PROCEEDINGS - Industries of the Future - West Virginia - West ...

Industries of the Future — West Virginia
Program of the WVDO for assisting the glass industry. The most recent WVDO/EE Program support
was for the Glass Industry Technical Initiative (GITI) Program, which is currently in progress.
Chemicals Industry Group Breakout Session
Session Chairs: Bill Forrester, Bayer, Inc.
Doug Faulkner, U.S. DOE, Office of Industrial Technologies
Bruce Cranford, U.S. DOE, Office of Industrial Technologies
Garth Thomas, WVUIT, Chemical Engineering
Gene Cilento, WVU, Chemical Engineering
Introduction
The Vision 2020 document for the chemical industry was ratified in 1997 by the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Chemical
Manufacturers Association (CMA), and the Council for Chemical Research (CCR). At recent annual
meetings of these societies, subcommittees have been forming to develop the roadmap for
implementation of this Vision. These subcommittees, which include representatives from academia,
industry and government, will develop strategic plans for chemical measurements, unit operations,
computers, biotechnology and catalysis. Considerable work will be needed by many volunteers to
formulate and implement this roadmap for the chemical industry. There will be many challenges and
opportunities in doing so, and the WV chemical industry needs to take a lead role in this effort.
In June 1997, a group of chemical industry leaders met at the University to discuss Vision 2020
as it pertains to the state chemical industry and the DOE Industry of the Future (IOF) program. At this
meeting, a subgroup of these representatives formed to continue the discussion on issues pertaining to
this industry. Several meetings were held at the WV CMA Office prior to the IOF-WV Inaugural
meeting in Charleston on December 1-2, 1997. A significant priority of this subgroup is the
improvement of the overall business climate in West Virginia, issues which will be best addressed by the
CMA and chemical industry leaders in the State.
At the inaugural IOF-WV meeting, an important technical focus of the chemical industry
breakout group was the expansion of the polymer industry in the State. The subgroup supported the
idea of David Stanton and George Keller to explore the idea of attracting recreational equipment
manufacturers into West Virginia. Presently, while all the polymers needed to make such equipment are
produced in the State, there are no sporting goods manufacturers located here. Such companies would
be attractive to continued West Virginia economic development.
The overall discussion for this first IOF-WV meeting was excellent. Several strong
recommendations evolved from the chemical industry breakout group. Two are restated here: (1)
determine the feasibility of attracting manufacturers of recreational equipment to West Virginia; and (2)
help develop a polymer processing center and expanded programs at the University to support the state
chemical industry. The chemical industry subgroup will lead the effort to explore the all key ideas
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