AIN Plastics Here Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
In the search for Engineering Plastics there are numerous online places and several good size distributors. AIN Plastics is one of those distributors and they have recently been growing and adding locations around the United States. Here we take a brief look at AIN Plastics yesterday, today and tomorrow, and we see good things ahead!
Initially AIN Plastics began as a One Stop Shop Plastics distributor based in Mt. Vernon New York. AIN serviced the local area and provided a large print catalog as well as a special school catalog helping to make machinable plastics a part of shop classes.
Back in the Day
The original AIN Plastics was a partnership between three gentleman, hence the name AIN. The remaining member of the original partners, Alex Gabay still resides in New York. Since his days with AIN Plastics he has enjoyed a quiet country life outside the city, but in a chat with him at a New York event last year, Alex talked about how he still loves to be able to visit New York City. He talked about how New York is a place that just gets into your blood. The “I” goes to a gentleman by the name of Irving. Unfortunately Irving passed away before things got underway, but the remaining partners kept the AIN name. Last but not least, Norman Drucker, the “N” in AIN continued on with Alex and was the hands on guy “in the pit”. In an early blog post about Mr. Drucker, it was noted by long time associate John Colleluori Norman “was right in there making it happen.” See more in our earlier post.
Alex Gabay with John Colleluori, AIN Plastics Yonkers Branch Manager
Norman Drucker, making it happen!
The Bullpen at AIN Plastics Mt. Vernon, NY
Since AIN Plastics became a part of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA in 1996 the company has seen an expansion into the western US. AIN Plastics President John Shepherd has seen the company through several new branch openings including the most recent locations, St. Louis, Missouri and Dallas Texas. In keeping with AIN Plastics focus on customer service each branch is staffed with branch managers, inside and outside sales staff that have a background in the plastics industry. Each branch is also able to offer custom cut to size on orders and customized inventory solutions. Additionally AIN is able to assist our customer with fabrication and other services.
In this day and age of online shopping where selecting a material is left to the customer to seek it out by way of google searches and shopping cart searches, AIN Plastics experienced staff is able to assist customers with the sometimes time consuming and tedious task of figuring out not only what is the best material, but what is the most cost effective material for a job. A little like Santa in “Miracle on Thirty Fourth Street” AIN sales people look to be partners in a customer’s business and that may mean selling a material that is not the necessarily the most expensive, but rather the one that fits the application at hand. As Engineering Plastics and High Performance Materials are more often used to replace metal parts and as machinable plastics become a part of today’s increasingly high tech world many factors in material selection are involved. For a more in depth look at this issue see our blog post on Engineering Plastics and the Plastics Pyramid.
Where can you find AIN Plastics Today?
AIN currently has 14 offices and 13 stocking locations in the US. Additionally we stock materials at ThyssenKrupp facilities in California for our West Coast customers. Thanks to ThyssenKrupp Logistics AIN is able to ship anywhere in the US even if no branch is present. For sales support AIN also has a Business Development Team that works across the US in specific markets assisting customers with material selection for specific applications.
AIN Plastics Locations
| Florida 8143 Eagle Palm Drive Riverview, FL 33578 |
Georgia 1980 Shiloh Road Building 7 Suite 150 Kennesaw, GA 30144 |
Illinois 300 County Line Road Bensenville, IL 60106 |
| Indiana 8129 Zionsville Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46268 |
Massachusetts 110 Shawmut Road Canton, MA 02021 |
Michigan 1750 E Heights Drive Madison Heights, MI 48071 |
| Missouri 13732 Rider Trail North Earth City, MO 63045 |
New York 60 Fullerton Avenue Yonkers, NY 10704 |
Ohio 1360 Boltonfield Street Columbus, OH 43228 |
| Pennsylvania 499 Running Pump Road Suite 16 Lancaster, PA 17601 |
Texas 3001 Alouette Drive Suite 100 Grand Prairie, TX 75052 |
Virgina 1347 Diamond Springs Road Suite 100 Virginia Beach, VA 23455 |
What Is AIN Plastics Tomorrow Looking Like?
AIN Plastics focus remains the same as it has in years past. There is still one number to call and that number automatically puts you in contact with the branch nearest you. 877.246.7700. We look to being our customer’s partner for the long term. That means continuing to offer you, our customer, more services. For those times you just need to place that quick order an online shopping solution is on its way! We are also continuing our educational efforts through our blog, social media and email blast from Constant Contact. We want our customers to be the most informed and educated users of Engineering Plastics and High Performance Materials out there because we know that means success with the materials you use, efficiency, and cost savings. All of those things combine to help all of us to keep our businesses growing and thriving from New York to, Florida, to St. Louis, and Dallas.
