Feb 4 2009
The Plastics Environmental Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) is pleased to announce the finalists for a competition at the Clean Technology Business Forum to be held during SPE's Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC) 2009. The conference takes place on February 25-27 in Orlando, FL.
The competition will provide an opportunity for six early-stage companies developing clean technologies for the plastics and polymer industry to showcase their innovations before an audience of plastics industry leaders and investors. These finalists will make their presentations on February 26, the second day of GPEC.
"This diverse group of enterprising companies will disclose innovative technologies ranging from alternative energy sources to bioplastics to new approaches in the fields of photodegradable plastics and solid waste recycling," said Eric Koester, the Clean Technology Business Forum Coordinator. "SPE's forum will provide a unique opportunity for the industry to discover cutting-edge clean and green technologies while still in their formative phases. The finalist companies will offer an exciting look at the future of the plastics."
The finalists of the 2009 Clean Technology Business Forum competition are:
- Cool Energy, Inc., a solar energy equipment company located in Boulder, CO, is focused on the development and implementation of systems that can cost-effectively harness the sun's energy to provide heat and electricity for homes and business. www.coolenergyinc.com
- Exotech Bio Solutions Ltd., manufactures biocompatible and biodegradable superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for use in the personal hygiene, pharmaceutical, food, environmental and agricultural markets. ExoSAP has the same absorbent properties as competing materials, plus the advantages of being biodegradable and less expensive to produce.
- FRX Polymers, Inc., is a pilot-stage specialty polymer company which is developing a patent-protected family of environmentally friendly, inherently flame retardant, transparent, high-flow engineering thermoplastics. www.FRXpolymers.com
- Polyflow LLC, is commercializing patent-pending alternative energy technology that makes it possible to convert mixed-waste polymers into monomers, the feedstock used by petrochemical companies to make polymers. The major product of the Polyflow process is styrene, a feedstock for polystyrene and other polymers. The process is a low-cost alternative to existing methods for producing styrene. www.polyflowcorp.com
- PolyNew, Inc. blends PLA with other plastics for use in solid and foamed tray prototypes for microwaveable food and other packaging applications. PolyNew is commercializing a series of bioplastic formulations in standard pellet form that could be used in a wide variety of applications. www.polynewinc.com
- SunBrite Packaging Company, Inc., has developed packaging that has the same appearance and applications as polystyrene foam for food and beverage packaging and is engineered to photodegrade in the environment, both on land and in water. After use, the power of light is harnessed to degrade this packaging material in a matter of weeks to months, depending on the photoaccelerant concentration present. http://sunbritecups.com
A judging panel made up of investment professionals and industry experts in sustainability will select the top two companies based on their presentations. The awards will be presented at a banquet on February 26. Winning companies will receive cash prizes sponsored by Battelle.
The judging panel includes:
- Jamie Boyd, Senior Vice President, Cascadia Capital
- Neil Cameron, Advanced Materials Specialist, Emerald Technology Ventures
- Tony Deligio, Senior Editor, Modern Plastics Worldwide
- Rick Heggs, Director of Biobased Materials Strategy, Battelle
- Cathleen Hess, Head of Sustainability, SABIC Innovative Plastics
- P.M. Subramanian, SPM Technologies
- Eric Koester, Cooley Godward Kronish LLP (Program Coordinator & Moderator)
SPE's GPEC conference takes place February 25-27 in Orlando, Florida, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort – Walt Disney World®. Information on GPEC and online registration are available at www.4spe.org.