This week I welcome Johanna Reiland on the show. Johanna is an engineer, innovation consultant, and circular economy expert based out of Barcelona, where she works for Bax & Company, a leading European sustainable innovation agency.
On this episode, we'll be discussing the topic of employee retention in the composites industry.
Industry expert and technical trainer Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me for the 1st part of the show to discuss how some companies are incentivizing employees.
On the 2nd part of the show I interview Lisa Ryan, author of the book Thank You Very Much: Gratitude Strategies to Create a Workplace That ROCKS!
On this episode, Ben Gibbons of Circular11 joins me to share how their startup company is turning plastic waste into low-carbon building products that outlast and outperform traditional building materials.
In the UK, 75% of plastic goes to waste, and a significant reason for this is the cross-polymer contamination that is an inseparable part of the recycling system.
The mixture of plastics, and the range of chemicals in them, means that manufacturers can't achieve consistent product characteristics, and therefore don't buy the waste streams.
The team at Circular 11 has developed a process control system that dynamically adjusts our own sets of composite formulations to achieve a consistent, high quality output from low-grade variable inputs.
They currently manufacture and sell products to validate the technology, and will then license the process control system to other manufacturers, enabling the wider polymer processing sector to use low-grade plastic as a functional feedstock.
You can learn more about their company by visiting https://circular11.com.
On this episode, I welcome Lucas Grimes and Arthur Kaplan on the show. Their company Imperium was born out of the desire to optimize the way energy is purchased. Using the power of AI and automation, they help manufacturing companies cut out the hidden fees and tell you the best time to buy.
The energy that fuels the composites industry and mfg operations throughout the US is a significant cost. Their new predictive artificial intelligence (AI) platform helps manufacturers lock in the lowest energy rates at just the right time.
On this episode, we'll be discussing how their technology is helping companies in our industry.
You can learn more by visiting https://thisisimperium.com.
On this episode, we feature an interview with Jen and Chris Hudak. They are the founders of Escapod, a fabricator of lightweight teardrop camper trailers and one of the fastest-growing manufacturing companies in the US. This company started back in 2016 out of a garage and now has over 70 employees.
On this episode, Weslee Washington and John Kehoe of Boaz Partners join me to discuss some of the work they do for their business partners in the composites industry. Boaz Partners is an executive recruitment firm providing companies with custom recruiting solutions in specialty chemicals and advanced materials markets. Their expertise is a result of a niche-specific approach which allows them to be specialists in this industry.
Their name “Boaz Partners” refers to Ruth’s husband Boaz in the Old Testament who was known for his swiftness, integrity, and transparency. These characteristics provide the pillars of their firm’s service. Weslee John will be discussing the history of the company as well as the unique approach they take in finding the top industry talent for their clients. To learn more about their company visit https://boazpartners.com.
This week Dr. Roberto Lopez-Anido joins me on the show to discuss their research in structural thermoplastics and smart materials.
Dr. Lopez-Anido has more than 22 years of experience in the areas of mechanics of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for construction, durability analysis of composite materials, advanced experimental methods for composites, composites manufacturing, rehabilitation of civil infrastructure, design of composite structures, and structural health monitoring. He is a research leader in FRP composites at UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and has produced 60 journal publications, 89 conference publications, one book, and six patents.
On this episode, we’ll be discussing the next generation of environmentally sustainable structural thermoplastic composites that save energy, reduce waste, and allow for making parts faster, cheaper, and more reliably.
This week, Bryce Anzelmo joins me on the show. Bryce is the director of product development for Lyten, an advanced materials company that invented Lyten 3D Graphene™.
3D Graphene™ is a platform of materials that has the potential to enable breakthroughs in energy storage, composite systems, and chemical & passive sensors.
Composite system improvements enabled by Lyten 3D Graphene include increased strength and stiffness, decreased weight, as well as improved thermal and electrical properties. Lyten multifunctional composites are designed to deliver the optimal combination of these attributes for various polymer and metallic alloy systems.
