The SPE International Polyolefins Conference draws prominent and distinguished speakers in the polyolefins industry from around the world. We safely assert that the science and technology presented at the SPE IPOC will have great impact on the future of the industry.
| The 2026 SPE International Polyolefins Conference will be on February 23-26, 2026 at the Galveston Island Convention Center in Texas. Please note–We are moving to a Monday-Thursday conference. The SPE South Texas Section in collaboration with the SPE Polymer Modifiers and Additives Division, the Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division, the Engineering Properties and Structures Division, the Building and Infrastructure Division, the Applied Rheology Division, and the Flexible Packaging Division are organizing the program. The Galveston Island Convention Center overlooks the beach and is a great place to be in February so join us. |
The Conference will have a powerful software platform that will allow you to see the program, speakers, student posters, and virtual exhibitor and sponsor booths on your mobile device or computer. All the papers can be accessed during the conference and up to 6 months after the conference. Attendees can also contact speakers and other attendees during the conference through the software platform.
The 2026 International Polyolefins Conference will be an in-person event with virtual access to recorded presentations and slides made available on demand. We are excited to continue the legacy of impactful keynote speakers while expanding the number of speakers in our technical program. This year we are planning to include 24 sessions and 130 speakers from Monday noon (February 23) to lunchtime on Thursday (February 26). With over 900 attendees at last year’s conference, the technical program will allow for engagement on a broad range of topics reaching professionals in every corner of the Polyolefins industry.
Particulars:
November 3, 2025: Abstract submission deadline
November 21, 2025: Speakers notified of submission status (accepted or rejected)
February 6, 2026: Deadline for presentation submission
While no compensation is offered to speakers, they do receive complimentary registration.
Any questions about abstract submission can be directed to our technical program chair, Joe Machado.
We are pleased to announce the following Monday afternoon tutorial speakers:
Paul Waller–A Practical Guide to Blown Film Troubleshooting
The seminar will build on the presenter’s years of practical experience in film, both blown and cast. It will include Film Defects, Process Instability, Roll Geometry, Wrinkles, Gauge Variation, Productivity Improvement, and Troubleshooting Strategies. Paul Waller is the Principal Consultant in the Plastics Touchpoint Group. He has been involved in the plastic film manufacturing industry for over 40 years. Clients have included raw material suppliers, processors, end users, educational institutions and industry associations.
Paul Waller obtained his B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at McGill University in Montreal and his MBA at the Schulich School of Business, York University in Toronto. Mr. Waller is an Honored Service member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), Past-President and current Councillor of its Board of Directors for the Ontario Chapter, Past-Chair of the Flexible Packaging Division of SPE and Past-Chair of the Canadian Plastics Sector Council.
Mr. Waller is a licensed Professional Engineer, a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario, a member of the Packaging Association of Canada and the first candidate to receive the Canadian Plastics Sector Council’s Certified Plastics Practitioner – 3rd (Advanced) level for Blown Film Extrusion.
Mr. Waller started his career in Dow Chemical Canada’s polyethylene technical service group before moving to Esso Chemical Canada’s Vinyl division. After working with BOPP at Mobil Chemical Canada, he became Sales Manager of blown film machinery at Macro Engineering Co. Ltd. Mr. Waller subsequently joined the Canadian Plastics Institute as Seminar Manager and became Manager of Education Services when it merged with the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. Mr. Waller then joined Haremar Plastic Manufacturing Limited as Director of Technical Operations before founding the Plastics Touchpoint Group, Inc. in 2000.
Mr. Waller designed and delivered the classroom portion of the Blown Film Technology Course for the Canadian Plastics Training Centre in Toronto and SENAI in Brazil. He has delivered in-house training to more than 1,200 participants in film manufacturing companies on five continents in the last 20 years. Mr. Waller has published 4 books on film extrusion manufacturing and troubleshooting.
