| The Conair Group has added several key players to the multi-disciplinary team that is tasked with providing PET processors around the world with products and services to meet their unique requirements. The all-star team includes representatives from engineering, sales, project management and service, who are based not only in North America, but also in Asia and Latin America. The team, which has a total of over 150 years of experience in the field, is headed by Jamie Jamison, Global PET/Packaging General Manager. |
“The entire PET material handling and conditioning process is critical to making quality products. Processors – including those that produce bottles, preforms, sheet, fiber and strapping – have special needs that Conair is well-positioned to answer,” Jamison commented. “The new additions to our PET Team are further evidence of Conair’s commitment to supporting PET processors around the world.”
Jamison, who has over 20 years of experience in drying and PET processing, has been on the team since its formation in July 2008. Gene Flockerzi, also one of the original team members, was recently named Vice President of Sales – PET/Packaging. He has been with Conair for over 20 years. New members of the team include:
- Bryan Terry, a 14-year auxiliary-equipment veteran, who now works on system start-up, service, training and troubleshooting;
- Brad Erdmann, Sales Representative, handling key PET/Packaging accounts;
- Jim Davis, Account Manager, responsible for identifying system components and pricing.
They join Pete Stoughton, internationally recognized expert on polymer drying and a 30+ year Conair veteran, Blake Steele, Project Manager, John Hoover, Parts Analyst, and Greg Carter, Service Specialist.
Recognizing the global nature of the PET-processing market, Conair also has built up its corps of international PET specialists. Leo Su, who was recently named Managing Director of Conair in Taiwan, now heads the PET/Packaging team tasked with serving China as well as Taiwan and Southeast Asia. He is supported by Winson Huang, who coordinates PET projects in China. Satish Godse works with PET customers in India, using the NuVu-Conair joint-venture factory in Ahmedabad as his home base.
PET processors in Latin America are served by specialists from North America and from Conair Mexicana in Guadalupe, Nueva Leon (Monterrey).
“PET is a technically challenging material, applications are critical, and many of our customers process extremely high volumes,” Explains Gene Flockerzi. “These companies are highly knowledgeable and quite demanding, so we need to field a team that is just as smart and right on top of the latest trends and technology. The Conair PET Team has just one purpose: helping these companies – wherever they are in the world – stay competitive by optimizing their process, cutting costs and increasing efficiency.”
In this challenging environment, Conair excels, delivering the breadth of equipment, the advanced technology and the comprehensive knowledge and experience that it takes ensure low energy costs, high yields and optimum end product quality. In 2007, Conair introduced the EnergySmart™ polymer drying system, which gives high-volume PET users comprehensive control over every aspect of the entire drying process, making it possible to optimize settings and produce high-quality finished products more efficiently. At the same time, the unique two-stage drying process actually recycles hot dry air that would otherwise be drained through the system’s return-air heat exchanger. In 2009, Conair developed a single-stage EnergySmart system (ES-1), which brings many of the advantages of the original two-stage design but in a smaller, more affordable configuration. It features an Optimizer™ Mode control, which regulates not only air temperature, but also dew point and air flow based on data from the patented Conair Drying Monitor™. Just enough heat energy is added to the bed of material in the drying hopper to maintain optimum conditions while saving energy and producing high-quality finished products more efficiently. Once the proper conditions are established, they can be locked in with the touch of a finger.
The EnergySmart drying systems can save PET preform molders 45% or more on drying energy. Customers already are reporting energy savings of up to 66% as compared to conventional desiccant dryers.
Conair integrates these high efficiency drying systems into complete plant installations that can also include material-handling, blending, process temperature control, film and sheet extrusion controls and scrap reclaim systems. Conair also has global manufacturing, engineering, installation, service and support capabilities – including long-standing partnerships with manufacturers of molding and extrusion equipment – to bring everything together successfully. This assures processors that critical material properties are preserved and the process runs consistently and efficiently for maximum profitability.
