Baltimore-based Novatec Inc. renewed its support of the polymer engineering program at Penn College of Technology in Williamsport, Pa.
Novatec, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of drying, conveying and material-handling systems, extended a two-year entrustment agreement for equipment with a value of about $50,000.
The students get a lab with the latest equipment, which includes from Novatec a desiccant-free dryer, a micro blender, vacuum loaders, a feeder, a loader for a blender, and a NovaWheel dry/convey unit.
Novatec gets a chance to fill its talent pipeline as it does some plastics community service, Tim Noggle, the company's senior vice president of sales, said in an email.
"We have not had a large number of their graduates come through our company as employees, but we remain hopeful of that. Having said that, we still find our investment in their program to pay significant benefits to Novatec and more importantly, to our customers and the industry in general," Noggle said.
He called the instructors and staff at Penn College "incredible" about presenting the best and latest technologies to students.
"In that way, the new graduates entering the plastics industry workforce are prepared to challenge the processing paradigms and make their new employers more efficient and help them and the industry continue to grow," Noggle said. "When processors grow, they improve the industry and in turn, they buy more equipment and we at Novatec have the opportunity to benefit along with the industry overall."
Novatec's entrustment agreement originated in 2010, according to Shanin L. Dougherty, the college's corporate relations officer.
"Their generous entrustment enhances our hands-on education through the use of advanced technology in our labs," Dougherty said in a news release.
Novatec is listed on the college's door wall as a member of the Visionary Society for contributions in the $100,000-$499,999 range.
Part of the company's vision is training the next generation, Noggle said.
"Novatec is continually focused on the future of the plastics industry, and we fully recognize that high-quality, well-educated people are the key to that successful future," Noggle said.
Penn College staff and students also are a good source of feedback about technology and process challenges, and what they feel the industry may need in the future, Noggle added.
"So we look at our support of the program at Penn College as a service to the plastics industry, the college and their staff and students, and also an investment in the future of our business indirectly," he said.
Penn College is one of seven U.S. institutions to offer polymer engineering technology degrees accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc. (ABET).
Students train on industrial-scale processing equipment for bachelor's degrees that lead to engineering positions or associate degrees for technical positions.