PLASTICS Hosts First

National Plastics Conference

The inaugural National Plastics Conference was a resounding success, as professionals from across the plastics value chain convened in Houston, Texas, October 14-17.

Attendees enjoyed a program “designed by industry, for industry," that explored leadership, advocacy, and market trends, all while building valuable connections with peers from across the supply chain and focusing on creating a sustainable industry future. 

From a breakfast session on bioplastics, to an insightful keynote on workplace culture, to dynamic leadership panels, the National Plastics Conference brimmed with informative opportunities to hear from industry experts. The conference also offered time for networking in a comfortable social setting including an opening reception, networking breaks, a dinner event at Houston’s House of Blues, FLiP gatherings and a closing happy hour. PLASTICS also hosted a group of early risers who gathered to participate in a morning Fun Run / Walk through downtown Houston in support of the  Future of Plastics Foundation. 

PLASTICS was proud to facilitate a local cleanup event hosted by Future Leaders in Plastics in partnership with  Keep Houston Beautiful and Friends of Woodland Park. A crew of 47 volunteers collected 51 bags of waste, 15 of which were filled with plastic recyclables that were transferred to Cyclyx, the event’s recycling partner.

Official PLASTICS business meetings as well as convenings of the Equipment Council, Material Suppliers Council, Processors Council and the PLASTICS Board of Directors, were held throughout afternoon sessions. 

The closing session featured a presentation with Kyle Kondik of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan newsletter covering American campaigns and elections based out of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. PLASTICS CEO Matt Seaholm conducted a Q&A with Kondik, who offered analysis on political trends and voter sentiment ahead of the general election to help attendees prepare their businesses for the potential policy agendas of the next presidential administration and congress.

Matt Seaholm, President and CEO of PLASTICS, hosts

"Industry Insights: A View from Executives Across the Supply Chain"

Left: Ashley Hood-Morley, PLASTICS' VP of Industry Engagement, with panelists from "Building the STEM Pipeline Through University-Industry Partnerships"  Right: Patrick Krieger, PLASTICS' VP of Sustainability, moderating "Understanding and Navigating EPR Regulations"

Events at the National Plastics Conference: a cleanup event organized by Future Leaders in Plastics and a Fun Run supporting the Future of Plastics Foundation

PLASTICS Releases 2024

Global Trends Report

At the National Plastics Conference, in addition to providing an industry update, Dr. Perc Pineda, PLASTICS Chief Economist, released the 2024 PLASTICS Global Trends report.

Dr. Pineda noted a U.S. plastics trade surplus after a three-year deficit, demonstrating the industry's capacity to meet global consumer demand across various end-markets, including healthcare, transportation, construction and consumer goods. 

The report is available to PLASTICS members; an executive summary can be found here.

Read the Latest Op-ed from Matt Seaholm

Mark Your Calendar!

National Plastics Conference 2025

September 22-25 in Orlando, Florida