January 21, 2015
Corporate Process Manager Kimberly Williamson to Discuss Sustainability and Benefits of Environmentally Friendly Programs
CLINTON, Tenn., January 21, 2015 – Techmer PM, a leading producer of value-added colors and additives for the plastics and fiber industries, is pleased to announce that its Corporate Process Manager Kimberly Williamson will discuss Techmer PM’s perspective on sustainability and how it benefits the plastics industry during a presentation at the ANTEC® conference in Orlando, Fla., on March 23-26. Several Techmer PM representatives also will attend NPE2015, an international plastics exposition, which commences March 23 in Orlando as well.
Mrs. Williamson’s presentation, “Compounded Returns for Sustainability,” will discuss the industry’s changing attitudes about sustainability since environmental concerns began to emerge in the 80s and 90s. She will explore financial misconceptions about how sustainable practices affect a company’s net profit. Using Techmer PM as a case study, she will highlight examples of how Techmer PM incorporated environmentally friendly practices into its long-term strategic and operating plans.
The presentation will help attendees learn how Techmer PM was able to lower its operational costs and add to its bottom line by applying Lean manufacturing principles and problem-solving techniques toward waste, energy, and water reduction. In addition, Mrs. Williamson will offer perspective about how Techmer PM’s environmental practices can be benchmarked for any industry.
“At Techmer PM, we are deeply committed to being an environmentally responsible company, so it’s with great pride that Kimberly can share the progress we have made toward this goal, ” said Ryan Howley, president. “Throughout our seven manufacturing locations, we are vigilant about monitoring our energy usage, as well as promoting and participating in recycling programs.”
Under Howley’s direction, Techmer PM has implemented both process and culture change initiatives that have significantly cut the company’s amount of waste sent to landfill. In the last year alone, it reduced the amount of waste to landfill by over 30 percent after a 50 percent reduction in 2013. Much of the reduction took place at Techmer PM’s headquarters in Clinton, Tenn., where the company’ sustainability team provided recycling centers throughout the facility. They also created an incentive program to encourage participation, in addition to stepping up education about recycling.
Mrs. Williamson is tentatively scheduled to speak on March 24 at 4:30 p.m.
ANTEC®, produced by the Society of Plastics Engineers, is the largest technical conference in the plastics industry. It will run concurrently with NPE2015, the plastics exposition produced by SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association. Both events will take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. For more information, visit www.4spe.org and www.npe.org.
About Kimberly Williamson
Kimberly Williamson has worked in the plastics industry for nearly ten years and is responsible for corporate continuous process improvement and systems management at Techmer PM in Clinton, Tenn. Her functional experience includes facilitation, application of Lean manufacturing principles, process optimization, and sustainable process improvement.
Outside of Techmer PM, she is actively involved in workforce development and benchmarking industry best practices in the East Tennessee area. She helped found a manufacturing roundtable where local businesses come together to discuss and improve issues that are common to all members. She also serves as the chair for an advisory board for Pellissippi State Community College where national curriculums are being developed to improve workforce development.
Mrs. Williamson received a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree in physics from Berry College and a B.S. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
About Techmer PM
Techmer PM, LLC, is a major producer of value-added masterbatch and engineered compounds for the plastics and fiber industries. The company manufactures and sells masterbatch under its Techmer PM brand and engineered thermoplastic compounds through its Techmer ES subsidiary. The company has worldwide manufacturing capabilities focusing on high-performance applications where quality, technical support, and problem solving are critical. Techmer PM was recently recognized by Plastics News on its “Best Places to Work 2014” list. Learn more about the company by visiting techmerpm.com.