AKRON, OHIO (Updated Sept. 8, 9:30 a.m. EDT) — Senior officials from Ericsson U.S., Boston Scientific Corp., LDM Technologies Inc., Amcor PET Packaging Inc., Plassein Packaging Inc., Makuta Technics Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have joined the speaker program for Plastics News' Executive Forum 2001 in San Antonio next month.
Executives from resin makers BP Amoco plc, Borden Chemicals and Plastics LP, and Dow Chemical Co. also have agreed to participate in the Oct. 15-18 conference at the Westin La Cantera Resort.
Other program changes include an expanded session on the medical market. Bob Skribiski, research and development manager for compounding and molding at medical products giant Boston Scientific Corp., will join Jay Cude, president of injection molders PolyTen LLC and Coeur Medical. Karen Winkler, Dow's medical industry manager, will moderate the session. A third panelist will be added shortly.
New speakers added to the packaging session include Frank McNabb, president and chief executive officer of fast-growing film extrusion company Plassein Packaging Corp., and Nina Goodrich, general manager of Amcor PET Technologies, a unit of blow molder Amcor PET Packaging-North America.
Among the speakers analyzing materials supply and demand include Mark Schneider, recently named president and CEO of PVC supplier Borden, and Charles Damianides, BP Amoco's polypropylene business manager in North America.
On the opening day Stu Kaplan, president of Makuta Technics Inc., will discuss strategic alliances and related cultural integration issues. His firm, a Columbus, Ind.-based injection micromolder, is one of seven worldwide affiliated with Japan's Sanysu Group.
On the subject of e-business, on Oct. 18, Garrett Gee, plastics business manager for consulting firm Kline & Co., and Rich Crawford, global director for plastic resins and packaging at Hewlett-Packard, join the program.
Former IBM China executive Kevin Painter, now chairman and CEO of a group of Hong Kong-based companies called Neptus Group, will deliver a Wednesday keynote address titled "Scaling the Great Wall: Dealing With the Opening of China."
Other recently named participants include:
* David Griffith, director of volume management in the Americas for Swedish cellular-telephone maker Ericsson U.S.
* Phil Fioravante, director of strategic planning and marketing for Michigan molder LDM Technologies.
Meanwhile, Hubert Hecker, chairman of German profiles extruder Veka AG, has withdrawn from Sunday's globalization panel, and been replaced by Jim Meinert, international sales manager for mold maker Snider Mold Co. Inc.