People & Places

People &

Places

Yoritaka
Yamauchi

SEKISUI KYDEX welcomed Yoritaka “Taka” Yamauchi as CEO, on October 1, 2022. Yamauchi joins SEKISUI KYDEX with more than 18 years of experience developing his leadership skills and business acumen across multiple cultures and countries. He has an extensive background in management at SEKISUI Chemical, the corporate ownership of SEKISUI KYDEX, and is ready to bring his understanding of both the U.S. and Japanese working cultures together. In addition, his knowledge of resin compounds and products, especially PVC, make him an ideal leader to focus on business and engineering within SEKISUI KYDEX.

When asked about his first-year goals at SEKISUI KYDEX, Yamauchi shared “I am looking forward to focusing on our business strategy and product engineering. Over the next year, I will spend time understanding our product, how it’s made and the differentiation factors, ensuring we provide the best service to satisfy customer needs.”

Educated at University of California Berkeley with a degree in business administration and finance, Yamauchi went on to build his career working in Vietnam, the United States, Germany and Thailand. During his time in Thailand he served as business development manager, developing new market applications. He went on to become the head of the sales department for a business size of 500 million. From 2005 to 2016, Yamauchi worked for SEKISUI Chemical in the Urban Infrastructure and Environmental Planning (UIEP) business in the International Division, Civil Engineering System Division and Overseas Pipe Renewal Division. He moved into the High-Performance Plastics Company (HPPC) business in 2016 to work in the Specialty Chemicals Division, where in 2017 he was the HPPC Thailand head of sales. Since 2019 Yamauchi has been the Specialty Chemicals Division Head of Sale Office.

“The future of SEKISUI KYDEX is exciting. We will focus our efforts on enhanced quality, product diversification and our sustainability initiatives, as part of SEKISUI CHEMICAL group and its long-term vision 2030 statement ‘Innovation for the Earth.’ We are poised to deliver more than our customers can imagine,” said Yamauchi.

Katie Juneau
Rebecca Roberson

Curbell Plastics, Inc. announced the hiring of Katie Juneau as director of procurement and Rebecca Roberson as business manager for their San Diego, CA, USA. Both come to Curbell with years of leadership experience in the performance plastics industry.

As director of procurement, Katie Juneau is responsible for the strategic direction of purchasing for the company including material and freight management, supply partner relationships and day-to-day management of the purchasing team. Additionally, she is responsible for leading Curbell Plastics’ recycling efforts in collaboration with the Environmental Health & Safety and Operations teams. She brings with her 15 years of experience in the plastics industry and global supply chain logistics.

“Katie is a great addition to our senior management team,” said Gerry Helbig, president of Curbell Plastics, Inc. “With her diverse skill set, knowledge of procurement, operations and understanding of the plastics industry, she will be instrumental in our future success.”

Rebecca Roberson brings 21 years of plastic material knowledge to customers across Southern California and the Western United States, leading the teams that supply performance plastics and in-house fabrication services to a broad range of businesses and entrepreneurs. Customers include U.S. military branches, developers of aircraft and aerospace components, manufacturing and packaging equipment, industrial machinery and parts and scientific instrumentation to name a few. “I am so impressed by the culture at Curbell,” Roberson shared. “Everyone’s genuine willingness to help is truly amazing and inspiring.”

Scott
Keigley

Rowmark announced that Scott Keigley joined the company as a sales representative. He has 12 years of experience in the plastic industry and plans to use his knowledge to help Rowmark customers continue their growth. Previously, Keigley worked at a large plastic distributor in the Midwest. He spent his first four years there as an assistant warehouse manager and guillotine operator. After multiple promotions, he accepted an inside sales position within the company that allowed him to sell to multiple end users across the United States. His prior experience in sales and knowledge of the plastic industry will be a great benefit to Rowmark and its customers. Keigley will be working with Chris Holland to manage customer accounts while focusing on account growth. He’s looking forward to helping Rowmark customers grow by being a resource to help them find the right extruded plastic materials for their business.

