News & Updates

In four weeks, the Smart Plastic team will be headed to PACK EXPO International 2022!

Last year's event was truly remarkable - we had the opportunity to meet industry leaders from across the United States and beyond. Our entire team is looking forward to this opportunity again.

We will be at Booth #W-23046 in the Containers and Materials Pavillion (West Building) all week.

This year our team is ready to chat all things sustainability, including how our revolutionary ECLIPSE™ Stretch Film and Co-Ex films are making a serious impact on the polymer industry.

PACK EXPO International is the largest packaging and processing trade show in the world. With over 2,000 exhibitors and >40,000 attendees, there will be no shortage of networking and engaging with the industry's best!

Learn more about this year’s event by visiting https://www.packexpointernational.com/

Jim joined Smart Plastic Technologies after spending a few decades using his graphic arts skills in the print and packaging industries. As our Product Sales Specialist, Jim brings these decades of print experience to the team and has extensive knowledge in converting and plastic materials.

Jim uses his previous plastic materials and packaging experience to bring new ideas and solutions to the table at Smart Plastic HQ. His current professional goals include growing commercial sales for SPTek additives and products while increasing our customer’s knowledge of SPTek technology. Educating our customers is an integral part of Jim’s job; He wants to ensure customers have extensive knowledge of the technology and the SPTek solutions available to communicate with their clients confidently.

Starting his career in sheetfed printing, Jim has moved through various levels of leadership positions. A few roles include procurement, sourcing, operations management, and sales management. At one time, he was an estimating instructor for the Print Industry of Illinois too. Jim has become passionate about polymer sustainability after working in the industry, in various roles, for years. Jim is an experienced group fitness instructor, cyclist, and two-time Chicago Marathon finisher with a love for German Shepherds, music, and Jeeps.

We are thrilled to announce another new addition to the Smart Plastic team. Dan Pinsel joins us as our new Chief Financial Officer after over 20 years as a Senior Finance Executive. Dan’s core area of focus will be to deliver measurable and sustainable improvements in financial and business initiatives throughout the company while keeping business initiatives on track and within budget, among many other responsibilities!

Dan is ecstatic about joining the Smart Plastic team and looks forward to achieving many professional goals in 2022. Dan will lead the finance, accounting, and human resources functions for the company. He will work with the team to create enhanced processes and procedures which will create improved results. And finally, Dan will provide financial leadership in the areas of cash flow management, forecasting, expense analysis, and other areas to help drive overall performance.

Dan’s background in both public and private companies adds to his overall financial experience. He previously held CFO positions at Sysco Corporation and Blue Plate Catering. Prior to that, Dan was the VP of Finance at Food For Thought and Director of Finance at ARAMARK Corporation.

Dan has a track record of improving organizations’ financial performance through cross-functional collaboration and leadership. He is known for being a proactive problem-solver who delivers client value. Dan is a skilled leader who has mentored and developed high-performing teams. He lives in Lincolnshire, Illinois with his wife and 2 children. Dan has a strong interest in sustainability and helping chart a path for positive environmental change for the planet and its people.

Marty is focused on West Coast sales for Smart Plastic and prides himself on being a market educator in addition to his sales role. He also plays a pivotal role in Smart Plastic’s Market Development for both additives and bio-based resin opportunities.

Marty has three main goals for the remainder of 2022; establish an extensive ECLIPSE™ Stretch Film end-user customer base, find three new product opportunities for SPTek additives, and expand his knowledge and participation in closed-loop and PCR solutions for the recycling market.

Marty is dedicated and passionate about the development of new packaging solutions and has been fortunate to be a part of several packaging organizations in senior sales positions including All American Containers and Diablo Valley Packaging.

Marty currently resides in northern California where his care and concern for the environment overlaps with his many hobbies including fishing, gardening, hiking, and working with livestock.

To reach out to Marty, please visit our Contact page.

In his role, Mariano will help align the strategic vision across all fronts of the business, develop and institute a long-term strategic plan along with its shorter-term milestones, and design a methodology to prioritize growth opportunities.

In 2022, Mariano’s focus will be on raising growth capital for key technology commercialization and capacity expansion. This will include plant, equipment, and infrastructure expansions for biobased polymer development. Investors who are looking for more information on Smart Plastic should connect with Mariano to discuss all available opportunities.

Contact Mariano

About Mariano Gonzalez

Over the past 20 years, Mariano Gonzalez has held executive positions in Investment Banking, Corporate Development, Strategic Planning, and Private Equity across the US, Europe, and Latin America. He currently serves on the Board of Learning Upgrade, a San Diego-based EdTech remote learning company and winner of the 2019 X-Prize foundation competition. Gonzalez is a member of YPO’s NY Liberty chapter and recently served as CEO of Project Laundry, a PE-backed company in the New York area. Gonzalez received his MBA from Kellogg in Chicago and was a Sloan Fellow at London Business School where he received a Masters's in Leadership and Strategy. He is currently a member of the Board of Rising Ground, a 190-year-old education foundation in New York. He is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish and enjoys fencing, basketball, soccer, and participating in Circular Economy initiatives.

