. (PST)) at the Norwalk Marriott, the two-hour briefing will provide attendees with OCS tools to get started immediately. The registration fee, which includes breakfast, is $10. Contact. . . Jill Brandts, phone: 949.261.6979
More information. . . | Contact. . . Jennifer Goldman
More information. . . | Contact. . . Donna Dempsey, phone: 202.974.5218 Midwest Business and Technology Conference to focus on value. . . SPI’s Midwest Region will host “Building Value Strategies: Best Practices for Distinguishing, Adding and Retaining Value,” a Business and Technology (BAT) mini-conference on April 27, 2006, at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. SPI members Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP, Plante & Moran PLLC and P&M Corporate Finance LLC are sponsors of the mini-conference. SPI President Bill Carteaux will deliver the keynote address on “Protecting the Industry.” The program will include sessions on industry performance in turbulent times; intellectual property and practices; information systems; unique and innovative technology; and more. The conference will close with the presentation of the SPI Midwest Region’s Founders Award, which recognizes exceptional individual service to the region. For mail list changes, additions or deletions, please e-mail comm@socplas.org and include "SPI Link" in the subject line. Please remember to include your e-mail address in the body of the e-mail message. © Copyright 2006. The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. · 1667 K St., NW, #1000 · Washington, DC 20006. All rights reserved. |
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SPI Board Chairman calls for natural gas action. . . In a 
Steinwall answers SPI’s call to educate Congress. . . SPI President William Carteaux issued a “call for action’ in the December 2005 issue of Modern Plastics & Machinery urging all industry leaders to educate lawmakers about the plastics industry. Maureen Steinwall, president of 
SPI members “fly-in" to discuss key manufacturing issues with Congress. . . SPI members joined with other U.S. manufacturers on February 7–8, 2006 to press for congressional action on critical issues during a "fly-in" event on Capitol Hill sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers. SPI members Peter Jones, Wexco Corporation (Lynchburg VA); Gene Steadman, Celanese/Ticona (Washington D.C.); Rob Kittredge, Fabri-Kal (Kalamazoo MI); and Walter Cox, Xaloy (New Castle PA) participated in the discussions which covered energy and trade issues in discussions to secure access to domestic supplies of natural gas and to address trade issues. They visited the offices of Senators Allen (R-VA), Warner (R-VA), Stabenow (D-MI), Levin (D-MI), Gregg (R-NH) and Sununu (R-NH).
SPI to EPA: nanotechnology promises positives for plastics. . . Nanotechnology can create new jobs and help fuel future growth in the plastics industry. That is the point of emphasis in comments SPI submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the agency’s 
Marine debris bill introduced in California. . . California lawmakers are working on a new initiative to reduce marine debris and educate the public about recycling practices. Spilled resin pellets make their way into local waters and eventually end up in our oceans, where they create both a litter problem and a threat to sea life. Introduced by Assembly Member Paul Koretz on February 1, 2006, the new California bill (AB 1940) would require the California Coastal Commission to convene a multi-agency task force of representatives from the Department of Conservation, the State Water Resources Control Board and other state agencies to “make various legislative findings regarding marine debris.” SPI is still considering whether it will support this bill. However, SPI does support a federal marine debris bill (S. 362), the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act, which would establish a program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Coast Guard. That bill has been passed in the Senate and awaits a vote in the House. SPI has long been an active participant in efforts to solve marine debris, and in 1986 initiated 
New Jersey recycled content bill bogs down. . . New Jersey Senate Bill 556, which called for a mandated recycled content in rigid plastic containers failed to move out of the Senate Environment Committee on January 30th. The legislation would have required every rigid plastic container manufactured, sold, or offered for sale in New Jersey to be composed of at least 25 percent recycled content by January 1, 2007, with the percentage increasing to 35 percent by January 1, 2017. Plastic beverage containers and personal care products were also to be required to contain recycled content at a lesser degree. The industry coalition testified in opposition to the measure and continues to educate lawmakers as to lack of supply and technological barriers that would make compliance with this legislation virtually impossible.
Enjoy your exhibit space benefits – don’t let your SPI membership lapse. . . SPI member companies that are also exhibiting at 
