Letter from the Chair
It is hard to believe we are moving into 2020. For SPE, 2019 went very well. We had a successful SPE Decorating & Assembly Topical Conference (TopCon), partnering once again with the In-Mold Decorating Association’s IMDA Symposium. There was a great combination of papers on the latest technologies in plastics decorating, assembly and in-mold decorating along with several workshops where people could work in small groups on specific subjects affecting the industry. In addition to the TopCon, our division sponsored a half-day session at the ANTEC® that took place in Detroit, Michigan, in the early spring. We had seven total presentations that were mostly centered around decorating and assembly technologies for automotive applications. We had a full audience for most of the presentations.
For 2020, we already have a lot of planned activities for the division. First, we are excited to partner with IMDA again in 2020 for the SPE Decorating & Assembly Division TopCon and IMDA Symposium. It will take place at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, in Ypsilanti, Michigan – just outside Detroit. This two-day event will be full of great programming, with a combination of presentations and workshops for both groups. It also will include a Supplier Trade Fair and exhibits from industry-leading suppliers. Planning is underway for papers. If you are interested in presenting, please email me at jeff@petersonpublications.com.
Our division also is planning on at least a half-day of sessions at the 2020 ANTEC® that will run March 30-April 2, 2020, in San Antonio, Texas. We will continue to keep our SPE Decorating & Assembly Division members and Plastics Decorating readers apprised of the presentations that will take place at ANTEC®.
Another area we plan to develop in the coming year is a series of webinars to continue to educate the plastics industry on new technologies in plastics decorating and assembly. Our board is working with Plastics Decorating to put this together. We will keep you informed about upcoming dates and subjects for the webinars.
I encourage SPE members and our readers to join us at our TopCon and ANTEC® in 2020. I hope we will see you at either or both. I have said many times that there is so much attendees can get out of the networking and personal contact at events like these. I hope you will look at including it in your budget for 2020. It should be a great year for all of us.
Jeff Peterson
President, Peterson Publications, Inc.
Chair, SPE Decorating & Assembly Division
Webinar Deemed Great Success
On Oct. 11, the SPE Decorating & Assembly Division, along with Plastics Decorating magazine, sponsored the first of a series of webinars scheduled for the upcoming year and beyond. The webinar was presented by Jennifer Heathcote, Eminence UV, and was titled “An Introduction to UV LED Curing for Plastics.”
Heathcote took the webinar audience through the definition of UV LED and how it compares to more conventional UV curing processes. She also discussed the best applications for UV LED curing for molded plastics parts. The next sponsored webinar will be scheduled for early 2020. Look for more information on the webinars on the Plastics Decorating website at www.plasticsdecorating.com.
SPE Decorating & Assembly TopCon and IMDA Symposium Set for 2020
Don’t miss the 2020 SPE Decorating & Assembly Division Topical Conference (TopCon) and IMDA Symposium slated for June 16-18, at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, Ypsilanti, Michigan. This two-day event will feature papers on the latest in plastics decorating innovations. It also will include interactive workshops on several subjects where attendees can ask and answer questions in a smaller, more intimate setting. Those involved with decorating, assembly, and/or in-mold decorating processes will not want to miss this event. It represents the best opportunity to learn about the latest technological advances.