In partnership with Smart Plastic Technologies, Sigma Stretch announced today they are expanding the production of Sigma Stretch VANISH, powered by SPTek ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology, to all five production facilities across North America. The initial launch of this product, which was rolled out to selected Sigma Stretchdistributors in late 2021, generated tremendous interest from brand owners who wanted to take action towards their sustainability goals. Switching to Sigma Stretch VANISH or SPTek ECLIPSE™ Stretch Film ensures that they will not add to the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment if the stretch film is not properly recycled.

Mark Teo, CEO and President of Sigma Plastics said, “We evaluated numerous products to provide an option for our customers that would take care of any of our products that were not properly recycled and leaked into the environment. We selected Smart Plastic and their patent-pending SPTek ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology because it proved best-in-class. Expanding production and taking our partnership with Smart Plastic to new levels will be a tremendous highlight of 2022 for Sigma Plastics as we continue striving for environmentally responsible products and practices.”

Jay Tapp, President and COO of Smart Plastic Technologies, added, “The Smart Plastic team is tremendously proud to partner with long-standing industry leader Sigma Plastics Group on a number of important sustainability initiatives. Our latest collaboration with Sigma Stretch was the development of a range of ECLIPSE™ enabled hand and machine stretch films. Despite the impact of COVID-19, we built a strong partnership with Sigma Stretch, successfully launching ECLIPSE™ Stretch Film at Pack Expo 2021 in Las Vegas, and presenting at the 2021 AMI Stretch & Shrink Conference on the impact of plastic waste and closed-loop recycling. We are thrilled that the initial response has ignited a need for production expansion and look forward to continuing our work with Sigma Stretch throughout 2022.”

The initial launch of Sigma Stretch VANISH followed a period of intense efficacy and performance testing that determined ECLIPSE™ enabled stretch films performed identically to the original products. The launch produced over 500,000 pounds of stretch film which was allocated to various Sigma Stretch distributors. Additional distributors could order Smart Plastic’s SPTek ECLIPSE™ Stretch Film directly from Smart Plastic Technologies. With the production expansion, Sigma Stretch estimates that an additional 30 million pounds of Sigma Stretch VANISH will be available for distributors throughout 2022. First and foremost, SPTek ECLIPSE™ enabled stretch film is designed to be recycled. However, if it evades the recycling system, following a guaranteed functional life span of 2-years, the stretch film will completely bio-assimilate within 6-24 months, resulting in zero microplastics.

Tim Murtaugh, Founder of Smart Plastic Technologies, added, “As the urgency for responsible and sustainable products increases within the world of plastics, we are grateful to be partnered with such a reputable organization as Sigma Plastics Group. We look forward to seeing the monumental benefits of this partnership manifest.”

PFNonwovens and Smart Plastic Technologies announced that they have signed an exclusive joint development agreement for the use of Smart Plastic’s patent-pending SPTek ECLIPSE™ technology in PFNonwovens’ hygiene and medical nonwoven products.

Tonny de Beer, Chief Product, Technology and Sustainability Officer of PFNonwovens commented:

“We are very excited for this joint development partnership with Smart Plastic Technologies. Our initial work together has already shown that we can use the ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology on pilot-scale equipment. Now, our focus is to optimize the formulation for nonwovens to ensure performance and meet end-of-life goals.”

He added:

“Nonwoven fabrics have become a critical part of everyday life, and this technology has the makings of a breakthrough solution. Diapers, Fem Care and Adult Incontinence products are integral to how we care for ourselves and for each other. The pandemic has reinforced once again how nonwoven gowns and face masks save and protect lives. At the same time, it is imperative to find better solutions to deal with the post-use nonwoven waste and associated environmental problems. We envision that SPTek ECLIPSE™ enabled nonwovens will be a high-impact solution.”

Jay Tapp, President & COO of Smart Plastic, added:

“Smart Plastic and PFNonwovens are aligned on developing environmentally-responsible solutions as we transition to a more sustainable economy. SPTek ECLIPSE™️ bio-assimilation is a proven technology that has been used commercially across several industries both in the USA and around the world to significantly reduce the impact plastic has on the environment. Our strategic partnership with PFNonwovens represents an important step in Smart Plastic’s mission to reduce plastic waste and help prevent further damage to the environment.”

Smart Plastic’s SPTek ECLIPSE™ accelerates the bio-assimilation of polypropylene and polyethylene polymers at the end of a product’s guaranteed life span in terrestrial, marine, and landfill environments. The revolutionary ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology steadily reduces and modifies the polymer chains to enable the assimilation of these molecules by microorganisms, transforming the material into biomass, CO2, and water. The technology is FDA approved, 100% recyclable, and has already been commercialized by Smart Plastic Technologies in various industries.

Tim Murtaugh, CEO & Founder of Smart Plastic Technologies, also commented:

“We are very pleased to join forces with leading companies like PFNonwovens on our journey to create a legacy of true global sustainability. We are delighted to have an opportunity to build a strong working relationship with one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sophisticated nonwovens.”

