Performance Plastics Podcast

From landing the job to climbing the company ladder,  the journey to a successful plastics career may not be what you expect. Join us for this month's Performance Plastics podcast while we chat with Calvin Petersen, general manager at Nylatech, Inc., for inside insights into a nearly 30-year career in Performance Plastics. 

People want to be a part of a bigger purpose. What is that for your company? Join us on this month of the Performance Plastics podcast while we chat with Chad Gono, CEO of Regal Plastics, to gain insights on how to leverage your company's core values to drive top talent attraction and retention. 

In the latest episode of the Performance Plastics Podcast, we are joined by Applications and Standards Engineer, Alex Peters from Arkema. Peters shares her "one-in-a-career" experience at the 2022 Fall IAPD Introduction to Plastics Live Training, being a member of the IAPD GenerationNext Advisory Board and being a young professional in the performance plastics industry. 

Self-advocacy in the workplace is crucial when having conversations about taking on more responsibilities at work or leveling up for a promotion. Discover how to advocate for yourself in the workplace and gain insights and advice from two women well-versed in the performance plastics industry. Both Sherry Steele and Laura Betz have worked several different positions in the performance plastics industry and have stories and advice to share about their career paths. Previously featured on the IAPD GenerationNext Career Path Forum, Steele and Betz bring an honest and supportive perspective to help those learning to advocate for themselves in the workplace to take the next steps in their plastics career paths. 

Want to learn about the industry from the perspective of a successful manufacturer's representative? Listen now to hear about the successful career of Chris Corona, CartierWilson LLC. You'll hear stories of just getting started in the industry, and how IAPD can be a great influence on your networking value.  Corona is one of five new members to the post following the 2022 IAPD Annual Convention in Tampa, FL, USA this past September. Corona is the principal at CartierWilson, LLC and the board liaison to the IAPD Education Committee. Corona is a highly experienced sales representative with skills in market research, account management and marketing. Today’s chat will give you some insight into his career and his journey to his new leadership position as a new member of the board of directors here at IAPD. Without further ado, enjoy some career insight from Chris Corona. 

In this episode we hear from General Manager at Polymershapes, Sher'ron Underwood and Recruitment Specialist at Polymershapes, Ellen Whitecavage.  This episode is a conversation between one early and one seasoned professional in the performance plastics industry. This episode dives into the questions we often ask our mentors: How did you find yourself in the performance plastics industry? How do I differentiate myself from the others and elevate my career? Join in on the conversation on our social media channels: LinkedInTwitterTikTok

English title: Research, Production and Career DevelopmentEnglish Description: Join us for the first all-Spanish Performance Plastics Podcast episode where we hear about career development and how IAPD University resources can elevate your knowledge. Efrén Carrillo Lara works in production and focuses on research and development polyamide for Tipsa Plastics. Jesus Montemayor is a general sales manager for Tipsa Plastics and focuses on sales, administration and team building.Español description: Únase a nosotros para el primer episodio de podcast de plásticos de rendimiento en español donde escuchamos sobre el desarrollo profesional y cómo los recursos de IAPD University pueden elevar su conocimiento. Efrén Carrillo Lara trabaja en producción y se enfoca en investigación y desarrollo de poliamida para Tipsa Plastics. Jesús Montemayor es gerente general de ventas de Tipsa Plastics y se enfoca en ventas, administración y formación de equipos.

Listen to the latest episode of the Performance Plastics Podcast: Introducing IAPD's Vice President, Peter DelGado to hear from a performance plastics industry leader about his career in performance plastics, insight from his 30 years in the industry and just a little bit of rock 'n roll. Starting in inside sales with Curbell Plastics Inc. more than 30 years ago, DelGado is a nationally recognized leader in the performance plastics industry in his role as the senior director of sales and customer service. He has devoted his entire career to helping commercial and industrial buyers of high-performance plastic materials solve complex application challenges, increase design and production efficiencies and build strong relationships with Curbell Plastics Inc. as their plastics distributor.In 2018, IAPD awarded him the Pacesetter Award to recognize DelGado's extraordinary impact on the IAPD membership experience. DelGado is the Chair of the IAPD Membership Committee and has played key roles in various committees and task forces. 