When formulated into their advanced Lithium-Sulfur battery chemistry for electric vehicles, it will deliver higher energy density, lower battery weight, and the lowest carbon footprint of any EV battery.
On this episode, Bryce will be discussing their composite systems as well as the LytCell™. It uses graphene™ to “cage” the sulfur in the battery, leading to a higher-performance battery that will have up to 3X the energy density, and enables vehicles to more than double the driving range vs. traditional EV batteries.
You can learn more about the company by visiting them at https://lyten.com.
On this episode, Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me as he does each month to discuss ways to improve quality control. Andrew is the director of certifications for the ACMA and also a manufacturing training consultant. It's always great to catch up with Andrew each month as he shares process improvement takeaways from his time spent in manufacturing plants.
On this episode, we feature some interviews from day 2 at CAMX 2022. We start off the show with interviews with Scott Lewitt and his team at Structural Composites.
We'll also be talking with Anvesh Gurijala, CEO of Boston Materials, Witt Doolittle of Stoner Inc., Anoosheh M. Oskouian of Ship & Shore Environmental, and Marcos Vidal of Dorfner Composites.
CAMX 2022 is a wrap, and on this episode, we share some interviews from day 1 on the exhibit hall.
Some of our interviews include:
This week I welcome Vishnu Marla, a scientist at W. L. Gore & Associates, a company with an amazing history of innovation.
Gore is a materials science company focused on creating solutions for the most challenging environments — from implants in the human body to clothing worn on expeditions to Mt. Everest, to electronic cables transmitting signals from Mars.
Since 1958, Gore has developed products that improve lives. At the center of these solutions is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a polymer with exceptional properties like high tensile strength, a low dielectric constant, UV resistance and many more. In 1969, the possibilities for PTFE expanded with Bob Gore’s discovery of expanded PTFE, or ePTFE.
Gore fabric technologies have revolutionized the performance of fabrics by controlling porosity through unique microstructures. Membrane technologies and advanced polymers and materials have been developed to meet specific performance criteria for outdoor activities as well as occupational and industrial uses.
Gore has 12,000 employees, with manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, and China, and sales offices around the world.
You can learn more about Gore by visiting https://www.gore.com.
This week, Andrew Pokelwaldt with the ACMA joins me on the podcast as we discuss ways composite fabricators can create new market opportunities while serving their existing customers.
We'll be referencing one of my favorite business books Blue Ocean Strategy.
On this episode, Byron Kennedy joins me on the show to discuss SPEE3D, a company that has developed the fastest most affordable metal additive manufacturing process in the world.
Their printer technology enables the most affordable metal additive manufacturing process in the world. They make parts the fastest way possible, leveraging metal cold spray technology to produce industrial quality metal parts in just minutes, rather than days or weeks.
This week, I share an interview I did with Dr. Francesco Fornasiero of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory discussing some of their work in developing a material that could protect soldiers from biological and chemical agents.
The work includes fabricating flexible polymeric membranes with aligned carbon nanotube channels as moisture conductive pores. The size of these pores is 5,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
This material is the first key component of futuristic smart uniforms that also can respond to and protect soldiers and civilians from environmental chemical hazards.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has a mission of strengthening the United States’ security through the development and application of world-class science and technology to:
You can read more about the research by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory by visiting https://www.llnl.gov.
This week we're happy to welcome Cindy Squires, president of the ACMA, and Zane Clark, president of SAMPE to the show. We'll be discussing CAMX 2022 coming up October 17-20th.
It's the largest, most comprehensive event for products, solutions, education & networking in the composites and advanced materials industry.
This collaborative event combines the strengths of our two leading associations, ACMA and SAMPE, to deliver the right exhibitions, educational programs, and the right people – all in one place.
To register or learn more about CAMX 2022 you can visit https://www.thecamx.org.
This week, Andrew Pokelwaldt, the director of certifications & training with the ACMA joins me to discuss what procurement managers at every company need to know when making the best decisions on material substitutions.
This week Jake Fallon, the product manager at Braskem joins me on the podcast show to discuss some of the new filaments they have developed for the additive manufacturing industry.
