Bloomsburg, PA, USA—October 8, 2024—SEKISUI KYDEX welcomed local students and educators to their South Campus for Manufacturing Day on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
With the ever-growing estimated number of manufacturing jobs going unfilled by 2025, SEKISUI KYDEX hosted local students for Manufacturing Day, a national event dedicated to education about manufacturing career opportunities and improving public perceptions of manufacturing. “Personally, my path into manufacturing has made a world of difference for me and helped me obtain a quality of life I hadn’t experienced before. I feel a moral obligation to pay it forward and help these students see the possibilities before them in manufacturing, particularly those right here in their own backyards. Additionally, we get to highlight the creativity and innovation involved in polymers as well as our sustainability efforts.” stated Ryan Evans, Internal Communications Manager for SEKISUI KYDEX.
Students from Bloomsburg Area High School, Central Columbia Area High School, and Benton Area High School explored the varying career opportunities at SEKISUI KYDEX, which include inspector/packer, extrusion operators, quality technicians, color technicians, production engineers, automation engineers, appLab™ engineers, graphic designers, and more, such as traditional business support positions; enabling them to make a more informed decision about whether to pursue college, a technical program, or other post-college opportunities.
This year, students spent their day exploring how compelling plastics manufacturing can be throughout the various demonstration spaces set up around their Bloomsburg South Campus facility. Additionally, members of the Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT) were present to provide career guidance and acquaint students with the resources and programs offered, including Penn College’s Advanced Manufacturing Pre-apprenticeship (AMP) Program. These opportunities enable students to earn college credits while still in school without incurring costs.
The program featured a company and careers overview, a campus tour to see how KYDEX® Thermoplastics are made, and several workshops to understand the thermoplastics industry. Evans continued, “The way we do this affords the students an opportunity to have fun while learning, through either informative or hands-on sessions that we hope will enlighten them to the many great career opportunities available.”
In the appLab™, students learned about and used state-of-the-art innovation and testing equipment. In the designLab®, they explored color science by creating their own colors and testing their vision with a color acuity activity. Students were hands-on with safety by using a simulator to put out fires. They learned how to keep production running smoothly at the manufacturing station with extrusion parts, maintenance equipment, and an automation demonstration. Circular design rounded out the workshops; here, students learned about KYDEX® Thermoplastics sustainability and using pattern, color, and texture work in design.
For a more in-depth look at careers at SEKISUI KYDEX, visit kydex.com/careers.
About SEKISUI KYDEX
SEKISUI KYDEX innovates and creates sustainable KYDEX® and ALLEN® thermoplastic material solutions for the next generation of product design. SEKISUI Chemical’s corporate commitment to Speed, Service, and Superiority is realized through the KYDEX® Thermoplastics’ business model of manufacturing bespoke materials with short lead times in small quantities. This Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) model at three manufacturing campuses expands beyond thermoplastic sheet. Our mission is to challenge what’s possible and deliver beyond imagination. SEKISUI KYDEX is more than a raw material supplier; we are a solution provider.
The material portfolio also includes injection molding resins, proprietary Infused Imaging™ technology, integral special effects, unique textures, and custom products and design. As a collaborative partner and the world’s leading pioneer of thermoplastic solutions – done responsibly, we put innovation at the forefront, guiding you from beginning to end.
The SEKISUI KYDEX appLab™ and designLab® Innovation Centers are collaborative spaces for clients and customers to bring the supply chain together for rapid prototyping and design development. These spaces are the bridge between engineering and art. More than 300 dedicated professionals in Bloomsburg, PA, and Holland, MI, working with a global network of sales and distribution partners, are committed to delivering more than their customers can imagine.
Visit www.kydex.com for more information.