Polyurethanes Industry Seeks Nominations for Innovation Award

WASHINGTON, D.C.–April 3, 2013–The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council today announced the call for entries for its 2013 Polyurethane Innovation Award. The award winner will be announced during the 2013 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, which runs from Sept. 23 to 25 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix. Nominations for this year's award must be received by CPI no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 18.

"The creativity and resourcefulness of both companies and individuals within our industry is what makes polyurethanes and its downstream products so exceptional," said Lee Salamone, senior director of CPI. "CPI's annual Polyurethane Innovation Award honors the uniqueness of these visionary technologies, products and initiatives in the global polyurethanes industry as well as the benefits they will bring to both the industry and society."

Eligibility
Award entries in polyurethane chemistry may include finished products, initiatives, training or education programs, or processes or processing equipment. Entries pertaining to a polyurethane product or polyurethane manufacture must relate to polyurethane chemistry defined as the reaction of an isocyanate with a polyol.

Entries must represent new innovations that have not been previously submitted for the Innovation Award and must not have been available for commercial sales longer than 15 months prior to June 18, 2013.

Award Selection
All eligible submissions will be evaluated by a panel of judges comprised of experts representing technical disciplines and the polyurethane supply chain. Judges will evaluate all entries based on impact on the polyurethanes industry, uniqueness of the innovation, quality of the science and societal impact. In addition, conference attendees will vote for one of three finalists during the Polyurethanes Technical Conference's opening session on Monday, Sept. 23. The judges' scores will represent 2/3 of the final score, and the conference attendees' votes will count toward the final 1/3 of the score to determine the 2013 Polyurethane Innovation Award winner.

Award Notification
Finalists will be notified by July 25 and will receive one complimentary, full registration to the 2013 Polyurethanes Technical Conference in Phoenix. During the opening session of the conference, finalists will give a four-minute presentation on their innovation, which will also be featured during the conference poster sessions. The winner of the 2013 Innovation Award will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25, during the closing session of the conference.

The 2012 Innovation Award winner, Huntsman's VITROX® Composite Resins, will also be showcased at this year's conference.

How to Enter
Companies or individuals interested in entering the award program must submit an application no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 18. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. Details on the award, including an entry form, can be found on CPI's website.  

Get the latest updates and conference news on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow @AmChemEvents and use the hashtag #PUtech to join the conversation. For more information on the Innovation Award or the 2013 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, including sponsorship opportunities, please use the links and contact details provided below.

About the American Chemistry Council: ACC represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $720 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.
 
About the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry of the American Chemistry Council: CPI promotes the responsible development of the polyurethanes. Our members are U.S. producers or distributors of chemicals and equipment used to make polyurethane or manufacturers of polyurethane products.