Michelman, a global manufacturer of environmentally friendly advanced materials for industry offering solutions for the coatings and printing, has announced that the company invested in its fibres & composites business segment by adding two new associates to better anticipate and serve its customers’ needs in the Reinforced Plastic Composites market.

 

James Chantler, PhD, joins Michelman as its new global technology director for fibres & composites. Dr Chantler, a glass fibre industry veteran, has held several positions, including business manager, global research manager, and material development engineer for PPG Industries, Reichhold, and GAF. He was most recently the research & development director for Nippon Electric Glass (NEG-US), where he led the strategy for new product development, intellectual property, and global product transfer & integration. His industry knowledge and technical expertise will allow Michelman to broaden its fibre sizing and surface technology portfolio and help the composite industry achieve increased performance and accelerate the adoption of new and novel concepts.

 

Lauren Hickey joins Michelman as its global marketing manager for fibres & composites. Hickey has spent over 20 years in senior marketing positions such as business manager, senior global marketing manager, and global director of marketing & product management for companies such as Invacare Corporation, PolyOne, and  Americhem. She will use her experience in plastics and polymer material product portfolio management to direct our efforts with reinforced plastic composites.

 

“We have led the industry with our fiber sizing and surface modification solutions for years, consistently bringing both value and leading innovation. We continue to differentiate ourselves as the Interface Experts and help fiber producers and composite manufacturers produce stronger, lighter, and more durable composite parts. Dr. Chantler and Ms. Hickey will help implement several strategic Fibers & Composites growth initiatives, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Michelman team,” Andrew Michelman, Michelman’s chief business development officer and EVP for fibres & composites, said in a press release.

 

Michelman invites to learn more about Hydrosize, the company’s versatile line of fibre sizing that allows customers to tailor the surface chemistry of reinforcement fibres to the chemistry of the matrix resin, thereby optimising the interface adhesion between the polymers and fibres.