EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 06/22 www.petpla.net 22 Investing in the future “We have a really strong apprenticeship training programme. We try to bring in at least two new apprentices each year. We keep the Bridgeport operating because I like the newcomers to understand what the processes involve, before they go on to learn about CNC equipment,” Alan explained. “I go back to when I was just out of school and I was given the chance to be an apprentice. My career has been built on that opportunity so I am more than happy to give something back.” It is noticeable that the workforce has a good age spread. We stopped to have a brief chat with two current apprentices – one in his second year, one a little older – and an operative who was working with them, who was only a few years older, himself. But there are also more experienced hands, at various places on the shop floor. Invaluable experience Alan himself will have reached a remarkable milestone by September 2022: 55 years in the plastics industry. That experience shows and has informed the development of R&D/Leverage over the past 15 years, especially. The achievements of the company have not gone unnoticed by its sister organisation in the USA. “I am really proud of what the UK team has done over the years, to grow that Product Solutions Lab and to grow in the markets they have been dealing with,” said Bob Schiavone, R&D/ Leverage Global Marketing Director, who had got up very early to speak to us on the phone from his base in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, USA. “When we are talking about challenges in plastics, R&D/Leverage UK is well equipped to handle them. They have definitely built the ultimate service for the industry, in the way they can build a tool, validate it, prototype it, test it and be with you every step of the way.” He obviously has an interest but his enthusiasm for R&D/Leverage UK is both infectious and sincere. “When we’re talking about dealing with what’s coming down the pipe, with so many different materials, we may have to test so many different parameters and design changes, a lot of companies simply don’t have what they have over there, in terms of capabilities.” Fighting back for plastics When it comes to the challenges, Bob holds some very strong views on the perceived demonisation of plastics and what their true benefits are. “When it comes to recycling, PET is designed to be recycled. It is less environmentally damaging than aluminium or glass; it uses less energy to be recycled,” he said. “The problem in the plastics industry is recycling. In both the UK and USA, we have been sending overseas, things we can’t recycle. If you compare PET to aluminium, PET generates 60% less greenhouse gases, uses 31% less energy and produces 29% less solid waste, so why not fix the recycling? Instead of addressing that issue, we are talking about banning plastics.” Bob is very clear that plastics should have a strong future, if the recycling infrastructure is put in place. Alan is equally clear that R&D/Leverage and its Product Solutions Laboratory is very much part of that future. Whatever the customers are using, R&D/Leverage invests in the same machinery in order to deliver the solution. It was a pleasure to visit again and I am already looking forward to the next opportunity. www.rdleverage.com Robert Schiavone, Global Marketing Director at R&D
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