Atlantic News

A well-attended and well-received plastics conference held in Springhill, N.S. this past September will be held again next year, says CPIA Atlantic executive director Duncan Cross. The conference, the first such event in the region organized by the CPIA, was attended by about 75 people who heard presentations on marketing, resin and processing technology and other topics. Luncheons and a dinner/social event provided attendees ample opportunity to mingle and network.

One impetus for organizing the inaugural event was to heighten awareness of Nova Scotia Community College’s Plastics Processing Course, which graduated its first class in August. The course, which is held at NSCC’s Springhill campus, is designed to give students hands-on training with a variety of plastics processing equipment, as well as an understanding of polymers, tooling and other aspects of the industry.

Cross says he will soon be working on putting together an agenda for next year’s conference, which may be expanded to include a trade show.

CPIA Atlantic is also promoting an opportunity for the region’s members to attend the K 2001 trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany as either an attendee or as an exhibitor in the Canadian pavilion. Working in cooperation with CPIA Quebec, the organization has secured the services of LM Travel/Carlson Wagonlit Travel to arrange travel plans for the trip. CPIA members booking through the agency will receive a $100 discount. Contact Andr Houle at 450/653-3658.

“We want the plastics community in Atlantic Canada to know we’re here and working for them,” says Cross. “We want to be visible with industry and government so we can rightly say we’re the voice of plastics in Atlantic Canada.”