See you in the blogosphere again soon!
Lisa Anderson
Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division
About Lisa Anderson
Ms. Anderson has been ThyssenKrupp Materials AIN Plastics Division for over 2 years. She brings 20+ years of advertising, award winning graphic design, social media and marketing. She has worked in book publishing, advertising agencies, printing, manufacturing, and the apartment industry. Ms. Anderson has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI.
To learn more about AIN Plastics visit us at tkmna.com
Keep up with AIN Plastics on your favorite social media
For more information on ThyssenKrupp Materials see a recent article on their history and growth
Cultivating a Culture of Safety at AIN Plastics
Safety has always been important within AIN Plastics. As the leader for AIN Plastics safety initiatives I can name any number of clichés and catch phrases, but simply stated, our goal is that – “Every employee should go home in the same condition they arrived.” Additionally, I hope when AIN employees go home at the end of their day they can say they learned something new as well, whether it is understanding a new product application, how to operate a machine safely and efficiently, or how to administer CPR to a co-worker in distress. Keeping all employees involved and engaged in safety can sometimes be challenging but it is also a highly rewarding experience. Safety not only protects employees, but employees who are happy and feel safe at their jobs are more productive.
Creating a Culture of Safety for AIN Plastics Employees and Guests
AIN has had a site self-auditing process in place, and this year the Executive Management Team at AIN will be added as a new level to our safety auditing process. This will keep Management involved in Safety, and also provides the individual facility being audited another perspective on safety. Having management’s support and involvement in growing a “Zero Injury Culture” at AIN Plastics is important to our employees and sets an example that is visible to customers, suppliers, and guests.
Updated Visitor Safety Protocol
We initiated a visitor safety orientation that must be reviewed by all visitors of an AIN Plastics facility. Our goal is to emphasize the importance of safety not only to our employees, but to all of our visitors and guests. We have added color coded areas of the plant so employees and visitors know if special training or PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) is required to be in that area, and to help ensure that visitors stay within areas that are safest. Guests to AIN Plastics facilities can easily be seen because they wear a different color than regular employees helping everyone to know at a glance when we have visitors and to help us keep our visitors as safe as possible at all times.
In January I visited three ThyssenKrupp sites in California as part of ThyssenKrupp’s “Safety Advisory Council Meetings.” We audited the sites, reviewed opportunities for improvement and shared best practices as part of our quarterly meetings. In May we will tour six facilities in the Detroit/Toledo area with special guests from ThyssenKrupp AG (Germany): Dr. Neilinger (Head of Occupational Safety and Health) and Dr. Daume (Head of 6S) will be benchmarking and evaluating how we can share best safety practices. It is always exciting to have visitors from Germany to show off our North American sites and discuss the safety of our employees. I look forward to the meetings and the opportunity for dedicated Safety Time with our teams, and seeing what new things I can learn!
Theresa Gestewitz
Operations Director
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division
About Theresa Gestewitz –
Ms. Gestewitz began her career with ThyssenKrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division 20 years ago. Her first role was Buyer at AIN Plastics Lancaster, PA facility. She has also held additional positions as Office Manager, Corporate Buyer, and Plant Manager. She assumed her Safety Leadership role in 2010.
What Is a “Tough Plastic”?
I need a “Tough Plastic”, what do you recommend?
In our post “How Sales Reps Help You Find the Right Plastic Material” we explored the need for probing questions when assisting a customer with a material request because there are as many different varieties and formulations of plastics as there are applications for them. Some terms are standard to a market or industry; others may be subjective or open to interpretation. Two people most certainly may describe the same thing in two different ways.
One of the best ways to identify the material a user is really seeking is by asking questions, in particular regarding the application.
By inquiring as to the intended use of the item (the application) a competent sales person can direct the customer to a range of materials from which to choose. A statement that often comes up by a customer is: “I need a tough plastic”.
Defining Tough Plastic…
This can be a troublesome term depending on a person’s particular definition.
Is toughness how a material wears or the “Wear properties”? – one might consider a raw material as tough because of its ability to perform well in a high friction, high load bearing application, such as a bearing or roller. Often various strength values and data are used to demonstrate toughness of this kind.
Is toughness how hard a material seems to be? One might also think of toughness as being related to the hardness of a product. Hardness is really a tested value of the chemistry of the material based on a scale, and does not indicate its performance, but rather gives a scale of comparison of one plastic to another.
