Following long-standing practice, ANTEC 2010 marks the beginning of one-year terms for new officers of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). The society installs Ken J. Braney as its new President, succeeding Dr. Paul G. Andersen. Braney is Managing Director of Thermoforming Solutions Ltd., based in the UK. At ANTEC 2011, Braney will be succeeded by the new President-elect, Russell C. Broome, who is Global Business Development Manager for PolyOne Corporation.

Danish Melitek A/S has welcomed Klaas Sipkens as Technical Sales Manager in its team.

Volker Scheel and Andreas Stuber have additionally been appointed as Managing Directors of Norddeutsche Ueberseegesellschaft in Hamburg mbH and of Transeurasia GmbH and thus will also be the Managing Directors for K. D. Feddersen GmbH & Co. KG. Scheel and Stuber will represent the companies each with sole power of representation.

The International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, Inc. (IISRP) will honour two of its outstanding leaders at its next AGM in Dubai, UAE, in April 2010.

Thierry de Barneville was recently appointed as ExxonMobil Chemical’s new global polyolefins automotive Sales Manager, located in Paris, France.

Patrice Barthelmes, 52, has been appointed CEO of Eliokem. Since 1999, Barthelmes served as Vice President (VP) and Director for the Packaging & Building Materials Division of Rohm & Haas until its buyout by Dow in 2009, where he was appointed VP and Group Director for its Adhesives & Functional Polymers Division.

Steve Henderson has been appointed President of Dow Auto­motive, replacing Peter Sykes who assumed the role of President Greater China for Dow.

Ralf Brinkmann has been named President of Dow Germany and Chairman of the Board of Dow Deutschland Inc. He succeeds Markus Wildi. In addition, Brinkmann is Commercial Vice President, Basic Chemicals and Performance Products & Systems, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Kraton announced that Jeanne Kendrick, Regional Business Manager for North American Paving and Roofing, was named "2010 Person of the Year," by the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP). The award was given in recognition of outstanding leadership and commitment to the organisation, said the SBC supplier in a statement issued 26 February.

VTC TPE Group has announced the appointment of two new members to its European technical sales team.