The annual Polymer Conference at the Hodson Bay Hotel on Thursday 18th April 2024 brings together Irish and International industry plastics leaders, engineers and scientists to discuss the latest developments and challenges facing the industry through a mix of networking, expert talks and interactive industry displays.
The Conference is held in association with Polymer Technology Ireland and First Polymer Training.
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Press Release – IPG Conference – April 2024
The Irish Polymer Group (IPG) hosted its annual Polymer Conference in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Thursday 18th April 2024. A central date in the Irish polymer industry’s calendar, the Conference has been held in Athlone for over forty years.
Athlone native Declan O’Rourke of Irish Life Sciences delivered the keynote address to a record number of over 200 delegates and exhibitors. This IPG Conference is held in association with Polymer Technology Ireland (PTI) and First Polymer Training Skillnet (FPT Skillnet).
Mr O’Rourke detailed his successful journey as an innovator and entrepreneur in the sector which led to the establishment of family run Irish Life Sciences in 2020 at its award- winning plant in Moydrum, Athlone. At the forefront of innovation and sustainability, the company specialises in custom manufacturing solutions to the life science sector exporting its products all over the world. Mr. O’Rourke was joined by speakers from Europe, the UK and a strong representation from Ireland. Attendees heard about the latest advancements in design, technology, AI, Virtual Reality, sustainability, the circular economy and innovation and how these will be needed to keep the polymer industry in Ireland at the forefront of manufacturing globally.
Speakers included Donough McGrath of Johnson & Johnson VisionCare, Chris O’Hara an I-Form & SFI funded researcher with PEM at ATU Sligo, Colin Meade of Irish Manufacturing Research, Dr. Ciara Buckley of Technical University of the Shannon (TUS) alongside international presenters Bob Struijk of FANUC Europe, Silvio Paesano of Ewikon, Chris Caffrey of AO Recycling and Patrick Gruner of Engel Austria.
A timely panel discussion on the circular economy welcomed Neil Skeffington of Novelplast, Ian Barry of GreenTech Plastics, Dr. Romina Pezzoli of APT, Athlone and Chris Caffrey. In addition, Caitríona Mordan of the Atim Cluster launched Polymer Connect, an all-Ireland initiative funded by Intertrade Ireland to create an interactive map of the sector. Louis Goor of JL Goor and Jacqueline Tyrell of Embankment Plastics acted as session chairs for the day.
Louis Goor, Chairperson of IPG said: “We were delighted with the amazing turnout. With over 200 attendees from industry, research groups and academia there is a clear desire from the Polymer industry to continue to push ahead. We are fortunate to have a world class polymer sector that is at the forefront of technological developments in the medical device, automotive, packaging and manufacturing industries.”
Mark McAuley, Director of Ibec’s PTI added: “Manufacturing in Ireland is one of the high performing engines of the Irish economy with a large number of world class polymer companies going from strength to strength. This is reflected in the quality and energy on display at the Conference.”
Catherine Collins, Manager of FPT Skillnet commented: “It is wonderful to see the Irish polymer industry and the people working within our sector continue to thrive by embracing the latest advancements in technology and the circular economy. FPT Skillnet is delighted to be a conference partner highlighting these developments.”
The large attendance is testament to the growing strength of Ireland’s indigenous polymer industry. The sector is the backbone of Irish manufacturing with world-class processors, with latest figures showing that suppliers and service providers employ nearly 7,000 people across 230 businesses. Athlone plays a central role in the history of the industry with polymer education and research an important offering to students at the Technical University of the Shannon and companies such as 3A Composites, DeltaQ, Irish Life Sciences Medtronic, Ross Polymer Services, Zenith Adhesives, and Rotofab based in Athlone.
Our Keynote Speaker for the day will be Declan O’Rourke, CEO, Irish Life Sciences. Declan will discuss his journey and learnings as CEO of a leading supplier to the Medical Devices sector in Ireland.
Defined Use of Post Industrial Recyclate in Medical Device Applications’ Donough McGrath, Director of Engineering at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Is this possible?? Donough will share his findings.
Conformal Cooling- Christopher O’ Hara, an I-Form & SFI funded researcher with PEM Centre in ATU Sligo and Colin Meade, Additive Technologist, IMR. Christopher and Colin between them will discuss the latest in this cutting edge area of cooling.
Engel – Patrick Grüner, BSc – Sales Director Business Development & Key Account Management ENGEL Austria – will explain their latest technology for a two-stage process on a single machine to incorporate recycled polymers directly into the manufacturing process.
Hot Runners – Silvio Paesano, Senior Hot Runner Expert – Ewikon – Ewikon who are a leader in hot runner design will be discussing how to make hot runner systems even more financially beneficial.
Introduction to AO- Retailer turned Recycler – Chris Caffrey, Business Development Manager at AO Recycling. AO are a UK company who have invested hugely to bring the sophisticated recycling of “White Goods” to a reality. He will explain how they have done this and what we can learn from their experience.
atim Cluster – Polymer Connect.’ – Caitríona Mordan, atim Cluster Manager. atim is a lead partner in Intertrade Ireland project, PolymerConnect, in partnership with NIPA (Northern Ireland Polymer Association). PolymerConnect is a dynamic directory of polymer companies, academic institutions and key sectoral partners across the Island of Ireland. This data-driven platform aims to drive strategic engagement, increase resilience and competitiveness of the national polymer sector.
