ANTEC®@NPE 2009 Wrapup
Largest Plastics Event Showcases Sustainability, Energy Savings
Sustainability and energy-savings took center stage in June at Chicago's Mccormick Place during ANTEC® 2009 and NPE2009. For the first time, the Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers was co-located with NPE, the triennial International Plastics Exposition sponsored by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI). Other co-located events included a Moldmaking Expo and the International Plastics Design Competition. Combined, the various events produced the world's largest plastics show.

SPE's ANTEC® technical program provided copious amounts of information on the industry's latest research and development. SPI conducted education and strategy sessions in a "Business of Plastics" program, and 1851 exhibitors displayed and discussed their products and services ont he tradeshow floor. While attendee registrations were down significantly from previous years because of global economic conditions, the plastics industry turned out in relatively strong numbers. Attendees represented 17,857 companies from 101 countries, SPI reports.

At ANTEC®, winners of SPE Annual Awards were honored (see page 18); and at NPE2009, nine exemplary members of the industry were inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame (see page 20).
By Richard Stewart