Technology Forum for Plasics Ireland
12 March, 2014
Irish plastics forward!
It was our pleasure at Ceramicx to take part last week in the All Ireland New Technology Forum for plastics; organised by the SPE and featuring two key Irish Centres for plastics – in Athlone and Waterford.
Not only were these two days extremely well attended (over 150 people at each event) the quality of the presentations; the table top exhibitions and the high level inputs from Government and academe reassured me that Irish plastics is on the front foot and taking a position of leadership in the world; not least through its expertise in demanding high-value markets such as medical, healthcare and packaging.
The first day of the SPE hosted event saw the opening of the Applied Polymer Technology (APT) Gateway in Athlone; a national technology centre focused on all aspects of polymer research funded by Enterprise Ireland in Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). Over the past twenty years, AIT has grown its polymer research area into an interdisciplinary hub, interfacing with the plastics industry across multiple platforms on thousands of projects. In recent years, AIT has invested heavily in the infrastructure of the research facilities with the completion of a HEA co-funded €2 million purpose built Research Hub in 2010, while the only facility in Ireland equipped for pilot and large scale polymer processing is housed in the new €36 million Engineering and Informatics Building and in a dedicated APT polymer processing facility.
After seeing the scope of these developments we were joined after lunch by Irish jobs Minister Sean Sherlock TD, who journeyed from his Cork constituency to address the gathering, commend the initiative and to present some awards to those involved in the work around the Athlone Institute.
Jon Ratzlaff, current SPE President, also flew in from Oklahoma City, USA, to take part in the conference and to urge the plastics sector in Ireland to look beyond its boundaries and to embrace an outgoing and expansive role; exporting its successes globally; making partnerships and creating innovation. Jon is a dynamic presence within the industry and I, for one, hope to see more of him in Ireland before the year is out.
The second day of the conference saw us move to the South East of the country for the launch of Ireland’s first Super Critical Fluid assisted polymer processing facility located in Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and funded through Science Foundation Ireland. This facility will be a key driver for developing sustainable research partnerships and providing technical assistance to a large range of companies in the South East of Ireland, through the National Applied Technology Polymer Gateway Centre, such as ClearStream Technologies (CR Bard), FastForm Research, Bausch & Lomb, Eirgen Pharma, Nypro, Genzyme, Allsop Europe and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Myself and Gerard McGranaghan spoke from the podium in Waterford about the issues and opportunities for an SME company such as ourselves in the industry. We found many like-minded spirits in the audience; not least in the shape of fellow speaker Gerry McNally from the Northern Ireland Polymers Association. Gerry is doing a great job in mobilizing and motivating the industry in all parts of Ireland and in alerting us to the many common opportunities between us. Indeed there is great synergy between all manner of companies and plastics interests on all parts of this island. At Ceramicx we hope to be vigorously networking with all concerned in the wake of this keynote event.
The March conference days were hosted by the Society of Plastics Engineers European Medical Polymers Division, Enterprise Ireland, Irish Development Authority and Engineers Ireland.
The two days succeeded in attracting engineering and science professionals from the Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, Green Technology, Composites and Plastics Processing sectors; and in showing the offerings now available to Ireland’s SME’s and MNC’s through these two new initiatives.
Ceramicx thoroughly enjoyed itself in this company and is wholeheartedly committed to participating in and supporting plastics in Ireland. We look forward to many more such events to come.
12 March, 2014
Irish plastics forward!
It was our pleasure at Ceramicx to take part last week in the All Ireland New Technology Forum for plastics; organised by the SPE and featuring two key Irish Centres for plastics – in Athlone and Waterford.
Not only were these two days extremely well attended (over 150 people at each event) the quality of the presentations; the table top exhibitions and the high level inputs from Government and academe reassured me that Irish plastics is on the front foot and taking a position of leadership in the world; not least through its expertise in demanding high-value markets such as medical, healthcare and packaging.
The first day of the SPE hosted event saw the opening of the Applied Polymer Technology (APT) Gateway in Athlone; a national technology centre focused on all aspects of polymer research funded by Enterprise Ireland in Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). Over the past twenty years, AIT has grown its polymer research area into an interdisciplinary hub, interfacing with the plastics industry across multiple platforms on thousands of projects. In recent years, AIT has invested heavily in the infrastructure of the research facilities with the completion of a HEA co-funded €2 million purpose built Research Hub in 2010, while the only facility in Ireland equipped for pilot and large scale polymer processing is housed in the new €36 million Engineering and Informatics Building and in a dedicated APT polymer processing facility.
After seeing the scope of these developments we were joined after lunch by Irish jobs Minister Sean Sherlock TD, who journeyed from his Cork constituency to address the gathering, commend the initiative and to present some awards to those involved in the work around the Athlone Institute.
Jon Ratzlaff, current SPE President, also flew in from Oklahoma City, USA, to take part in the conference and to urge the plastics sector in Ireland to look beyond its boundaries and to embrace an outgoing and expansive role; exporting its successes globally; making partnerships and creating innovation. Jon is a dynamic presence within the industry and I, for one, hope to see more of him in Ireland before the year is out.
The second day of the conference saw us move to the South East of the country for the launch of Ireland’s first Super Critical Fluid assisted polymer processing facility located in Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and funded through Science Foundation Ireland. This facility will be a key driver for developing sustainable research partnerships and providing technical assistance to a large range of companies in the South East of Ireland, through the National Applied Technology Polymer Gateway Centre, such as ClearStream Technologies (CR Bard), FastForm Research, Bausch & Lomb, Eirgen Pharma, Nypro, Genzyme, Allsop Europe and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Myself and Gerard McGranaghan spoke from the podium in Waterford about the issues and opportunities for an SME company such as ourselves in the industry. We found many like-minded spirits in the audience; not least in the shape of fellow speaker Gerry McNally from the Northern Ireland Polymers Association. Gerry is doing a great job in mobilizing and motivating the industry in all parts of Ireland and in alerting us to the many common opportunities between us. Indeed there is great synergy between all manner of companies and plastics interests on all parts of this island. At Ceramicx we hope to be vigorously networking with all concerned in the wake of this keynote event.
The March conference days were hosted by the Society of Plastics Engineers European Medical Polymers Division, Enterprise Ireland, Irish Development Authority and Engineers Ireland.
The two days succeeded in attracting engineering and science professionals from the Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, Green Technology, Composites and Plastics Processing sectors; and in showing the offerings now available to Ireland’s SME’s and MNC’s through these two new initiatives.
Ceramicx thoroughly enjoyed itself in this company and is wholeheartedly committed to participating in and supporting plastics in Ireland. We look forward to many more such events to come.