Ashok Adur-Tutorial on Reactive Extrusion
Reactive extrusion (REX) is a continuous manufacturing process that combines chemical reactions with mechanical extrusion—essentially turning an extruder into a chemical reactor. Reactive extrusion is when reactive chemistry occurs during an extrusion process. Sometimes this a problem and we need to avoid undesirable reactions. But chemical reactions in an extruder are used to develop new products. This area of technology has evolved from a niche processing technique into a cornerstone of advanced polymer manufacturing, enabling in-line functionalization, compatibilization, and tailored molecular architectures. Drawing upon decades of hands-on experience across diverse industrial applications of the presenter, this presentation explores the science, engineering, and applications of reactive extrusion through the lens of a seasoned practitioner, who is currently consulting with a few projects in this area. The tutorial highlights the convergence of chemistry, engineering, and process control, showcasing how innovations in reactive chemistry, screw configuration, and real-time monitoring to meet ever demanding requirements in a multitude of end markets have expanded the boundaries of what’s possible. This presentation will provide many examples of these chemical reactive extrusions including grafting, crosslinking, surface modification, multi-layer co-extrusion and molding, polymerization, compatibilization, upgrading recycled polymers and developing entirely new innovative specialty polyolefin high margin products. Such products, believe it or not, are used to create many things which you use in your life but most likely you do not realize reactive extrusion was involved in producing them.
Ashok M. Adur has a Ph.D. in Polymer Science & Engineering and >40 years in product development, business development, marketing & general management. He has >90 papers in professional journals and at conferences. His 77 patents resulted in revenue > $2.5 billion/year. Dr. Adur is a Fellow of the SPE and consults at Everest International Consulting in his expertise in plastics, polymers, reactive extrusion, elastomers, composites, biopolymers, microencapsulation & specialty products for multiple end markets. His 3 chapters in a 2023 book on “Bio-Materials” covers biopolymers, biofibers & bio-based alloys and composites.
We are pleased to announce the following Plenary speakers:
Rob Flores-Value Chain Collaboration for More Sustainable Packaging
The plastics industry is confronting several pressing challenges, including eliminating plastic waste and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This presentation will highlight the critical role of value chain collaboration in addressing these complex issues. It will also highlight the strategic actions Amcor is taking to advance a circular, net-zero economy for packaging.
Robert Flores is Vice President, Sustainability Operations and Advocacy Americas at Amcor. Prior to joining Amcor, Flores led sustainability at Berry Global. Flores is supporting Amcor’s circular economy and greenhouse gas reduction goals.
As a long-time sustainability leader and plastics expert, Flores has worked with local, national, and global organizations, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Recycling Partnership, and Association of Plastic Recyclers, to foster a circular economy.
Jan Kalfus-Driving Change: Strategic Perspectives on the Polyolefin Value Chains
The plastics industry is confronting several pressing challenges, including eliminating plastic waste and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This presentation will highlight the critical role of value chain collaboration in addressing these complex issues. It will also highlight the strategic actions Amcor is taking to advance a circular, net-zero economy for packaging.
Robert Flores is Vice President, Sustainability Operations and Advocacy Americas at Amcor. Prior to joining Amcor, Flores led sustainability at Berry Global. Flores is supporting Amcor’s circular economy and greenhouse gas reduction goals.
As a long-time sustainability leader and plastics expert, Flores has worked with local, national, and global organizations, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Recycling Partnership, and Association of Plastic Recyclers, to foster a circular economy.
Rigoberto Advincula–Towards AI/ML of Polymer Materials and DOE Opportunities
Advances in AI/ML applied to polymer materials are growing, offering opportunities to transform the way we conduct synthesis, characterization, and discovery science, including optimization for process and property development. The polyolefins industry and the research and development ecosystem are ready to adapt to this new paradigm. It can transform the way the structure-property relationship can be derived including new properties that can be derived from upcycling. The U.S. Department of Energy has led programs related to the polymer and the recycling/upcycling industries that included work on mixed plastics, new catalyst developments, depolymerizations that have been part of EFRCs or Energy Frontier Research Centers, Basic Energy Sciences (BES), and part of the manufacturing directorates, including the Manufacturing Offices. New initiatives in manufacturing is paramount to the industry.
Rigoberto Advincula is a Governor’s Chair Professor of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He is also a Group Leader at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), ORNL. His area of expertise is in organic and polymer chemistry, nanomaterials, flow chemistry and reaction engineering, additive manufacturing, and biomaterials. He has led major projects including a machine learning (ML) flow chemistry lab at ORNL and advanced nanocomposite manufacturing with DOE. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Fellow of the Polymer Science and Engineering Division (ACS), Fellow of the Polymer Chemistry Division (ACS), Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Netzsch NATAS 2023 Fellow. In 2024, he received the International Prize of the Society of Polymer Science of Japan (SPSJ) He has been appointed to the World Economic Forum, Advanced Materials Council.
IPOC speakers may use the following logo to promote their presence at the event.
