2027 Annual Meeting Track Sessions
Business & Markets
Monday, April 12 - 10:40 am – 11:40 am
From Economic Signals to Business Decisions
Tilsa Oré Mónago, Rice University.
Following the keynote, join Tilsa Oré Mónago for an interactive discussion on translating economic signals into business decisions. Participants will examine how developments in energy and raw materials, trade policy, supply chains, regulation, customer demand, and sustainability may affect different parts of the cast polyurethane value chain. Through audience questions and practical scenarios, the session will explore how manufacturers and suppliers can identify their most important exposures, distinguish short-term volatility from structural change, and stress-test decisions involving pricing, inventories, sourcing, investment, and market diversification. Attendees are encouraged to bring examples and questions from their own businesses.
Monday, April 12 - 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Building a Brand Customers Want to Connect With
Angela Morgan, Enduro Pipeline Services
She’s back—and she’s bringing the hats! Following last year’s session, How Brand & Customer Experience Build Trust Anywhere, Enduro Pipeline Services’ marketing department of one returns with fresh examples, familiar yellow, and a deeper look at how creative branding, customer education, and service build lasting connections. Your questions helped shape this year’s session: How do you keep customers engaged? How do you turn their feedback into action? And where does AI fit?
Discover how Enduro uses customer conversations, hands-on classes, website analytics, and AI to understand customer needs and turn technical expertise into useful education. From hats customers ask for to answers that help them make informed decisions, explore how every interaction can strengthen your brand and earn trust. Whether you attended last year or are joining for the first time, you’ll leave with practical tips for connecting with—and educating—your audience at trade shows, on your website, and in everyday customer conversations.
Tuesday, April 13 - 10:45 am – 11:45 am
Creating and Maintaining a Winning Website
Becky Bracy, COIM USA
A winning website starts with a strong strategy—and succeeds through thoughtful execution and ongoing care. This session explores how to choose the right web development partner, establish a realistic development timeline, and make informed decisions that shape effective website content. Attendees will also learn practical approaches to website maintenance, security, and using metrics and analytics to measure performance and guide continuous improvement.
EHS & Regulatory
Monday, April 12 - 10:40 am – 11:40 am
Safe Handling of Prepolymers and MOCA: Follow the Clues to Hidden Exposure Risks
Piper Howell, Stellana US & Tori Muters, Redwood Plastics and Rubber
Join us for an interactive, investigation-style session exploring the safe handling of prepolymers and MOCA. Through real-world-inspired scenarios, attendees will examine clues, uncover potential exposure pathways, and work together to determine what happened, how it happened, and what could have prevented it. We'll look beyond the obvious hazards to highlight how everyday workplace practices can contribute to unexpected exposures, with practical takeaways to bring back to the workplace.
Monday, April 12 - 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Mold and Tool Cleaning
Chris Goeloe, Anderson Development Company; Piper Howell, Stellana US; Paul Waite, Era Polymers Corporation LLC; Robert Czeiszperger, Anderson Development Company
Join a panel of PMA members for a town hall-style discussion on tips, techniques, and best practices for cleaning molds, tools, and equipment in polyurethane processing facilities. Panelists will discuss various cleaning materials and methods, share their experiences, and offer practical advice. Audience questions and participation are encouraged.
Tuesday, April 13 - 10:40 am – 11:40 am
Legal & Legislative Issues Impacting the Polyurethane Industry
Paul Waite, Era Polymers Corporation & Don Gallo, Gallo Law
Join PMA Legal Counsel Don Gallo and the PMA Government Affairs Chair Paul Waite for an in‑depth roundtable discussion on the rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape affecting the polyurethane industry. This session will provide members with timely insights into key developments including federal court decisions reshaping TSCA risk‑evaluation standards, TSCA fee reauthorization, recent progress and settlements in the In re: Diisocyanates Antitrust Litigation, and ongoing trade actions. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how these legal and legislative shifts may influence compliance obligations, supply chains, and strategic planning across the industry. This roundtable is designed to help PMA members stay informed, anticipate regulatory impacts, and engage proactively in advocacy efforts that support the continued safe, responsible, and competitive use of polyurethane chemistries.
Operations & Production
Monday, April 12 - 10:40 am – 11:40 am
Engineering Properties of Polyurethane
Matt Sennett, UBE - Urethanes USA LLC
Polyurethane exhibits unique viscoelastic and non-linear behavior. Understanding, characterizing, and predicting the material response is critical to the design of effective parts in any application. This session will cover material behavior, key engineering properties and how they relate to part design, and common characterization methods to measure these properties.
Monday, April 12 - 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Smarter PU Production: Exploring Plant Level Automation and Software Solutions
Lance Allen, Dicar, Inc.
As automation technology continues to evolve, polyurethane manufacturers have new opportunities to improve production efficiency, monitor equipment performance, and make better use of manufacturing data. Building on his previously presented technical paper, Open-Source SCADA Platform for Polyurethane Manufacturing, Lance Allen of Dicar will lead an interactive discussion exploring the role of plant level automation software in PU production. Attendees are encouraged to share their experiences, ask questions, and discuss practical applications, implementation challenges, and opportunities for integrating automation solutions into their manufacturing operations.
Tuesday, April 13 - 10:45 am – 11:45 am
Integrating Green Chemistry into High-Performance PU Design
George Brereton, UBE - Urethanes USA LLC
What does green chemistry really mean for polyurethane elastomers, and how can manufacturers distinguish meaningful sustainability initiatives from greenwashing? This session will explore the principles of green chemistry and their application to PU elastomer design, with a focus on evaluating materials and verifying environmental claims. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how to identify credible green chemistry practices while maintaining a focus on high-performance polyurethane applications.
*Sessions and speakers are subject to change
|
