Document Mod1Kk2ROOxrkRGppdRwvzKvM

TELEPHONE HUDSON 3-81S6 Manufacturing Chemists, Association, Inc. (FOUNDED 1873) 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Washington 9, D. C. MINUTES OF MEETING - PLASTICS COMMITTEE Manhattan Club New York, New York December 18, 1962 PRESENT: Members Walter H. Salzenberg, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc, H. R, Dinges, Spencer Chemical Company T. J. Kinsella, Allied Chemical Corporation H. W. Mason, Jr., Reichhold Chemicals, Inc. L. W. A. Meyer (for D. C. Williams), Eastman Chemical Products,Inc. T. T. Miller, W. R. Grace & Co. O. L. Pierson (for D. S. Frederick), Rohm & Haas Company D. S. Plumb (for John R. Eck), Monsanto Chemical Company Emery N. Cleaves, Celanese Chemical Company (PR Liaison) William Demarest, Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc. F. H. Carman, Manufacturing Chemists' Association, Inc. I By Invitation for Survey Presentation R. F. Boyer, The Dow Chemical Company G. A. Fowles (for H. B. Warner), B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company W. C. Goggin, The Dow Chemical Company W. B. Humes, Union Carbide Plastics Company L. E. Linn (for W. C. Brown), Hercules Powder Company R. M. Love (for K. J. Nelson), Enjay Chemical Company W. C. Lowrey (for Martin Buck), Shell Chemical Company L. A. Sontag (for J. C. Searer), Hooker Chemical Corporation P. M. Thomas (for W. P. Orr), Celanese Polymer Company The meeting was called to order at 1:30 P.M. by Chairman * H. Salzenberg, who immediately called on William Demarest to report on the survey on building products standards. The Chairman 'ftstinded all present that the digest of Mr. Demarest's final :*Port had been circulated, and it was assumed all present had had * chance to study same. CMA 078532 2 Following a brief review of the presentation in the November 19 meeting (Minutes have been circulated to all Executive Representatives), several points brought out in his report included: 1. The building industry annual volume of approxi mately $50 billion presents a tremendous poten tial market for plastic components. It is estimated that 15 per cent of plastic materials dollar-volume has in recent years been entering the building industry. 2. The FHA looks to others for development of standards for building components, and it was his firm belief that in view of the present standing and reliability of MCA, of the plastic materials manufacturers, and of individual basic producers in this industry, if any one of the three were to develop such standards, these would be acceptable to the FHA. k 3. In his opinion, plastics cannot gain much more ^ of the building market without a "head-on" battle with other materials of construction, and that this is believed to be imminent. 4. He stressed his opinion that the basic plastic materials producers, through an appropriate agency, should exert all possible influence toward adequate building-product standards and the implementation of same, including labeling. At the outset, Mr. Demarest referred to an August 28, 1962 memorandum by Chairman Salzenberg first placing the matter before `he Committee, in which it was described as 'fee: need for pro cedures or systems by which acceptable and meaningful standards for plastic components can be developed taking into account such factors as . . . testing . . , labeling At the same } *-iae, the immediate problem before the materials producers is the | Proposal of the NAHB to institute a standards development, testing, ^ labeling program on polyester-glass-fiber plumbing fixtures. 3 Over the long term, the material producers have a similar problem facing them on most building components using plastic materials. Subsequent discussion brought out that this is also a problem facing the SRI. Mr. Demarest amplified the observation (no. 8 in his digest) that there are indications the SPI might welcome an in dependent certifying agency such as contemplated. He said that he had discussed with SPI staff executives the implications of the basic producers' consideration of an end-product standards program. In sum, while recognizing that molders might at first be wary of such efforts, the SPI representatives volunteered the opinion that an "independent institute" of some sort might be the only means for maintaining product quality standards. In general discussions from the floor, comments were made that Mr. Demarest's survey had defined the problem, that there are alternate ways of setting up a standards program, that the activity is not concerned with standards on basic materials but on end-products manufactured by others and described to the building industry, and in the long run this is still an industry promotion of a material for the building industry in competition with other aterials for that industry. Mr. Demarest expounded the key innovation recommended by him (nos. 7 - 10 in his digest), describing the manner in which the agency proposed would simultaneously cope with the immediate problem regarding plastics plumbing fixtures and the long-term need for building-product standards based upon good technical communications with building-industry specifiers. Emphasizing that basic material producers logically should strive for maximum influence toward good end-product standards, he indicated how their influence might be effective through this agency. It would depend upon the basic plastics industry, not only for a large part of its revenue, but also for initiation of most of the standards and tests upon which any certifying or labeling activity would have to rely. He pointed out that this agency, if the basic producers saw fit to support such a decision, could decide to engage the NAHB Research Lab to conduct testing and inspection service for plastics plumbing fixtures. This would mean that the KCA's agency would have the final say as to what constitutes an acceptable standard as the basis for labeling and would also mean CMA 078534 4 that the agency's own label -- rather than that of other testing organizations -- would be applied to conforming products. This agency would thus be a functional, coordinating body for activat ing a national and effective program to accomplish the desired ends. Following extended discussions, it was the general consen sus that action should be taken on this over-all problem and that no. 4 of Mr. Demarest's recommendations be implemented as soon as practical. On questioning, the Secretary advised that