Polymer Technology Ireland Update – Mark McAuley, Director PTI (IBEC). The latest work and initiatives on behalf of the industry from Polymer Technology Ireland.
First Polymer Training – Virtual Reality for Injection Moulding’. Bringing 21st century training practices to the polymer industry in Ireland. Their experience so far.
Panel Discussion – ‘Building a Circular Future for Plastics’. Participants will include Neil Skeffington- CEO Novelplast, Ian Barry – CEO GreenTech Plastics, and Romina Pezzoli– Applied Packaging Platform Lead at APT.
Fanuc – Bob Struijk, European Business Development Manager at FANUC Europe – AI in Plastic Moulding & Manufacturing: Possibilities and Challenges.
Polymer Research at the Technological University of the Shannon – Ciara Buckley, TUS & APT. What is the latest – TUS and APT provide real support to collaborative projects with industry.
Hodson Bay Hotel has proudly hosted thousands of conferences throughout the years and is known nationally for its warm welcome and attention to detail. The Hodson Bay Hotel has hosted the annual polymer seminar for over twenty years !
Ph: (090) 644 2005
TUS will be sponsoring a Research and Education Marquee at the event which will be available for viewing for the duration of the conference
Declan O’Rourke, CEO, Irish Life Sciences
Declan graduated from Athlone RTC in 1981. The foundation of his career was built in sales roles at BASF, API & Tech Group before moving to Tool & Plastic in 2001. Declan is now CEO of Irish Life Sciences, Athlone.
Donough McGrath, Director of Engineering, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
Donough joined Johnson & Johnson in 1995 and has gained significant experience working in Operations & Quality, having been directly responsible for the design and development of next-generation injection molding cells, high-speed transfer systems, and Ultra-high cavity mold tooling. He has also completed extensive research on sustainable materials and biodegradable polymer alternatives for medical device manufacture.
Donough holds an MSc in Technology Management, and is a final-year Doctor of Engineering (D-Eng) candidate at the University of Limerick. He is an RJG-certified Master Molder, holds researcher access to the Bernal Institute, and is fully trained in Six Sigma Process Excellence and Statistical Engineering disciplines.
Colin Meade, Additive Technologist, IMR
Colin has a B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering and after graduating worked in the medical devices area. Colin has extensive experience in Concept Generation and Refinement, Prototyping, CAD and Design for Additive Manufacturing and has a number of patents at various states of approval. He is currently exploring the potential for adoption and integration of Additive Manufacturing technology into Irish industry. Colin has extensive experience in designing moulds for medical devices and so brings a great deal of analytical and statistical based design to this project. Colin also lectures in Injection Mould Design at TUS.
Christopher O’ Hara, an I-Form & SFI funded Researcher with PEM Centre in ATU Sligo
Chris’ active research focuses on smart injection mould cavities manufactured through metal Additive Manufacturing, featuring conformal cooling channels and sensors. The project outcomes are the results of an 8-person team. He holds a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast, focusing on advanced manufacturing for bio-resorbable polymer bone scaffolds. Additionally, he earned a Bachelor’s in Manufacturing Management from IT Sligo and certifications in project management from the Institute of Project Management and Technological University Dublin. His extensive experience spans designing medical devices, public transport vehicles, and high-volume manufacturing processes in medical device and pharmaceutical sectors through multinational and SME companies. Currently focused on conducting advanced manufacturing research at ATU.
Patrick Grüner – Engel – Solutions for overcoming the challenges of processing recyclates in injection moulding
Patrick Grüner is Sales Director Business Development & Key Account Management – ENGEL AUSTRIA. He has been working at Management Level in Engel on the Development of Circular Economy Solutions, Key Accounts, Market Development & Sales Strategy since 2020. Prior to that Patrick was a Project Manager for Engel Austria leading and co-ordinating complex turn-key projects. His academic background includes Mechatronics, a BSc. In Plastics Engineering and an MSc. Management in Polymer Technologies (Focus: Polymer Processing, Sustainability, Cross Cultural and Global Management, Structure Health Monitoring).
Silvio Paesano, Senior Hot Runner Expert, Ewikon
EWIKON Heißkanalsysteme GmbH
Professional career:
Apprenticeship as a toolmaker
Studied mechanical engineering and precision engineering.
Employed at Ewikon since 1999
Among other things, worked as sales manager, production manager and development manager
Today working as a senior hot runner expert
Focusing on further education and training as well as technical problem analysis
Chris Caffrey, Business Development Manager, AO Recycling
After graduating in Chemistry at Manchester University, Chris Caffrey has worked in the waste and recycling industry for more than 30 years, including the paper, metal and now plastics and WEEE sectors. He was been with AO Recycling (part of the internet retailer AO.com) in Telford, Shropshire since 2018 in a business development role responsible for sourcing and purchasing input feed for both the fridge and plastic recycling plants as well as identifying customers and selling the output materials from both plants. Chris lives in Cheshire with his wife and Bernese Mountain dog and they have two grown up sons.