Kandace Cornell   Nicholas Mills
Karolina Palmer   Jacob Robbins
Jason Shostrand   Thomas Sims
Adam White   Jack Yanity

Kandace Cornell
Nicholas Mills
Karolina Palmer
Jacob Robbins
Jason Shostrand
Thomas Sims
Adam White
Jack Yanity

Professional Plastics recently announced several new members of their team.

Based in Phoenix, AZ, USA, Kandace Cornell was hired as territory manager for western and northern Arizona. Cornell will use her sales skills and knowledge of mechanical plastics and fabricated parts to drive growth in the area. She has a true passion for sales and has thrived in the field since 2014. She enjoys interacting with customers and problem solving and her background in the plastics industry will help her continue to achieve her goals.

In his new position as territory manager, Nicholas Mills will build and support business in Oregon and southwest Washington state. He is tasked with finding new customers while continuing to grow relationships with existing accounts. Mills brings more than 15 years of experience in automotive manufacturing, engineering, sales and operations leadership to the role and looks forward to helping customers by providing solutions for their unique needs.

New territory manager Karolina Palmer will support Professional Plastics’ sales efforts in the state of Florida. She will develop and expand business plans in the territory, including key markets and target accounts. Her previous experience in real estate and hospitality has equipped her with strong customer-facing skills that will allow her to excel in her role. Palmer looks forward to becoming a valuable asset to the growing team in Tampa.

Jacob Robbins joined the company as an inside sales representative based in Denver, CO, USA where he will work to close sales and increase business. Robbins brings experience in oil and gas fabrication and welding sales with him to his new role and is motivated to help grow the company’s customer base. He believes to be successful in sales, you must be reliable in sourcing and logistics while tending to the customer’s needs – all of which he plans to accomplish.

Jason Shostrand joined as a national market development manager for the semiconductor market. He will work with inside and outside sales across the country to help close new business while providing market and technical insight to support the company’s semiconductor customers and opportunities. Shostrand brings an impressive 23 years of market knowledge and experience with him, having worked in chip design, programming, application engineering and semiconductor sales previously.

Based in Sacramento, CA, Thomas Sims was hired as territory manager for North Bay to the Oregon border. He will travel throughout his territory to meet with current customers while exploring additional opportunities to expand business. He joins Professional Plastics with a successful sales background in a variety of markets and industries. Sims believes the key to succeeding in sales is by having the ability to establish and nurture relationships.

Territory Manager Adam White will support business in the California Central Valley and Northern Nevada regions. He will develop effective sales strategies, expand territory sales quotas and maintain excellent customer relationships in his territory. White joins the company with more than 10 years of outside sales experience in the technology, education and manufacturing industries. He looks forward to leveraging his background and skills in the performance plastics industry.

Jack Yanity joined Professional Plastics in Buffalo, NY, USA as an inside sales representative. In his role, he covers the Northeast region of the United States and Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. His goal is to work with current and prospective clients by providing them with the best solutions for their plastic needs. Yanity is eager to develop his plastics knowledge while building and maintaining relationships with vendors and customers.

Jesse Trevino

Victor Dominguez

Jesse Trevino
Victor Dominguez

A&C Plastics, Inc. announced the recent promotions of two team members, Jesse Trevino and Victor Dominguez to business development representatives. While their time with the company hasn’t been long, they’ve become integral members of the sales team, providing excellent service to A&C’s customers. The company is excited to have them as members of the A&C Plastics family.

Ben Smalley Anne Rupp
Becky Gallup Karyn McAlphin

Ben Smalley
Anne Rupp
Becky Gallup
Karyn McAlphin

SEKISUI KYDEX is pleased to announce Aviation and Design Team evolutions, effective October 21, 2022. Collaboration with the aviation design community and other strategic markets is a cornerstone of SEKISUI KYDEX services. Due to their evolving and growing markets, they are excited to share the evolution of their aviation and design teams.

