Americhem U 2017 Kicks Off with "5 Effective Ways to Control Color" Webinar

Our Americhem U educational series is in full swing with fresh topics including a new color trends forecast. The series features upcoming dates for our three part webinar class in addition to Lunch and Learn sessions in Dalton, GA, and at Americhem World Headquarters in Cuyahoga Falls, OH.

Our first webinar, 5 Effective Ways to Control Color, took place on January 17, 2017 and featured an in depth look at controlling color in the manufacturing by color expert Rick Mathews.

Each session is hosted by an Americhem color expert well known in the industries the company serves including synthetic fibers, building and construction and automotive. Offering education on an array of topics, the 2017 Americhem U series includes:

Three Part Webinar Series:

           Topic: 5 Effective Ways to Control Color

           When: Tuesday, January 17, 2017 2:00-3:00 p.m.
           Missed part one of our three part webinar series? View it Here

           Topic: How to Make Better Color Decisions and Generate Less Scrap
           When: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 2:00-3:00 p.m.
           Click to Register

           Topic: Effective Color Design to Improve Your Products' Performance
           When: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 2:00-3:00 p.m.
           Click to Register

Dalton, GA, Lunch and Learns: 

What: Designing Color Masterbatches

When: Thursday, February 16, 2017, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.

Why: Discover why design is a differentiator in the world of color and additive masterbatches. Explore the concepts of dispersion and rheology and learn why color design is key for end-product consistency and stabilization.

What: The Value of Using the CMC Tolerancing System

When: Thursday, March 23, 2017, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.

Why: Learn how the CMC tolerancing system helps ensure consistency and accuracy throughout the supply chain and from one batch of material to the next. Based on the color discrimination threshold of the human eye, CMC represents a significant upgrade from other color tolerancing models such as ΔE.

What: Fundamentals of Controlling Color

When: Thursday, May 18, 2017, 11 a.m. –  1 p.m.

Why: Unlock the secrets to controlling color in the manufacturing process. Identify and learn to manage sources of variation. Learn about communication of color standards and the proper use of standards and spectrophotometers. Also, learn the strengths and limitations of instrumental color management.

What: 2018–2019 Color Trends Forecast

When: Thursday, September 21, 2017, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Why: Realize the power of determining consumer color preferences with our annual color trends forecast. The unique color palettes help you achieve color harmony. Developed in partnership with a well-known fashion design house in Milan, our forecast will help you prepare for the hippest, hottest colors in 2018, 2019 and beyond.

All classes held at Dalton Golf and Country Club, 333 Country Club Way, Dalton, GA 30721

RSVP: Email Tracy Reilly at TGReilly@americhem.com

Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Lunch and Learn:

            What: How We See, Measure and Manage Color

            When: Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

            Where: Americhem World Headquarters, 2000 Americhem Way, Cuyahoga Falls, OH. 44221       

Why: Enjoy a full day of valuable, hands-on learning at Americhem U. Join us at Americhem World Headquarters for two insightful classes. First, discover the unseen aspects of color that drive product design. Learn how to choose the right color to perform in your product applications. Then roll up your sleeves for a hands-on color measurement workshop where you’ll learn to set meaningful color tolerances.

RSVP: Email Sydney Gardner at SGardner@americhem.com

International Builders’ Show Takes Orlando

Orlando was buzzing this past week as Design and Construction Week took place. This event includes the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.

IBS was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from January 10 to 12. The show is hosted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and is a great opportunity for our building and construction team to visit our customers’ displays and to see the latest products, materials and technologies, many of which we have contributed to.

This year’s show was well attended and featured 1,500 exhibitors, 160+ education sessions and over 80,000 attendees. The entire event was filled with positive vibes.  Many booths infused the fun of Orlando with their products, featuring music and interactive displays.

The Building and Construction industry is investing heavily in new technologies and applications, trying to innovate and bring new products to market.  The sentiment from the show was “cautiously optimistic” about 2017 but very positive about continued growth in years to come. 

Our building and construction team was able to visit with many of our customers and discuss the future of the industry. Our annual attendance at the International Builders’ Show ensures that we will be able to anticipate customer needs and develop products to meet those needs.

Mark Juve, Business Director, Building & Construction

Roughing It Never Looked so Good

Outdoor Retailers Take Salt Lake City by (Snow) Storm

Americhem made its first visit to the Outdoor Retailer’s Winter Market trade show in Salt Lake City this past week. We wanted to learn more about how our solution dyed fibers and additives make it into thousands of fabric and plastic products displayed at the show. Though we don’t always know the exact items where our concentrates are used, it was obvious that there are a vast number of applications using polyester, nylon, polypropylene and other synthetic materials in the outdoor

market. A key customer and exhibitor has been encouraging us to attend this show for years, and we’re grateful that we took their advice this year.

