For SPI Members Only — March 24, 2006

In This Edition
NPE 2006 Update | Fantastic Plastics Works® | Regulatory | Membership Benefits | Safety | SPI News | Calendar of Events

SmartBooth™ finds prospects for NPE 2006 exhibitors. . . With more than 75,000 attendees, NPE 2006 (June 19–23 at McCormick Place in Chicago) poses a challenge for exhibitors trying to find and connect with actual prospects. Particularly when research indicates that the average exhibitor misses 70 percent of its most qualified leads. But now NPE provides a tool – SmartBooth™ – that conquers this challenge and drastically improves exhibitor performance. A web-based marketing tool for NPE exhibitors, SmartBooth™ can automatically find registered attendees who are interested in a particular exhibitor’s products and services. Prior to the show, SmartBooth™ can identify qualified prospects for the exhibitor, place that exhibitor on the prospect’s Event Plan and Event Map, and send the prospect a custom message or invitation from the exhibitor. After the show, SmartBooth™ can generate an ROI Performance Report that assists exhibitors with evaluating success at NPE. It all works because SmartBooth™ is linked with myNPE™ – the tool that helps registered attendees manage their time, navigate the show, and find the exhibitors that meet their interests. Because SmartBooth™ scans the data entered by attendees using myNPE™, exhibitors can view “real time” attendee activities towards their company, view detailed information about ideal prospects, measure the level of awareness that prospects have of their company, communicate with attendees and more.

Getting started: NPE 2006 exhibitors will receive their login information via email, and will be all set after spending just a few minutes with a convenient Setup Wizard. Much of what SmartBooth™ has to offer is free. However, for a fee, exhibitors can upgrade to an ROI Package that adds additional outreach features.

For more information, contact Evan Shubrin at (301) 983-1200 or smartbooth@npe.org.

Expanded education program features 120 presentations and seminars. . . From CEO to technician, from plastics processor to designer – all NPE 2006 attendees will discover an educational program that adds value to their exposition experience. The educational agenda includes 120 conference presentations and seminars – up from 41 presentations at NPE 2003. All but one of the events will be held concurrently with the show, at meeting sites adjacent to the exhibit floor. At least 72 of the presentations will be free of charge to all registered show attendees. There will be extensive programs on moldmaking and elastomer processing, seminars on emerging technologies like nanocomposites and bioplastics, a conference in Spanish for visitors from Latin America and a "student summit" with events for high school and college-age visitors. Organizing the program was the responsibility of the NPE 2006 Education Committee, chaired by Todd Bennett, president and general manager of United Southern Industries, Inc.

Visit the NPE web site for details on all of the educational events.

SPI member companies receive exhibit space benefits – don’t let your membership status lapse. . .  SPI member companies that are also exhibiting at NPE 2006 must be sure their membership remains in good-standing throughout the show in order to receive a 50 percent discount on exhibit space fees and a higher position in the space drawing than non-members. These are key benefits of an SPI membership. Members who allow their SPI membership to lapse will lose the 50 percent discount, be required to pay the non-member rate, and may, at the discretion of show management, have their booth space reassigned. NPE 2006, set for June 19–23, 2006 in Chicago, IL, promises to be the best show ever.

If you have questions about this policy or your membership renewal, contact Wilda Von Stein, phone: (202) 974-5241.

SPI launches campaign to build on “Fantastic Plastics Works®” success. . . Launched in 2004, SPI’s Fantastic Plastics Works exhibit at INNOVENTIONS® in Epcot ® at the Walt Disney World ® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL has a goal to improve the public’s understanding of the plastics industry and encourage careers in plastics. The exhibit showcases the full scope of the industry – from chemistry to design to manufacturing – and has been visited by nearly half a million people since it opened. That’s an average of more than 20,000 guests each month. Plus, visitors stay an average of 30 minutes in the exhibit per visit. Surveys indicate that 81 percent of the guests report a favorable impression of our industry. By comparison, industry favorability numbers tracked by the American Plastics Council since 1991 average in the 63–65 percent range. When asked how the exhibit influenced their impressions of the plastics industry, 62 percent of the exhibit visitors developed a more positive impression.

For more information on how your company can support the exhibit and details on sponsor benefits, contact SPI Vice President, Communications & Marketing, Tracy Cullen at (202) 974-5282.

