


Technology today is moving at the speed of light. But all the tangible parts can be provided by performance plastics. Plastics are never stuck in one market space. We move in tandem with new technology and continually create more products to serve those markets. I see these innovations and adaptations every day. This ability to keep up and continually invent is exciting, no matter what scope of business you are in.
Performance plastics is an arena that is increasingly welcoming to women. The Women in Plastics group is an excellent forum to have your voice heard and discover all the opportunities within this industry. From extrusion operations to the executive level of leadership, the environment is now much more inclusive. It takes many different perspectives to discover and create solutions. We all work in the trenches side by side discovering solutions to the gaps we discover daily with our customers and within our own companies.

Relationships matter. Take the time. Un-focus from your daily work and stop to develop those relationships. They are important. Maybe not in your everyday, but long term. Businesses are built on relationships!
Tough times come and go. There will always be challenges, some big and some bigger! Time has a way of moving on and some of those big challenges will be gone tomorrow. Try to take them one at a time, minute by minute and don’t think, “I’ll get to the end of that problem or situation or issue and that will be it. Done!” There will always be another “something.” That is just doing business. Life goes on and so do challenges. Times change. What is difficult now may not be difficult next week or next year.
Be kind to yourself. You are not responsible for everything. At times you feel like you are the only one, but you have an entire team behind you. Rely on them. If you don’t have that team, work on getting one. Surround yourself with people smarter than you. Smart people teaching you is how you get better. Don’t feel threatened. Be thankful to have them in your life. They make you better. You can’t know everything!



Relationships matter. Take the time. Un-focus from your daily work and stop to develop those relationships. They are important. Maybe not in your everyday, but long term. Businesses are built on relationships!
Tough times come and go. There will always be challenges, some big and some bigger! Time has a way of moving on and some of those big challenges will be gone tomorrow. Try to take them one at a time, minute by minute and don’t think, “I’ll get to the end of that problem or situation or issue and that will be it. Done!” There will always be another “something.” That is just doing business. Life goes on and so do challenges. Times change. What is difficult now may not be difficult next week or next year.
Be kind to yourself. You are not responsible for everything. At times you feel like you are the only one, but you have an entire team behind you. Rely on them. If you don’t have that team, work on getting one. Surround yourself with people smarter than you. Smart people teaching you is how you get better. Don’t feel threatened. Be thankful to have them in your life. They make you better. You can’t know everything!



Raw material shortages based on natural catastrophes caused by climate change are most likely going to increase and are not easily controlled. All industries need to start working on the climate change agenda to prevent further damage to our environment and its impact on all of us.
Still difficult but a little more in our control is the HR challenge we are facing. The performance plastics industry still fights the stigma of a wasteful industry lead by the anti-plastics groups of this world. Differentiating ourselves, bringing younger team members on board and making the industry appealing for talent will be a continuous challenge. A lot of companies have done very well in changing the perception of our industry and I compliment everyone that has worked so hard to change the hearts and minds of people.



Raw material shortages based on natural catastrophes caused by climate change are most likely going to increase and are not easily controlled. All industries need to start working on the climate change agenda to prevent further damage to our environment and its impact on all of us.
Still difficult but a little more in our control is the HR challenge we are facing. The performance plastics industry still fights the stigma of a wasteful industry lead by the anti-plastics groups of this world. Differentiating ourselves, bringing younger team members on board and making the industry appealing for talent will be a continuous challenge. A lot of companies have done very well in changing the perception of our industry and I compliment everyone that has worked so hard to change the hearts and minds of people.


Biggest lesson is two-fold: the plastic market is ever-changing, and customers don’t want to know “what’s now” but “what’s new.” To remain viable, there must be continuous improvement and development of products. New products keep the industry fresh, interesting and relevant.
A major challenge that we face is the increasing need to make our products more environmentally friendly. Plastic products have been a mainstay for decades, but current views often paint the industry as landfill and waste contributors. As the world becomes more conscious of sustainability and recycling, the industry will need to ensure we consider bio-based or plant-derived ingredients in our products. We should challenge ourselves to evaluate and assess the life cycle of our materials. The good news is that most of the industry has begun to pivot to environmental programs that examine their carbon footprint and effect on the environment.
The future of plastics hinges on diversity in the industry. I’m excited to see more women entering the field in areas from engineering to technical. When I first began more than 25 years ago, often I was the only woman present in most situations. I’m happy to see that is changing and there is an embracing of women in the plastics workforce. Indeed, the fact that this issue of your magazine focuses on women is quite encouraging. I think we are in for new beginnings with more women at the helm.






New material innovations and processing techniques are very exciting to me as well as discovering new uses for materials that have been around for decades. Applications really are endless.
I’m also excited about how companies are coming together creating initiatives such as the Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste which invest in plastic waste recovery, infrastructure and new recycling technology. I’m confident this will lead to some significant changes for the performance plastics and single use plastics industries in the near future.







Recruiting, hiring and retaining talent. Most people associate plastics with bottles and that comes with a negative connotation, especially when it comes to the environment. And let’s face it, if you don’t know anything about the markets we serve, the way our products impact lives or the creative ways plastics can be used, it doesn’t seem to be very appealing. Obviously, we know different!
Once you hire the right person and get through the onboarding process, the challenge of keeping them engaged and developing them begins. Over the years, I have seen employee expectations change regarding their needs from their company and leader. Training, involving them in projects, understanding what is important to them and their lifestyle is not only vital to employee retention, but it also creates highly motivated employees. If you do not adapt to the evolving workforce, you could lose a valuable employee.



Recruiting, hiring and retaining talent. Most people associate plastics with bottles and that comes with a negative connotation, especially when it comes to the environment. And let’s face it, if you don’t know anything about the markets we serve, the way our products impact lives or the creative ways plastics can be used, it doesn’t seem to be very appealing. Obviously, we know different!
Once you hire the right person and get through the onboarding process, the challenge of keeping them engaged and developing them begins. Over the years, I have seen employee expectations change regarding their needs from their company and leader. Training, involving them in projects, understanding what is important to them and their lifestyle is not only vital to employee retention, but it also creates highly motivated employees. If you do not adapt to the evolving workforce, you could lose a valuable employee.