Plastics Decorating
Letter from the Chair
The Decorating and Coatings Division, in conjunction with the IMDA association, has just completed the live 2021 topical conference (TopCon) at the Westin Edina in Minneapolis. This is the first live conference we have been able to conduct since the outbreak of COVID-19, and we’re delighted with the results. Attendees and presenters alike had extremely positive feedback about the information shared and the insights gained from the presentations, as well as with the number of tabletop displays. The entire purpose of the division is to educate our members with information that will not only improve their current business, but also give them an advantage through awareness and knowledge. We certainly feel the 2021 conference did just that!
This year’s conference focused on traditional markets such as automotive; however, a new emphasis was placed on the medical market since it has had such an important role to play over the past 18 months. Future conferences will include information that touches multiple marketplaces, as most of the information will have crossover benefits. As many of you know, the division recently has modified its focus from Decorating and Assembly to Decorating and Coatings. Coatings have a very symbiotic relationship with the plastics industry, and the topics covered in the conference were well received. We certainly look forward to expanding the coatings knowledge base in the future.
As we enter the autumn season, the Decorating and Coatings Division of SPE will continue to keep our members updated with the latest technologies and trends affecting the marketplace. We look forward to another successful year, and for the opportunity to present live to our members at the upcoming ANTEC conference in June, as well as the next TopCon 2022 show!
Respectfully yours,
Chris DeMell
Chair, SPE Decorating
and Coatings Division
SPE Hosting ANTEC® 2022
SPE is hosting ANTEC® 2022 in person and co-located with PLASTEC® South, an Informa event, in Charlotte, North Carolina, June 14-15, 2022. PLASTEC® South is a comprehensive annual plastic design and manufacturing event for plastics professionals, suppliers and buyers to discover innovation, engineer new technology and to expand their networks. ANTEC® 2022 also will include an online component.
“Our attendees are thrilled that we’re returning to in-person ANTEC® in 2022,” said Patrick Farrey, SPE’s CEO. “And by co-locating with PLASTEC® South, we will have even more ways for SPE members and plastics professionals to all finally see each other again face-to-face.”
The presentations at the in-person event will be selected/invited based on the applicability of their topic across a wide cross-section of the plastics value chain. Presentation/speaker selection, which will occur through a paper submission/review process and/or through invitation, will be considered based on the quality, relevance and newness of any research done in the field as well as the speaker’s position in the plastics industry. Technical papers that are not selected for in-person ANTEC® will be recorded and delivered virtually over a schedule that will be announced later.
The paper submission deadline is November 15, 2021. To see the full details on ANTEC® 2022 and submitting a technical paper, visit www.4spe.org.