SEKISUI KYDEX is pleased to announce the promotion of Ben Smalley to director of aviation and design. Smalley has more than six years of experience in the aviation interiors industry, a passion for innovation and has developed strong relationships in the design community through engagement with the SEKISUI KYDEX service brands. Smalley is a notable example of re-invention and his elevated leadership in many areas of the SEKISUI KYDEX business make him uniquely suited to take on this role. “I am excited to continue to support and enhance our designLab^® services to our existing customers, as well as extend the same customer experience to additional markets outside of aviation,” said Smalley.

In addition, Anne Rupp has been promoted to aviation business coordinator to help drive the growing SEKISUI KYDEX aviation business. Rupp is passionate about the aviation market and has years of experience supporting strategic aviation partners as a customer collaboration specialist and inside sales representative. This is an opportunity for Rupp to leverage her expertise to provide an even better customer experience.

Becky Gallup has transitioned from senior graphic artist for Infused Imaging™ to senior CMF design artist. As the SEKISUI KYDEX business has evolved, Gallup developed her design skills beyond graphic design. She has expanded her expertise to all aspects of CMF (color, material, finish), including translucent and backlit materials, decorative textures, surfaceGrip™ and exciting developments to come. She will guide SEKISUI KYDEX design partners by helping turn their inspiration to reality.

Karyn McAlphin will support the designLab^® as creative design lead. McAlphin has an extensive history as a marketing team leader for a major airline. She engages with designers and aviation customers to drive innovation. In her new role, she will continue to build relationships and stay abreast of new and innovative design trends.

Palram Americas, Inc. announced its refocused commercial efforts in the construction products category with the sale of their Palight Trimboard business, including production assets, to Westlake Royal Building Products. Since 2007, Palram Panels Inc., a division of Palram Americas Group, has been producing cellular PVC trimboard in sheet and dimensional board sizes and promoting either through private label or under the Palight Trimboard brand.

According to Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing Mike Howser, “Over the years, our Palight Trimboard brand grew with our customers, devoted contractors and fabricators appreciating our quality and innovation. This decision will enable Palram to regain focus on our core strengths.” Howser added, “This sale in no way effects our continued focus on our other PVC and polycarbonate products or the varied markets that we serve.”

small distributors at A&C Plastics, Inc. headquarters

A&C Plastics, Inc. was thrilled to host the most recent Small Distributor’s Round Table at their headquarters in Houston, TX, USA on November 8-9, 2022. At the event, 15 small distributors (some of whom are pictured above) met to discuss the state of the plastics industry, business strategies and network. Many thanks to all who attended!

Braskem announced the construction of a new Renewable Innovation Center located in Lexington, MA, USA at the Lexington Labs. The 35,000-square-foot innovation center will focus on accelerating innovation in renewable chemicals and sustainable materials. Capabilities at the new center will expand Braskem’s competencies in biotechnology, catalysis, process engineering and open innovation. A particular focus will be given to early-stage science and engineering related to the conversion of biomass-based feedstocks, including sugars, cellulose, plant oils and lignin, to sustainable chemicals and materials. This will enhance Braskem’s resources focused on the discovery of technologies that will drive new growth-oriented offerings centered around carbon circularity. This innovation center is the latest expansion of Braskem’s global Innovation and Technology footprint.

Braskem America CEO Mark Nikolich stated, “Our new Renewable Innovation Center reflects Braskem’s ongoing commitment to a carbon-neutral circular economy and having a positive impact on the environment. Braskem intends to invest around US$20 million to build our Renewable Innovation Center and will continue to invest in developing and retaining a world-class, Boston metro area-based innovation team to create proprietary intellectual property in the areas of sustainable chemicals and materials, all of which will be critical to the future success of Braskem’s global business.”

This announcement builds upon Braskem’s Boston-based research team led by Daniel MacEachran, global head of biotechnology, who is leading the new Renewable Innovation Center build-out and professional team expansion. With the initial design and construction phase currently underway, Braskem expects the project to be completed in the second half of 2023, following the successful completion of final validation and commissioning. The new center is strategically based in Boston’s world-class metro area biotechnology and innovation ecosystem, located within a one-hour drive of more than 60 universities and colleges. Work in the new Lexington center will complement Braskem’s global research and development work currently being conducted in Campinas and Triunfo, Brazil as well as in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

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