Teknor Apex strengthens marketing and sales of TPEs in the Americas

Nick Sandland joined Teknor Apex in 2006 as its European market manager for TPEs. He relocated to the US in 2008 to become senior industrial market manager for TPEs. Subsequently he was senior medical market manager. Before joining Teknor Apex, he spent eighteen years in the polymer industry, including ten as a technical service chemist for Zeon Europe’s range of elastomers.  He served in other technical positions with Metzeler Automotive Profiles, Dunlop Precision Rubber, and Federal Mogul Sealing Systems.

“Nick played a key role in setting up direct sales and distribution structures for our TPE business in Europe, and in the US he was instrumental in launching our highly successful Medalist range of medical elastomers,” said Suresh Swaminathan, vice president in charge of the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division. “His extensive experience with both thermoplastic vulcanizate technology and automotive sealing systems, acquired before he came to Teknor Apex, is directly relevant to our recently acquired Sarlink TPV range.”

Elizabeth Ponte joined Teknor Apex in 2001 as a process engineer for the Vinyl Division. She was assistant production manager for the former Rubber Division, served the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division as consumer-product market manager, and until now has been sales representative for the Bioplastics Division’s Terraloy compounds. One of her positions before coming to Teknor Apex was that of quality engineer in the plastics division of Volkswagen AG in a year-long work-study program, the University of Rhode Island’s International Engineering Program, in Germany.

“Liz brings to her new role twelve years of experience in research, engineering, sales, and marketing,” said Sachin Sakhalkar, director of strategic marketing. “She has demonstrated a great capacity for strategic thinking and strength in developing new business.”