Note from SPE Headquarters
As the year comes to a close, we would like to thank you for your participation in SPE and wish you a happy holiday. May Peace, Joy, Hope and Happiness be yours during this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year.

ANTEC 2004 Technical Paper Update
Over 800 technical papers are presently being peer-reviewed by SPE Divisions and SIGs for presentation at the ANTEC 2004 Conference May 16-20 at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Early Bird Registration is now underway and will remain open until January 31. http://www.4spe.org/semconf/antec/antec04.htm

Are SPE Dues Tax Deductible?
The legal counsel of a large New York-based engineering society delivered an opinion, derived from interpretation of two rulings from the Internal Revenue Service, that a portion of Society dues are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution if certain conditions are met.

In the case of SPE, the amount of $69 can be deducted as a charitable contribution if you itemize contributions. This sum is the difference between total dues ($107) and the amount applied as a member subscription to Plastics Engineering ($38), as stated on the dues invoice.

The full sum of $107 can be used to compile the aggregate amount of miscellaneous deductions, of which that in excess of 2% of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income can be deducted. Remember, however, you can’t deduct any portion of your dues twice. It’s an “either or” situation.

DOE Backs Cargill Biomass Project
Cargill, based in Minneapolis, reports that it has received a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a platform of new industrial chemicals from soy and other oilseeds. The platform would serve as the foundation for an oilseed biorefinery in the future. more...

Optimizing the Supply Chain
Online Presentation
January 22, 2004
11:00 AM Eastern / 8:00 AM Pacific / 4:00 PM GMT
http://www.4spe.org/trainingeducation/olt/040122.htm

GPEC 2004 Global Plastics Environmental Conference
Plastics - Helping to Grow a Greener Environment
February 18-19, 2004
Detroit, Michigan
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/conferences/0402gpec.htm

International Polyolefins 2004 Conference
February 22-25, 2004
Houston, Texas
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/conferences/0402poly.htm

SPE Industrial Thermoforming Symposium & Workshop For Thin & Heavy Gage Thermoforming
Sponsored by the Thermoforming Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers
March 1 – 5, 2004
Dallas, Texas
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/seminars/0403indthermo.htm

Flexible Packaging Conference
March 24-26, 2004
Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/conferences/0403flexpack.htm

Thermosets 2004 - Imagination & Innovation
March 24-26, 2004
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/conferences/0403thermosets.htm

European Thermoforming Conference
March 25-27, 2004
Viareggio, ITALY
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/conferences/0403eurothermo.htm

Annual Technical Conference (ANTEC 2004)
May 16-20, 2004
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/antec/antec04.htm

SPE Seminars at ANTEC 2004
May 17-20, 2004
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.4spe.org/semconf/seminars/antec04.htm

Catalog
The new SPE Training & Education 2004 Catalog containing e-Learning, Seminars, In-plant Training, Training Products and Books will be available January 2004. Check the SPE website to download the catalog or request a mailing. SPE is your source for training in a variety of delivery methods.

SPE is lowering the price on several SPE developed training products, including the Plastics Technician’s TOOLBOX, Ten Fundamentals of Thermoforming Video/DVD Series, Extrusion Blow Molding Video/DVD Series and Injection Molding Video/DVD Series. New, lower prices are effective January 1, 2004 and are reflected in the 2004 SPE Training & Education Catalog.

Student Chapters
Student chapter award deadlines are coming up. The closing date for the STRETCH award is February 6, 2004 and the deadline for the Chase Plastics Student Chapter Education award is February 4, 2004. These are two great opportunities to develop your chapters. http://www.4spe.org/myspe/awards/awards.htm

Featured Book
Polymer Modification: Principles, Techniques & Applications by John Meister, published by Marcel Dekker. SPE members receive discounted prices on all books offered. http://www.4spe.org/bookstore/books/book_0139.htm

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