The Outdoor Retailers show has two versions each year – winter and summer – and they have all been held in Salt Lake City for the last two decades. We spoke with show management to more learn about the relative size of this year’s event. Roughly 1,100 companies displayed, occupying more than 400,000 square feet of exhibit space. Exhibitors filled every nook and cranny of the Salt Palace Convention Center, using the dedicated trade show space, but also meeting rooms, ballrooms, hallways and lobbies. Representatives for the Outdoor Industry Association, the show’s organizer, told us that the summer show is even bigger, as nearly 500 additional exhibitors take residency in several large semi-permanent tent structures on the convention center grounds. Although final attendance figures have not yet been released, the association expected roughly 22,000 attendees.

Everything that could possibly be used by an outdoorsman was on display here. Products using

synthetic fabrics included backpacks, tents, apparel (by far the largest category), sleeping bags and mats, pillows, ropes, wind shelters, and even dog accessories. In fact, this was the first trade show we’ve attended where dogs were part of the audience. They walked the aisles with their human counterparts, even wearing appropriate show credentials on their collars. In a nice promotion, some of these canines were up for adoption from a local shelter, and wore signs that said, “I fly home free.”

Innovation abounded in such products as flameless cooking systems, outdoor heating blankets, campfire control devices, and more. The show, with regular exhibition hours Tuesday through  

One of the many dogs that roamed the floor
of the Outdoor Retailers Winter Market 2017

Thursday, was kicked off by the All-Mountain Demo on Monday at a local ski resort. Visitors were able to use not only skis and accessories, but snowboards, snowshoes, winter camping gear, jackets, gloves, boots and more. Tuesday’s festivities included a fashion show featuring trends and the latest looks from the outdoor industry. Other events throughout the week included seminars, parties and receptions. The show also hosted the Outdoor Inspiration Awards, celebrating those that inspire and encourage others in their communities to enjoy, participate in and support outdoor activities and the outdoor industry.

The event was not without controversy. Peter Metcalf, founder of Black Diamond, a manufacturer of equipment for climbing, skiing and mountain sports, wrote an op-ed piece in the Salt Lake City Tribune entitled, “Time for Outdoor Retailers toLeave Utah and its Anti-Recreation Politics.” Essentially, Metcalf accused Utah Governor Gary Herbert and Utah’s congressional delegation of running an anti-public lands agenda, including withholding of funding for public lands, transferring ownership of U.S. lands to state ownership, and working to reverse President Obama’s designation of the Bear’s Ears National Monument in Southeast Utah on December 28.

This highly-charged column was the talk of local radio and TV newscasts throughout the week, at times counterbalancing stories about the economic impact the two annual shows have on the

Slacklining demonstrations took place on the show floor.

municipal and state economies. Metcalf called for the association to leave Utah “in disgust” when its contract expires in 2018. Metcalf was not alone in his criticism, as Patagonia and other companies called for the same action. Gov. Herbert fired back, indicating that opposition to the Bear’s Ears monument was rooted in the process by which the designation took place. He asserted that state and local authorities were not consulted before the announcement, even though they are prime stakeholders.

This type of controversy has plagued the show before. In 2004, the association threatened to pull the shows out of Utah over a similar perceived threat to Utah’s public lands. In response, then Gov. Mike Leavitt worked with local governments to expand the Salt Palace in order to appease the association.

Beyond the politics, this show was a marvel to behold. Regardless of the controversy, it is apparent that the outdoor products industry is thriving. Its impact includes millions of jobs and billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. Its global impact is profound, as evidenced by a large contingent of international exhibitors. We look forward to attending the summer show to learn more ways that Americhem can bring innovation to an already innovative industry.

Scott Blanchard
Corporate Marketing & Communications Manager

 

 

Year in Review: Giving Back 2016

Happy New Year Americhem! We are proud to have given back in 2016 both in our local communities and on a global scale.

We are honored to be able to support several organizations this season. Throughout the year, Americhem’s facilities in the Americas raised money for United Way, while also donating food and other goods to families in need this holiday season. We set high goals, and strive to exceed them all while having fun and serving our communities. Our plants across the US host chili cook-offs with employees competing for the top cook title, food drives for local school children and entire days of service in hopes of bringing joy and an extra hand to our neighbors.

Our dedication to our communities expands to a global scale with our annual holiday card. In lieu of paying for printing and postage for our annual card, Americhem sent an ecard and donated all funds saved to UNICEF on behalf of our customers.

Americhem is proud to have a workforce so dedicated to making a difference. As one of our guiding principles, our employees strive to live the Americhem values in and out of the workplace. As an organization, we value those who go the extra mile. Lonnai Meraci of Vi-Chem was recognized this year at our annual Sales and Managers’ Meeting for her efforts to improve the lives of others.

When Lonnai Meraci first joined Vi-Chem in 2003, the company participated in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk. The walk gives the community an opportunity to unite and honor breast cancer survivors and raise awareness. The money raised helps the American Cancer Society fund ground breaking research, provide support and mammograms to those who normally would not be able to.

Since then, Lonnai has participated in the walk every year. She has taken the lead to pull 14 or more people to walk every year, and raised thousands of dollars. Her passion continues to build awareness and participation each year.

Americhem hopes to continue to work and inspire our employees, partners and communities to give a little extra in  2017!