Caitríona Mordan, ATIM Cluster Manager
Caitríona is Manager for the ATIM (Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing) Cluster where she plays a pivotal role in accelerating industry digital and sustainable transformation of 70+ companies. With a diverse career spanning roles such as EU Project Officer at the ADAPT Centre (The Irish Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence) and Dublin City University, Caitríona boasts a proven track record of facilitating collaborative projects and implementing impact frameworks. She previously worked as Communications and Public Engagement Manager at Engineers Ireland where she led national educational outreach programs and promoted STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiatives. Caitríona sits on a number of boards including Applied Polymer Technology (APT), Irish Polymer Group and CircVET (circular economy practical training tools for manufacturing industries).
Mark McAuley, Director of Polymer Technology Ireland (Ibec)
Mark McAuley is Director of Polymer Technology Ireland. PTI is the national representative organisation for the polymer industry within Ibec. PTI supports the entire polymer supply chain and polymer converters. It runs the polymer technology apprenticeship and the First Polymer Skillnet in Athlone. Ibec is Ireland’s largest lobby and business representative group. Our purpose is to help build a better, sustainable future by influencing, supporting and delivering for business success.
Alan Harrington, Technical Training Specialist at First Polymer Training Skillnet
Alan’s key objective is to develop and deliver training to industry members. He graduated from Athlone I.T. in 1998 with a Diploma in Plastics Engineering and then went onto North London University and graduated with a B.Eng. in Polymer Engineering.
In 2000 he joined Solplax in Tralee Co. Kerry as R & D technician developing water soluble plastic solutions. In 2003 he joined Medtronic (formally Covidien) as an Injection Moulding Technician, within this role Alan was involved in process improvements, new machine/equipment installations and managing tooling repairs/upgrades and project management for new mould builds and injection moulding machine replacements.
Panelist, Romina Pezzoli, Applied Packaging Platform Lead at APT
Dr Romina Pezzoli, Research Fellow at the Polymer, Recycling, industrial, Sustainability and Manufacturing Research Institute (PRISM), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). Dr Pezzoli’s work is dedicated to the development of sustainable packaging solutions. She leads the Applied Packaging Platform (APP) at the Applied Polymer Technologies Gateway, delivering industry-focused packaging innovation projects including national and European-funded projects in reusable packaging, biodegradable packaging, flexible packaging manufacturing, and waste management. Her research focuses on progressing the evolution of packaging materials and manufacturing technologies toward the transition to a sustainable circular economy.
Panelist, Neil Skeffington, CEO Novelplast
Neil is the CEO and Founder of Novelplast. Based in the Gaeltacht in Co Meath since 2019, Novelplast have grown to be the largest PET manufacturing company in Ireland, supplying products into the packaging and fiber markets in Ireland, UK and Europe. Having graduated with a B.Eng in Polymer Engineering from Athlone IT in 2002, Neil has amassed over 20 years experience working mainly in the PET and Polyester value chains, dedicating the last 7 years to recycling. Neil was a finalist in the 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and has big plans for expansion outside of Ireland over the coming years.
Panelist, Ian Barry, CEO GreenTech Plastics
Ian is an experienced industry executive, having founded and lead his first startup in 1994. Since then he has grown, and successfully sold, a number of businesses, most notably in the Plastics Industry. He has a passion for challenging accepted norms to deliver outstanding results in his chosen endeavours.
Greentech is one such passion and, together with a committed team, Greentech has becoming the leading supplier of FDA approved, food contact safe, post consumer plastics.
Ian is convinced that the momentum from a policy and regulatory shift makes this a time of unprecedented opportunity for the plastics industry in Ireland and beyond. He is looking forward to being part of this opportunity both in Ireland and beyond.
Bob Struijk, Vice President Business Development Europe,
FANUC Europe Corp SA.
Bob Struijk is currently FANUC’s European Business Development Manager. He also holds a General Management role for FANUC in Israel. A 25-year veteran in FANUC Europe, he originated in the robotics field and later added the numerical control, machine tool and moulding machine fields as well. Bob holds a PhD from the University of Budapest, Hungary, as well as an MBA from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. He has an engineering degree as technical business engineer and started his career in electronics. For FANUC Bob established many of the Eastern European subsidiaries, as well he founding FANUC companies in Portugal, Finland, Denmark and the Middle East.
Ciara Buckley, TUS & APT
Dr Ciara Buckley is a leading research scientist within Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) and the Polymer, Recycling, Industrial, Sustainability and Manufacturing (PRISM) Research Institute, based on the Midlands campus of the Technological University of the Shannon. The APT Technology Gateway is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.
Dr Buckley is leading industrial applied research with high performing industrial clients along with developing & building on key niche capabilities within PRISM and APT. Dr Buckley graduated from AIT with a first-class honours degree in Biotechnology, before completing a PhD in Polymer Engineering lending her to drive and develop multidisciplinary research within TUS.
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