Is toughness how well a material stands up to impact? Its common to think that a hard material is more impact resistant and therefore tougher. Impact resistance is actually measured by a notched Izod Impact test and some materials such as silicone or urethane used in luggage and cases are designed to absorb impact so being impact resistant doesn’t necessarily mean hard.
One of my favorite examples that I learned early in my career was that of Polycarbonate (under such common trade/brand names as Lexan®, Makrolon®). This is the base material most often described in ‘bullet resistant glass.’ The impact resistance is great but I was surprised to find that the hardness value was lower than many other materials thus it’s actually softer. Sure, it didn’t break when hit with a hammer because, being softer it absorbed impact, but it could easily be cut with a tool or saw making it very popular.
Determining what a term such as toughness means in the most accurate way possible is one more way in which the questions that a plastics sales rep asks can make the difference in whether or not you get the material best suited to your particular application. As you can see, a term that may be crystal clear to one person may ultimately have a different meaning to someone else.
A particular set of properties might be more or less crucial to a given application, we do not engineer applications but rather give you the best tools and guidance to do so!
Lin Poulin
Telemarketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division
Citation
International Association of Plastic Distributors. IAPD, Introduction to Plastics, a Training Manual
Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products. Design and Fabrication Reference Guide
Ensinger. Ensinger essentials, Technical know-how for plastic applications
AIN-Plastics Blog Post – Why Purchase Plastics Through a Distributor
What is Fracking and How does it Work?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing, a process that maximizes the output of natural gas and oil wells to make them productive.
How does hydraulic fracturing work?
When a well is fractured, an operator pumps a mixture of water, sand and a small amount
of chemicals into an oil or gas formation deep underground and applies pressure. The pressure fractures rock layers, releasing oil or gas reserves. The sand holds the fractures open to continue allowing the oil or gas to flow into the well.
As gas or oil comes to the well head under pressure, it brings with it the fracturing water that was pumped, along with natural brines that are present in the deeper layers of the earth. That “flowback” water is separated from the gas and oil at the surface, contained in steel tanks, and sent to deep injection wells for disposal.
Is hydraulic fracturing new?
No. Gas and oil operators have been using hydraulic fracturing around the country since it’s invention by George Mitchell in the late 1940s. (See article link below)
One popular method for creating fractures is the use of frac ports and sliding sleeves. Open hole packers isolate different sections of the horizontal well. A sliding sleeve is placed between each packer pair and is opened by injecting a ball inside the borehole. Typically, a completion string is placed inside the well. The string includes frac ports and open hole packers spaced to specifications.
Frac balls, typically made from an Engineering Plastic, are critical components in cutting edge downhole tooling used in hydraulic fracturing operations. Typically when creating multiple fractures in a wellbore, a completion string is placed inside the borehole with frac ports and sliding sleeves spaced between each section. In order to actuate each sleeve a properly sized frac ball is pumped along with the fracturing fluid inside the well.
Each ball is smaller than the opening in each of the previous sleeves but larger than the hole in the sleeve it is intended to open. The ball shall seat within the sleeve, closing the hole and exerting pressure to slide open the sleeve, opening the frac ports. Once the ports are open the fracturing fluid is diverted to the open hole space outside of the completion assembly causing the surrounding formation to fracture.
At the completion of each fracturing stage, the next sized ball is injected into the well causing the next sleeve to open and so on until all of the sleeves are open and multiple fractures are created within the well. The main advantages of this process being the speed with which the well can be penetrated hence reducing cost.
Engineering Plastics used in Hydraulic Fracturing
- PEEK
- TORLON®
- G10-G11-FR4
- DuPont™ Vespel®
The Engineering Plastics listed above are commonly found in seals, bushings, thrust washers, back-up rings, and logging tools. Many have properties that provide longer wear and high temperature resistance than more traditional materials.
As in nearly all industries today, Engineered Plastics are becoming widely accepted as a solution to bearing and wear issues. The oil and gas industry is no exception. Engineered Plastics have been found to alleviate some headaches in the extreme conditions the oil and gas industry meets when drilling deeper to tap into new resources.