Whether your company is just starting out on your sustainability journey, or you’re a seasoned pro looking to do more, there’s always room for improvement. This webinar (turned bonus podcast episode) looks at sustainability as your own unique ongoing journey. This journey usually starts out by a company putting in measures to “go green” and grows from there.In this episode, you will learn how to:• Start the journey: picking the low-hanging fruit• Step up: reducing waste and unnecessary consumption• Reach new heights: improving your brand and your relationships• Looking at the road ahead: Add value to your organization along this journey

Expert Guests:Pete Daumeyer, Territory Manager at CartierWilson LLC and IAPD Education Committee ChairJesse Rivera, Quality Manager at Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc. and  IAPD Education Committee MemberIn this episode, IAPD Educational Committee members, Pete Daumeyer and Jesse Rivera, sit down to ask each other questions using the six-question method to help get you started on choosing the best plastic for your customers. They also provide insights they've acquired from their experience in the performance plastics industry. If you'd like to follow along with the six-question method, you can find it on pages 41-42 of the Introduction to Performance Plastics training manual. 

Expert Guest: Drew Schwartz, President and Co-Owner of Colorado Plastic ProductsDrew Schwartz, along with his wife, is the owner of Colorado Plastic Products in Louisville, CO. He is also a member of the Executive Committee on the IAPD Board of Directors and the IAPD Environmental Committee.In this episode, Drew shares his journey on how he made his way into a career in the performance plastics industry, the insights he has gained along the way and the importance of being involved with IAPD. Drew also shares his thoughts on the sustainability of performance plastics and the vital role they play in our world today.Drew's Book Recommendations:Plastic a toxic love story, by Susan FreinkelMaterial Value: More More Sustainable, Less Wasteful Manufacturing of Everything from Cell Phones to Cleaning Products, by Julia L F GoldsteinPlastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century,  by Stephen FenichellStuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World, by Mark MiodownikRead Drew's Review of Material Value in Performance Plastics magazine

Expert Guest: Jake Fallon, Ph.D., 3D Printing Materials Engineer at BraskemWhat machines are used to create 3D printed materials? Find out in the final part of our 3D printing podcast series featuring Jake Fallon, Ph.D., a 3D printing materials engineer at Braskem. In parts one and two, we discussed the role 3D printing is playing in the evolution of the plastics industry and the different materials used. In this episode, we'll take a deeper dive into the technology used in 3D printing.Links:Next-generation Engineering Design Software: https://ntopology.com/SpareParts 3D: https://spare-parts-3d.com/Shapeways: https://www.shapeways.com/

Expert Guest: Jason Vagnozzi, Commercial Director of 3D Printing at BraskemWhat kind of materials are used in 3D printing? Find out in this episode, the second in our series on 3D printing featuring Jason Vagnozzi, the commercial director of 3D printing at Braskem. In part one, Vagnozzi discussed the role 3D printing is playing in the evolution of the plastics industry. In this episode, he'll take a deeper dive into the materials used in 3D printing.

Expert Guest: Jason Vagnozzi, Commercial Director of 3D Printing at BraskemThis is the first of three in our series on 3D printing with Braskem. Our expert guest in this episode is Jason Vagnozzi, commercial director of 3D Printing at Braskem. Vagnozzi is going to share with us how 3D printing's role is evolving in the plastics industry.

Expert Guest: Graeme Fraser, President and CEO of Redwood Plastics and RubberWith over 50 years in performance plastics, Graeme Fraser shares some of his insights on how the industry has changed throughout the years, his favorite applications and how being involved with IAPD has benefited his business.

Expert Guests: Kevin Duffy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at VycomDavid Foell, President of Return Polymers Inc.Performance Plastics are often misunderstood by the general population. Especially when it comes to the environmental benefits offered. This episode will take a closer look at why ESG issues (environmental, social and governance) are so important in our industry, especially relating to sustainability. Our guests for this episode are Kevin Duffy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Vycom, who will be sharing insights on the market and customers' perspective, and David Foell, President of Return Polymers Inc., who will speak to the recycling operation side. They will be tag-teaming our discussion on PVC and Acrylic Recycling. Learn more about The AZEK Company's Vycom and Return Polymers Inc.

Expert Guest: Melissa Grace, Vice President of AGRULINE & Textiles at AGRU America, Inc.Why were nearly 13 million Texans without electricity or clean water during the winter storm events that occurred in early 2021? Central to this issue is the state's infrastructure and the damage that occurred to water and gas piping systems under the extreme weather.In this episode, we will examine how these types of disasters may be avoided through the use of polyethylene piping systems.It's time to get some deeper insights with our expert guest, Melissa Grace, Vice President of AGRULINE & Textiles at AGRU America, Inc. Read Melissa Grace's article on this subject in IAPD's Performance Plastics magazineFind out more about AGRU America, Inc.