This Newsletter from the President of the Australia-New Zealand Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers is highlighting events which are affecting all of us in the plastics industry.
The single most important event in plastics for this month is K Fair at Dusseldorf in Germany. I hope that many of you will make the trip to Europe and will attend so you can discuss issues with global experts and be introduced to many innovations. SPE will be represented at K Fair by the leadership team, i.e. Jason Lyons, President, John Mulholland, President-Elect and Patrick Farrey, CEO. Members are invited for lunch on Sunday 23rd October (register to attend from 11 am to 1 pm Hall 12, Booth F87).
For us in A-NZ the focus is on the “Plastics and Circular Economy Conference” as an in-person event on Tuesday 22ndand Wednesday 23rd November at the Pullman on the Park Hotel, East Melbourne and virtually on Thursday evening 24th November. We have made many changes compared to previous years with this event and we are proud that we can present a much more interactive program allowing contributions from all attending. The effort will be headed by Helen Millicer and Hamed Ghajarnia. For program and registration see:
Another important occasion for the plastics industry is the new Plastics Pollution Treaty which UNEP is preparing for 2024. In A-NZ the Federal Government is holding information sessions with industry and other interested parties. I am surprised and concerned that not more people in our local plastics industry have brought up the subject. It is not only about plastics packaging but covering all plastics applications so many of you will be affected.
I am also pleased to announce that we will have a new team for the local Section on Thursday 13th October 2022 when I will be handing over the Presidency to Hamed Ghajarnia at the AGM 2022. All of you are welcome to attend this evening at Woodlands Golf Club which also includes a presentation by Jeroen Wassenaar from Qenos on “The Qenos Circular Economy Plastics Project”. For the program and registration see:
As a last point in this Newsletter I can report that SPE headquarters has elected me as an Honored Service Member of the SPE at ANTEC - 2022 at Charlotte, North Carolina, USA in June 2022. I need to thank the leadership team of the A-NZ Section under the guidance from our Fellow, Russell Speight, for the support for this nomination and election and all of you for making the Section such a contributing association to the plastics industry in A-NZ, and last but not least, my wife Susie, for supporting me for all these years servicing the plastics industry.
Han Michel
President
SPE: A-NZ Section Ltd
Mobile: 0416 168 255