Kendall Montague
National Sales Manager Oil & Gas
Thyssenkrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division
Links to Related Items:
Animation of Baker Hughes completion and frac ball application. Frac Ball Application by Baker Hughes
Related Article: George Mitchell – The Inventor of Fracking
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA AIN Plastics Division is a sponsor of the Energy Rubber Group
Engineering Plastics use Grows in Food Processing Equipment
Engineering Plastics continue to replace metals as key components in food processing equipment. Plastics are often lighter and able to outlast traditional metal parts. A quick look through the variety of plastics available in today’s market shows an increasing number of engineering plastics that are compliant to FDA, USDA, 3A Dairy standards making them available in applications where they will come into direct contact with food. They are also being chosen for their
ability to create a quieter work environment.
With 2014 looking to be a great year for Food Processing equipment sales I wanted to share what we most find in food processing applications and why.
UHMW
UHMW continues to lead the way (by pounds sold in the United States) in the transformation from metal to plastic parts. For more information on materials sold in the U.S. see this article by the American Chemical Council. Compared to steel UHMW is just 1/7th the weight. In addition UHMW is corrosion resistant. UHMW is a great option for room temperature applications like guides, paddles, and cutting surfaces. Recent advances include the introduction of metal detectable versions that can be recognized by your detection systems in line.
Nylons
For bearing and wear applications, Nylon materials have been the workhorse for over 30 years. Like UHMW, Nylon is also light weight, and provides lubrication – free operation making it a great material for producing bearings or bushings. Gears and sprockets made of Nylon have been popular because they can reduce noise in work areas. They can also improve the efficiency of production lines conveying food and liquids in your plants by lasting longer than metals, which reduces downtime, and by allowing lines to run faster.
Acetals
For many components, Acetal is the best choice for metal replacement, and we find its popularity is growing quickly in the food processing industry. Acetal (Delrin Homopolymer or CoPolymer brands like Acetron GP and Celcon) are very easy to machine, and their very low moisture absorption rates make them a good choice for the often wet environment of food processing. Acetals are harder than Nylons and maintain dimensional stability where Nylons tend to be more flexible. In many applications Acetals can handle continuous use temperatures up to 210° F and they are typically compatible with most cleaning solutions, a huge plus in the food processing industry.
ERTALYTE®
A popular speciality material is Quadrant Engineering Plastics Ertalyte material. Ertalyte has unique properties that allow it to wear like Acetal in wet environments and like Nylon in dry or unlubricated environments. I like to think of it as giving you the best of both worlds! Ertalyte also is highly resistant to stains generated by things like tomato based sauces and green vegetables. Ertalyte also has high dimensional stability that meets the demands of the highly precise machining tolerances required in filling pistons and fluid manifolds.
In looking to the future of food processing the demands are heavy. Companies are working hard to keep consumer prices in line while still making a profit. Food processing companies are achieving these goals by improving efficiency and creating better work environments. Plastics are an increasingly big part of the solution because their use in parts can improve line speeds, decrease maintenance downtime, and even make for a quieter work environment.
As I look at the Engineering Plastics and High Performance Materials we have here at AIN Plastics I’m pleased to see how they are being used to improve the food processing industry and I’m excited to see the new applications our customers are working on as well as the new materials our suppliers are always working on. If you have an application you’ve been scratching your head over, give us a call. We know there are lots of options and we can help you take some of the guess work out of finding out if Engineering Plastics are right for your application.
Paul Hanson
Sales and Marketing Manager
DuPont Vespel®
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division
email: paul.hanson@thyssenkrupp.com
For more information on Engineering Plastics visit http://www.tkmna.com/tkmna/Products/Plastics/Engineering/index.html
The Nursery School Guide to Selecting a Distributor
Goldie Locks and the Three Distributors
There are many factors to consider when choosing a vendor or supplier that is right for you. Ultimately everyone pretty much agrees, you want to work with sources who consistently offer the best products and services and whose sales people are well-trained and experienced to assist you. The staff should have a helpful attitude toward you, the customer. Like any relationship not every affiliation will be a good match. Most importantly both the customer and distributor should be willing and eager to work together in order to grow both businesses. I thought I’d take an ‘old-school’ approach with a bit of humor to illustrate some basic points.
The Nursery School Guide to Selecting a Distributor That Fits Your Needs: Goldie Locks is in need of a supplier for materials and parts used in the production of her lumber and wood products (which explains the age old question of why she was wandering the woods!) Ms. Locks is reviewing her options and comparing three distributors.
First Goldie Locks called up each distributor to find out a little about them.
Too hot – The first burly company was huge, but it seemed most concerned with only offering higher-cost options to replace existing materials. Common or usual products are often not available from stock due to a shortage in the market and they have no solution for handling these hot items.
