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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLASTICS INDUSTRY PLANS MAJOR CONFERENCE IN SOUTH CAROLINA LOWCOUNTRY

GREENVILLE, SC (January 27, 2003) - The Southern Region and Molders Division of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) have announced a joint conference to be held April 6-9, 2003, in Charleston, SC.

With the theme of "Fighting Back - From the Factory Floor to the Customer's Door," the event will be held at the Charleston Place Hotel. The joint conference is expected to draw a large number of molders, extruders, film producers and machinery and resin suppliers, along with original equipment manufacturers, to the South Carolina Lowcountry to discuss the future of the plastics industry and learn ways to improve their productivity, profitability and competitiveness.

Among presentations, conference attendees will hear from Kim W. Simpson, director of process technology for Nypro Inc., a major precision plastics injection molder. In the session, Simpson will explain how the philosophy of lean manufacturing can help minimize waste in all areas of production, helping companies become world-class manufacturers. He will share how Nypro has incorporated many lean manufacturing programs into its operations and how these initiatives have helped Nypro to become a leader in the custom injection molding industry. In the session, attendees will learn how to improve their ability to respond to their customers' needs, keep inventories at minimal levels, lower their investment risk, communicate effectively internally and externally, and reduce setup times, equipment breakdowns and other production impediments.

In another benchmarking session, Wayne Wilson, corporate director for safety and training at United Southern Industries, Inc. (USI), will discuss how USI has been able to reduce its employee turnover rate by 77 percent through implementation of a cost-effective applicant screening process, an employee orientation program and a workforce training initiative. He also will demonstrate how executives can save their company's money, time and resources by learning how to interview only the best-fit applicants, hire the most qualified people and provide consistent employee orientation and meaningful job training.

A highlight of the conference will be a moderated roundtable in which leaders from a wide-range of companies will discuss industry challenges and share their thoughts and solutions. Planned to appear on the panel, which will be moderated by Injection Molding Magazine Contributing Editor Clare Goldsberry, are Jon McClure, president of ISO Poly Film, Michael Urquhart, vice president of sales for Husky Injection Molding Systems, and Richard Brooks, national marketing manager for DuPont Engineering Polymers. Hot issues such as foreign trade, satisfaction of OEM expectations, escalating worker insurance premiums and technology advancements will be discussed. Areas in which SPI can assist the industry also will be identified.

In keeping with tradition, this informative SPI conference will include a plastics industry resin forecast by Howard Rappaport of CMAI and a macro overview for the U.S. economy based on economic indicators, as outlined by a leading economist. A review of SPI's extensive portfolio of plastics industry statistics also will be presented.

Additionally, an occupational safety update covering such important topics as ergonomics, mold safety standards and new injection molding machine standards will be given by SPI Senior Technical Director for Worker and Product Safety Susan Howe and Walt Bishop, executive director of SPI's Machinery, Molders and Moldmakers divisions.

As people do business with people, not companies, this executive-level conference will be ideal for those who are interested in building stronger relationships with their customers and colleagues. The event will start with a southern-style "garden party" reception on the evening of Sunday, April 6. The next afternoon, following a morning of conference session, SPI will host its Southern Golf Classic for both advanced and beginner golfers at the renowned Wild Dunes Harbor Course. For those who want to squeeze a little sightseeing in with their business travels, tours of Charleston's elegant homes and gardens will be available. The conference will conclude with the black tie optional "harbor lights" awards dinner recognizing distinguished industry leaders.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., is the trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI's 1,400 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers. For more information, visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

SPI South serves the association's members in the states of Arkansas, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, visit www.spisouth.org.

The Molders Division is a business unit of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. The mission of the division is to develop and promote the advancement of plastics by communicating within and outside the industry, establishing specification and guidelines on business, technical and skill issues, and acting as a liaison for the industry with public and governmental bodies to promote the growth and image of plastics. For more information on the SPI Molders Division, visit www.plasticmolders.org.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., is the trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI's 1,300 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.5 million workers and provides more than $330 billion in annual shipments. For more information, visit the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

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