Plastics Decorating
Letter from the Chair
In our last update, we announced that the Division was amending its focus from Decorating and Assembly to Decorating and Coatings. This migration has been taking place for the past several years and has shown to be a very symbiotic relationship for our members! We are pleased to announce that the SPE now has formally approved this transition, and we will be moving forward with the new Division name and focus into the future.
As the world transitions out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly are realizing that as one set of issues passes, an entirely new set of challenges have emerged. Companies are dealing with labor shortages, cost increases in raw materials and an increase in demand for products and services that is putting a strain on all businesses. Decorating and coatings certainly are no exception to this! It is in times like these that the mission of the Division to educate and provide information on the most cutting-edge technologies and trends becomes more important than ever. One of the best ways to communicate this information is through the TopCon conference, which will be taking place this September in Minneapolis.
This year’s TopCon conference will feature many new topics, including sections on specialty coatings. Also, we will have a strong focus on the medical market and the special considerations that this demanding market requires from a decorating and coatings perspective. This venue will allow attendees to network and hear from industry leaders in what is shaping up to be one of the strongest conferences yet! For details, please see the link on the Plastics Decorating website or page eight in this magazine for details on registration, topics and travel details.
The Board is excited for the opportunities that the changes we face bring to our membership. We continue to expand our reach for new information and outlets to add value and address the new business environment that we all face!
Respectfully yours,
Chris DeMell
Chair, SPE Decorating
and Coatings Division
Webinar Program from SPE Decorating & Coatings Division and Plastics Decorating
The SPE Decorating & Coatings Division in partnership with Plastics Decorating now is offering a webinar program for qualified suppliers to the industry. This is a great way to reach prospects and provides an excellent way to create leads for future sales. The webinar program allows companies to participate at a very reasonable cost. Companies simply need to provide a PowerPoint presentation and the speaker. The webinar will be promoted through dedicated email blasts and through the Plastics Decorating Enews. The dedicated email blasts also will include a sponsor banner for additional exposure, and webinar sponsors receive the list of attendee participants for future follow-up. A discounted price is available for current SPE Decorating & Coatings Division members. For more details, contact Gayla Peterson at gayla@petersonpublications.com.
Previous webinars are available at www.plasticsdecorating.com/webinars/ for playback at the convenience of the viewer. These include past webinars such as “Smart Lasers in the World of Plastics” from Dr. Faycal Benayad-Cherif, FOBA Laser Marking + Engraving (Alltec GmbH) and “Understanding the Science Behind Surface Pretreatment for Adhesion to Plastics – Adhesives, Coatings & Inks” from Scott Sabreen, The Sabreen Group, Inc.
Division Name Change Has Been Made Official
The SPE Decorating & Assembly Division officially has changed its name to the SPE Decorating & Coatings Division. The Division board determined that a continued focus on decorating processes and additional focus on coatings/paints were overall better fits for the division. Individuals who have been a member of the Division with a focus on assembly/joining will have the opportunity to become more involved in the Joining of Composites and Plastics Technical Chapter or can choose others as well. “We believe that this will help our Division focus specifically on the printing and decorating of plastics,” stated Division Chair Chris DeMell, ITW IDS. If you are interested in becoming a member of the SPE Decorating & Coatings Division Technical Chapter, contact SPE at www.4spe.org.