Ahead of a busy year, Smart Plastic has tapped Consumer Products Executive Michael Scanlan to head strategic partnerships for the company. This hire comes on the heels of a successful 2021 where the company experienced record growth across all metrics.

Scanlan will be responsible for managing the Company’s key strategic partnerships which have been formally developed from several years of intense development work. In this role, Scanlan will be leading the sales and business development efforts in support of Smart Plastic Technologies’ three mission-critical cornerstones: ECLIPSE™ bio-assimilation technology, bio-based resin systems, and closed-loop recycling programs. Scanlan will be working collaboratively with strategic partners to help them achieve their sustainability goals by reducing the environmental impact of plastic.

“We are thrilled to have Michael join the Smart Plastic team. Michael brings a wealth of leadership and expertise in both B2B and B2C brand development. Michael will lead and guide our strategic partner programs nationally and globally, and immediately gives Smart Plastic a west coast -- Los Angeles -- base of operations.” - Jay Tapp, President & COO of Smart Plastic Technologies.

About Michael Scanlan

Michael Scanlan has enjoyed a fast-paced career partnering with various consumer products companies to build brands, transform relationships, and delight consumers. With leadership experiences ranging from ground floor start-ups to global multi-nationals, Michael’s executive experience includes SVP of Sales at Diamond Wipes Intl. Inc., VP of Sales for Advanced Bio Development Inc., Global Team Lead at Nestle Waters, and Director of Sales for the Sweet Leaf Tea Company.

CHICAGO, IL (January 26, 2022) - Aligned on the growing importance of environmentally responsible products in the baby and toddler market, Smart Plastic Technologies and Munchkin, Inc. announced today that they have signed an exclusive joint development agreement to create baby lifestyle products using Smart Plastic’s patent-pending ECLIPSE™ technology. This partnership will introduce revolutionary consumer goods to the baby and toddler market, which is estimated to be worth USD 25 billion by 2028.

"Plastic waste is a planetary and societal crisis. Munchkin grasps the gravity of our global environmental situation,” stated Jay Tapp, President & COO of Smart Plastic Technologies. “Our partnership with Munchkin, an influential and respected market and thought leader in semi-durable consumer goods, will directly result in a significant reduction of plastic waste and help reverse the damage that has been done to our environment.”

Steven Dunn, CEO & Founder of Munchkin, added “Through our partnership with Smart Plastic, Munchkin is committed to a development process that considers the complete use and lifecycle of our products from ideation to disposal. The goal of our partnership is to make as many Munchkin products as possible disappear after their useful life. With Smart Plastic’s SPTek ECLIPSE™ technology, our products can still be recycled, but if they find their way into landfills or waterways, they fully break down resulting in zero microplastics. Now is the time to act. Our planet, our children, and their children need us to make the change now.”

Approximately 91% of plastic is not recycled and ends up in our forests, oceans, and landfills for generations. Understanding the urgency to create a higher level of awareness and a ‘call to action,’ the partnership between Smart Plastic and Munchkin will lead the way for companies in every aspect of the supply chain. Each organization sees the need to adopt circular economic models for the betterment of our planet and will leverage the expertise on both sides to have the ultimate impact. This strategic partnership contributes to each company’s impactful approaches and commitments to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Tim Murtaugh, CEO & Founder of Smart Plastic Technologies, also commented “Our strategic partnership with Munchkin represents another important step in Smart Plastic’s mission to join forces with leading companies on our journey to create a legacy of true global sustainability. We are delighted to have this opportunity to build a strong working relationship with a company that enjoys a global reputation for quality products and brilliant leadership. The adventure continues!”

About Smart Plastic

Founded in 2016, Smart Plastic is revolutionizing the potential of plastic to improve the environment for future generations. Their flagship bio-assimilation technology, SPTek ECLIPSE™, enables polyolefins like polyethylene and polypropylene to completely bio-assimilate at the end of the pre-programmed functional life, resulting in zero microplastics. This represents a key and critical aspect of the company’s commitment to plastic lifecycle management. All Smart Plastic technologies are designed to alter the very nature of plastic for the benefit of both people and the planet. Proudly made in the United States, all Smart Plastic products are 100% recyclable, FDA approved, and purposely designed for the circular and regenerative economies.

About Munchkin

Munchkin, Inc., is based in Los Angeles, California and has provided parents with innovative products for over 30 years. A global leader in children’s feeding & care products, Munchkin has 303 patents to date and has earned more than 180 international product and brand design awards in the past several years alone. As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, Munchkin’s ongoing commitment to environmental protection and animal welfare is reinforced through its numerous corporate social responsibility initiatives and its annually published Sustainability Report. Munchkin products are sold in more than 45 countries around the world and have received over 1 million five-star reviews. Munchkin is on a mission to be the most loved baby lifestyle brand in the world. www.munchkin.com

Media Contact‍

Alyssa Wadey
Communications Manager, Remote Brand
alyssa@remotebrand.com

Happy Holidays from the Smart Plastic team! We hope everyone has a wonderful few weeks no matter what you celebrate.

Our offices will be closed December 24-27 & 31 as our team enjoys a well-deserved holiday!