SPI testimony key to securing regulatory relief for Illinois injection molders. . . On March 2 the Illinois Pollution Control Board adopted a proposed rule that adds a new permit exemption for owners and operators of plastic injection molding (PIM) operations. Expert testimony before the Board was provided by Lynne Harris, SPI’s Vice President, Science and Technology. SPI and the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois (CICI) teamed up to secure the exemption, which was published in the Illinois Register on March 17, 2006. This specific exemption applies to “Plastic injection molding equipment with an annual through-put not exceeding 5,000 tons of plastic resin in the aggregate from all plastic injection molding equipment at the source.” This includes associated resin transport, storage and preparation, as well as mold release and cleaning agents. The adopted rule includes PIM operations among the categories of emissions units exempt from state air permitting requirements in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 201.146. In addition to reducing permitting costs, the exemption also relieves owners and operators of the risk of enforcement actions based upon differences in interpretation of the previous requirements.

For more information, contact Marie Martinko at (202) 974-5330 or mmartink@socplas.org.

SPI explores feasibility of group health insurance benefits. . .  Responding to the single most requested benefit, SPI is exploring the possibility of offering group health insurance for member companies. By putting together a large pool of many member companies and their employees, SPI could be able to help companies enhance employee benefit packages and lower overhead costs by garnering more cost-efficient group rates and multiple plan designs.

We need your input to assess the feasibility of implementing this type of program, including basic demographic data from your company. If your company is interested, please have your Human Resources Department complete our survey form and email it by April 7, 2006, to SPI’s Director of Human Resources Anne Clark at hr@socplas.org.

Please note: The survey does not request any personal information such as employee names or social security numbers. All data requested is generic and anonymity is protected.

If you have any questions about the concept or the data being requested on the survey form, please contact SPI’s Anne Clark at (202) 974-5289.

Call for Entries for SPI Safety Statistics and Awards Program. . . SPI’s Occupational Health and Environmental Issues Committee is now 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 those SPI members who participate in the program. The data is also sorted by types of plants, to allow for comparison within a given sector of the industry and with the industry as a whole. Companies with excellent safety records are recognized in four awards categories: Distinguished Safety Award, Achievement Safety Award, Merit Safety Award and Special Recognition Award.

For more information see the program link above or contact Susan Howe at (202) 974-5223 or showe@socplas.org.

Showcase your company at SPI headquarters. . .  SPI wants to showcase your company ads and photo images in the hallways of our headquarter offices. SPI’s “Walls of Fame” will showcase member companies from all segments of the industry, where they are and what they do. The selected artwork pieces will be framed (approx. 22" x 28") and displayed for all visitors – members and nonmembers – to see. Some examples of the different items appropriate for submission include company or product advertisements that you’ve published in trade journals, grouped staff photos, photos of employees on your plant floor, or images of your building – just to name a few. The artwork should be submitted on CD in high-resolution tiff (at least 300 dpi) or as an Illustrator EPS file no later than April 11.

For more information, contact SPI’s Patrice Lee at plee@socplas.org or (202) 974-5331.

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. Follow the link above to view the complete calendar of events or see below for highlights of upcoming meetings.

SPI Midwest Region to present “Building Value Strategies” in Chicago. . . The SPI Midwest Region will hold a one-day business and technology (BAT) mini-conference on April 27, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Sponsored by Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP, Plante & Moran PLLC and P&M Corporate Finance LLC, the event will feature a keynote address by SPI President Bill Carteaux. Featured themes for the conference are “Retaining Value,” “Adding Value” and “Distinguishing Value.” Session topics will include industry performance in turbulent times, intellectual property and practices, information systems, unique and innovative technology, strategic and transactional considerations, and valuation and positioning considerations. The conference will close with a networking reception and presentation of the SPI Midwest Region’s Founders Award, to recognize exceptional individual service to the SPI Midwest Region.

Registration is $190.00 per person and can be made by linking to the Midwest Regional Office page of the SPI web site.

Machinery, Molders and Moldmakers Joint Spring Conference to Convene in Naples, Florida. . .  Conference registration is in full swing for this joint annual business conference being held May 7–10 in Naples, FL. To register, please visit the Machinery Division Web site. Bill Wood, Senior Economist at Mountaintop Economics & Research, will provide insight into the current economic outlook for the plastics industry. Howard Rappaport, Global Practice Leader, Thermoplastics at CMAI, Inc., will offer his analysis of resin pricing and its effect on the plastics industry. Take advantage of the early registration discount by registering today!

For more information, contact Jennifer Jones at (202) 974-5231 or jjones@socplas.org.

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