budgeted funds for distribution of an SPE Engineering Handbook would not be required during this fiscal year, and, accordingly, up to $10,000 could be made available from present funds. On motion duly seconded, it was voted unanimously that an Ad-Hoc Subcommittee be appointed to (a) study Mr. Demarest's findings and recommendations, (b) retain an outside agency to assist the Subcommittee as in his Recommendation No. 4, and (c) report back to the Committee as soon as possible as to what the MCA should be doing during fiscal 1963-'64 in behalf of the materials producers; while authorized to act for the Plastics Committee and retain a marketing consultant as above, the Subcommittee was directed not to commit the Plastics Group for more than $10,000 to this end prior to June 1, 1963. With Plastics Committee approval, the Chairman indicated he would ask the following to serve on this Ad-Hoc Advisory Subcommittee on Building? T. J. Kinsella - Allied Chemical Corporation, John R. Eck - Monsanto Chemical Company W. C. Goggin - The Dow Chemical Company W. B. Humes - Union Carbide Plastics Company T. T. Miller - W. R. Grace & Co. Chairman Because of the many requests for financial support for the aforementioned NAHB proposals, it was agreed that Mr. Demarest would consult with Ralph J. Johnson of the NAHB technical staff, ^vising him of the MCA's interest in the possibility of such a *tandards program and of the fact that the Plastics Committee is ^ present giving major attention to a study of possible courses action in this regard. CMA 078535 5 PLASTICS IN BUILDING SUBCOMMITTEE Chairman Salzenberg asked Dr Orville Pierson, Chairman of that group, for any further pertinent comments on the building program. One major need that he stressed was the desirability of finishing the primer which is now more than half completed; alloca tion of Mr. Demarest's time to conclude this was requested. It was stressed that the primer will be a valuable booklet to have for customers' use. Much of the primer development is already in the hands of reviewing authorities and investigations are contemplated to have this handled by a publisher in the building industry. It was generally agreed that approximately half of Mr. Demarest's time through January should be made available for this and that it now appeared the book could be completed by March 31. UNDERWRITERS' PROJECTS Messrs. Demarest and Pierson commented briefly on the status of the smoke project, stating that installation of photo cells for visual examination and possible recording of smoke gener ation has been completed. The U/L has been urged to get more data ( ready for the January 17 review as set by the San Francisco i officials. It is hoped that the meeting on the U/L Appliance Project scheduled for December 19 will lead to completion of this activity in the near future. The final meeting of the Advisory Committee and the U/L on the toxicity of plastics combustion products was held during the previous week. They reported excellent response has been obtained from the U/L on the 80-page report, and that an abstract of same is tn preparation; it is the hope that this program may result in toxicity ratings of some nature. 1 IgCHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS a. The Plastics Committee had asked technical represen tatives to consider the recommendation of the Plastics in i Building Subcommittee on updating "Technical Data on H| Plastics", and this had been thoroughly considered in the CMA 078536 6- - November 8, 1962 meeting of the Plastics Technical Subcommittee. The technical representatives concluded that MCA should not rework the present data book nor supply a supplement. However; with a view of supplying data more useful in the building field, a small subcommittee had been appointed to meet with representative of the Building Subcommittee to decide what type of book would be practical. This group was planning to meet later in the afternoon. It was also reported that steps are being explored for a cooperative arrangement with Modern Plastics Encyclopedia for technical representatives to review technical data content on an annual basis, and for the MCA to become the recognized authority for the data contained therein. b. The Plastics Committee approved the recommendation of the technical representatives that MCA continue support of the MCA-M1T Plastics Laboratory projects at the rate of $7,500 per year. The Secretary reviewed financing of this work since its inception in 1946; it is expected the annual budget for that Laboratory may reach $350,000 per year by the end of 1963. c. ON MOTION duly seconded and voted, unanimously, The Plastics Committee approved the recommenda tion that $15,000 be included in next year's budget for fundamental research on plastics at a new location with the mam objectives the same as those outlined when such a project was established at Case in 1958. Members of the special subcommittee surveying appropriate locations (including the Plastics Institute at Stevens) for such a project ares W. F. Busse, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc.,Chairman W, E. Brown, The Dow Chemical Company R. H. Carey, Union Carbide Corporation J J, Padbury, American Cyanamid Company A. M. Pounds, B, F. Goodrich Chemical Company J. R. Lewis, Hercules Powder Company, Inc. CMA 078537 7- d. The Plastics Committee approved the recommendation that MCA representations on ASTM D-20 and ISO/TC 61 be continued. FINANCIAL PACKAGE The Secretary reported that the six-months' operations were well within the budget, and that payments for the West Coast consultant and support of the ISO/TC 61 Secretariat by the ASA had been met in full. Expenses for the Underwriters' smoke project appear to be within the budget at this time. EPOXY RESINS IN CONSTRUCTION A proposal from an ad hoc group endeavoring to develop a program for an outside institution to undertake a promotional project in construction, mainly road building, had not been finalized to the satisfaction of member executives, and no further action was taken on this subject in this meeting. NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Plastics Committee is set for January 29, 1963, luncheon at 12s30 P=M., Manhattan Club, New York, N. Y. The meeting adjourned at 3;30 P.M. Respectfully submitted, F. H. Carman Committee Secretary 1 PHC/mpc December 28, 1962 * Distribution; All Present Executive Representatives of Plastics Group CMA 078538