Created in August 2002 by the merger of six companies today Braskem is the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and the world's leading biopolymer producer.
As one of the world’s largest producers of polyolefins, it made sense for Braskem to enter the world of 3D Printing.
Braskem offers solutions for many of the primary 3D printing technologies such as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), and High-speed Pellet Extrusion.
Through their decades of expertise in materials science and product development, their state-of-the-art 3D printing labs, and their strategic partnerships with industry leaders, they've been committed to delivering new and innovative products to the market.
You can learn more by visiting them at https://www.braskem.com.
On this episode I welcome Andrew Pokewaldt of the ACMA back on the show as we discuss the rise of thermoplastic materials in the composites industry. Thermoplastics are growing in the composite market, with the benefits they offer of reusability and sustainability. Reports from Marketsandmarkets show that the thermoplastic composites market is projected to reach USD 36 billion by 2024.
Thermoplastic composites have been around for some time, especially for short fiber applications. But new developments are being seen for long fiber applications as well.
On this episode, Andrew will be sharing some of the advantages he's seeing with thermoplastic composites as well as some of the applications they are being used in.
On this episode, we'll be discussing the topic of branding based on a legendary icon in the recreation world. I welcome Robert Grede to the show to talk about his book Rebuilding the Brand: How Harley-Davidson Became King of the Road.
In the early 1980s, Harley-Davidson was on the verge of bankruptcy. In the public’s opinion, the quality was substandard. Harleys leaked oil and were often broken down. Today, Harley-Davidson is a model brand. And It isn’t just a motorcycle company anymore. It is a community, a look, a source of self-expression, an all-American appeal for freedom—all expressed in one little logo.
So What happened? How did they turn things around? On this episode, Robert will be sharing the story.
He ghostwrote the book after spending days with Clyde Fessler, a man who held several positions within Harley, from the head of marketing services to VP of business development.
This week I welcome Megan Multanen, one of the founders of "Women in the Composites Industry". Megan is the Chief Executive Officer at Bestbath based in Caldwell, Idaho, and a member of the Board of Directors for the ACMA.
On this episode, we'll be discussing this organization (WCI) and its mission of helping women succeed in the Composites Industry.
The rapid growth of the composites and high-performance materials industry holds great promise for many current and emerging market segments.
Members of Women in the Composites Industry are an integral part of a fast-growing and committed network of women that come together across sectors and career levels to promote the education, professional development, and advancement of women.
This week I welcome Dennis Fink of Akpa Chemical to the show. Dennis is a veteran with over 40 years in the polymer industry. He is the president of Resin Research & Recovery and a consultant for Akpa Chemical.
AKPA Chemical was established in 1997 and specializes in the production of Organic Peroxides, Initiators, Accelerators, and Paint Driers. AKPA has a State of the Art R&D center with distribution headquarters in South Carolina.
On this episode, Dennis will be sharing his background and the history of Akpa. He’ll talk about choosing the right organic peroxide for the job and what separates their product line from so many other suppliers.
You can learn more about their product line today by visiting akpachemicalus.com or by calling them at 803-686-288.
The ACMA’s standardized composite process training with CCT Certifications are designed for technicians, engineers, quality, safety and technical sales personnel.
Nine certification specialties are available and you can learn more about each of these by visiting http://www.acmaeducationhub.org/certification.
This week I welcome Dan Cohen, CEO of FLITE on the show to talk about some of their surface engineering technology that uses laser and plasma energy to make permanent changes to surfaces reducing the need for chemicals.
The company was created in 2018 to develop the emerging science of surface functionalization into commercial use at industrial scale.
The FLITE team believes that the time has come to take these techniques out of the lab and into industries looking for a better, cleaner, and safer way to protect their products.
Their methods have been demonstrated on glass, plastic, metal, ceramics, semiconductors, and composites.
You can learn more by visiting them at https://www.flite.tech.
LIFT, which is operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense, industry, and academia driving the U.S. mobility sector toward the future manufacturing revolution to support our nation’s economy and enhance our national security.
You can learn more at https://lift.technology/.