Too cold – Goldie Locks had problems getting assistance from the next distributor. This organization is showing no warmth to her concerns, and they don’t offer any new or improved product developments from the market.
Just right – The third supplier Goldie Locks called offered her a mix of the newest materials as well as inventory options for her business. They also provided some value added services like cutting her order to a size she needs it. They aren’t the cheapest but Goldie Locks figures the other services this distributor offers will save her money in the long run. Last but not least, sales and management personnel were easily accessible, knowledgeable about their materials, and friendly.
Next, Goldie Locks looked at things like size, location and other company information. After all, getting the right materials is important and she doesn’t want to get all set with a distributor and then find out they are not a good fit leaving her to search all over again –
Too big – This distributor is a huge conglomerate with an impressive resume but they lack personal attention. Goldie Locks fears she’ll get lost in their volume and be just another account. Bigger isn’t always better says Ms. Locks!
Too small – This place has nice people but she is concerned about long term growth and sustainability. Ms. Locks has big plans for the future and hopes to expand. This distributor’s limited locations also limit shipping options. This small distributor would not have access to product lines from all the manufacturers she wants material from either.
Just right – This distributor combines the personal interaction and service of a small company but with the resources of a global titan. They carry a large inventory and they offer other services like just in time shipping so Goldie Locks doesn’t need as much storage at her business, but with their inventory she can trust she will always get her order fulfilled.
Too hard – The biggest distributor generally lacks flexibility. There are large minimum orders and rigid terms. The contacts involved don’t have the direct authority to negotiate, sign a contract, or make other business decisions; but rather have to await some corporate approval or process.
Too soft – This company may just tell her what she wants to hear, Goldie Locks noticed a tendency to over promise and under deliver. Plus, being a smaller operation this supplier would be unable to use their weight in dealing with manufacturers and they are hindered in developing new opportunities.
Just right – This organization has a wide selection of materials from numerous suppliers so they present options for her business, but ultimately they give her the facts and allow her to make the decision about what is best for her business without undue pressure tactics.
By the ens of her search Goldie Locks found her ideal supply partner is flexible, nimble, and easy to do business with. They are large enough to have all the materials she needs in stock and ready to ship, and even though they aren’t the cheapest, they offer service that helps her to save money over the long term. She is happy in her choice knowing the time spent up front to find that just right distributor will allow her to grow her business with no worries about the materials she needs to keep on hand.
**Neither the author nor company asserts any ownership to Mother Goose, Cinderella or any other fairy-tale creatures
Lin Poulin (aka Mother Goose)
Telemarketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials NA
AIN Plastics Division
Citation
Entrepreneur magazine, April 2010, ‘Build a Good Relationship with Suppliers’ author Bob Reiss
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/205868
Entrepreneur magazine, ‘How to Find and Work with Suppliers’
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/66028#ixzz2gNixaWfk
IAPD (international association of plastics distribution) “The Distribution Channel Value”, content provided from NAW (National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors) http://www.iapd.org/distribution value
To learn more about ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, AIN Plastics Division please visit our website.
Congratulations AIN Plastics!
The entire staff at the AIN Plastics Division location in Yonkers, NY has been recommended for Unconditional Approval for certification/registration for their Quality Management System per the requirements of the ISO9001: 2008 Standard. Not only the Yonkers, NY location but also in Kennesaw GA, the Plastics Machine center in GA, and to the Columbus, OH team! These teams have successfully passed their Renewal Audits. Each AIN Plastics Division worked hard towards an audit that resulted in a zero non-conformances identified or issued.
Once the SRI Registration Review Panel has completed the approvals, AIN Plastics will now be under their own certification/registration. Every year there will be a surveillance activity by SRI at the locations, followed by the renewal audits.
AIN Plastics Quality Management System supports and enhances their position as a leading supplier of engineering plastic shapes to the medical and OEM communities. The Division has been working hard to maintain their position as a leading supplier since originally founded.
The AIN Plastics was founded in 1970 and has continued to grow quickly as a distributer for several premier manufacturers of mechanical plastic mill shapes. It wasn’t until 1996 that AIN Plastics joined the ThyssenKrupp Materials NA group, which positioned the company for even more success!
AIN Plastics Divisions are hard working and dedicated to their work. The AIN Plastics Division is committed to a continually improving QMS that will assure process and product quality meets or exceeds for customer’s requirements.
