The Society of Plastics
Engineers (SPE) has been in the forefront
of plastics innovation since it was founded
in 1942, advancing and disseminating knowledge
throughout the plastics community. SPE’s
New Technology Committee (NTC)—established
in 1984—comprises a group of people
passionate about the new technologies that
are being introduced and developed every
day in the area of plastics. NTC has become
recognized as SPE’s prime mover for
introducing two—sometimes three—New
Technology Forum sessions at SPE’s
Annual Technical Conferences (ANTEC); for
forming Special Interest Groups (SIGs);
and for fostering organizational leadership:
SPE Past President Len Czuba is a member
of the committee, and current SPE President
Vicki Flaris has long been an active member.
At ANTEC 2007 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA,
we also recognized two NTC “Greats”—George
Schmitt (another Past SPE President) and
Vijay Stokes—for their outstanding,
continuing contributions to making the New
Technology Committee what it is today.
Building on our past successes, we look
forward to helping the NTC and SPE reach
even higher levels of achievement. We
are brainstorming opportunities to make
Plastics Engineering a magazine that further
enriches the experience of the professionals
of the plastics community; we are considering
an annual or biannual New Technology Symposium
that will focus on the three major “thrust”
areas (Nano, Bio, Energy) that SPE has
identified; we are seeking to make the
NTC website a more content-rich, interactive
website for plastics professionals; and
we are examining ways to promote and extend
ourselves internationally.
As with all new technologies, we understand
that some may never see the light of day.
However, the beauty of what we do is not
in the result, but rather, in the process
of trying to deliver the best result.
The New Technology Committee relishes
the process of improvement, and it is
rewarded handsomely when our SPE members
express their opinions toward that result.
Our promise is that the New Technology
Committee will continuously try to improve,
in order to deliver the latest and greatest
in the field of plastics technology to
our SPE members.
We look forward to your support, your
comments, and your ideas to further improve
upon our mission and our passion.
—Gene Kim