A Little Acrylic Helps a Scout Become an Eagle Scout
AIN Plastics, a Division of ThyssenKrupp Materials NA. It sounds huge doesn’t it? Well, it is. ThyssenKrupp Materials NA is part of a global company that includes divisions for aerospace, elevators, materials services and much more. But there is also a local side to all of this. AIN Plastics Division has local branches throughout the U.S. and each of those branches provides materials across the U.S. but just as often, they do within their local community. Sales reps are in each area assisting customers personally, and of course these are the communities we live our lives in. Although we do projects and events that the entire company takes part in, our local branches don’t stop at that and say good enough. AIN Plastics local branches, like many local businesses enjoy doing events to help improve the community they are a part of. Whether it’s helping out the local school robotics team, donating time at the local food bank, or doing a roadside beautification project, you will find our branches are out getting together and doing things to make a difference in their community.
Recently I was talking with Terry Tewell, Branch Manager for AIN Plastics in Lancaster, PA about a potential new project. As we talked he also shared a project his team helped with earlier this year. Terry said it was a donation of materials, but what really struck the whole team was what it really meant to donate clear acrylic to a young Boy Scout and all that one simple act to us meant to him. Below is the letter the AIN Plastics Lancaster team received back from now Eagle Scout, Derian Erb.
Dear AIN Plastics,
On May 8th, 2013 I was awarded the Rank of Eagle Scout. I would like to personally than you for your donation of three sheets of pled- glass. Without it, my project would not have been completed. As you can see; along with your donation, it took 5 months and over 230 man hours to build and install 2 information kiosks at the Blue Rock Boat Launch along the Susquehanna River.
The purpose of my project was to build information kiosks along the Susquehanna River to assist boaters, hunters, fishermen, and bird enthusiasts in providing updated changes in the PA laws regarding the use of the river for fish and fowl in connection with the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
Because of your donation, support of Boy Scouts and a belief in me and this project, what I learned is immeasurable. This experience has taught me the full extent of how to manage a complete project plan from start to finish. Even though you do projects in High School, nothing can prepare you for the workload of this. At the time I was the Senior Patrol Leader (the highest leadership position in my Troop) and thought I knew how to lead. Boy was I wrong, my confidence, leadership and communication skills (which in my mind were good) greatly developed over the course of guidance, writing a check, writing and mailing a formal letter, soliciting donations and hosting fundraisers, project labor, and lastly; I greatly improved my ability of talking over the phone. I learned a lot throughout this project which I know helped prepare to better me in life.
Thank you for your support,
Sincerely Yours in Scouting,
Darian Erb, Eagle Scout – Troop 267
It’s great to do big events. But I’m happy to be part of a company that also values the local side of life and the the things we can do in our individual communities that might make a big difference for someone in their life. Best wishes to Eagle Scout, Derian Erb. We know you have a great future ahead of you!
See you in the blogosphere again soon!
Lisa Anderson
Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division
Women in Plastics – Who do you Know?
Are you a woman looking at your career path? As was once recommended to Dustin Hoffman’s character in that classic line, “I just want to say one word to you, just one word, plastics. There’s a great future in plastics.” Just looking at that movie clip and thinking about this post made me realize what a different business world we live in now, just a few decades later. The plastics industry is a place of great opportunity for women and men alike who want a career path that affords them opportunity for growth. The International Association of Plastics Distributors is looking to further the growth of women in the plastics industry with the start up of a new common interest group.
As I talked with Katie Juneau, Purchasing Director for AIN Plastics and her involvement of starting the new IAPD Women in Plastics Common Interest Group, I began to look around at all the women who work within AIN Plastics already and how many of them have had opportunities to grow within the company. This photo from AIN Plastics recent National Sales Meeting show just a few of the women working throughout AIN Plastics. Their roles run the gamut from inside and outside sales to purchasing, marketing, safety, ISO certification, and more.
Just a few of the women who have chosen a career at AIN Plastics. Photo taken at AIN Plastics 2013 National Sales Meeting.
Katie said the IAPD’s new group is working to further the growth and development of women in the plastics business by hosting a Common Interest Group (CIG) that will look at how companies can better promote women within the plastics industry as well as how to encourage more women to join this growing industry.
Katie went onto say the IAPD Women In Plastics Group was just launched at the recent IAPD National Conference that took place in early October 2013. “The group is just starting, but we are very excited to see what we can do as the future unfolds.”
The group can be found on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also look for more developments to come on the IAPD website. http://www.iapd.org/about_iapd/women_in_plastics.cfm
See you in the blogosphere again soon!
Lisa Anderson
Marketing Manager
ThyssenKrupp Materials, NA
AIN Plastics Division