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It gives me great pleasure to formally open this Conference, dealing with advances in Polymer Materials and Technologies.

The development of the Plastics Industry has much of its roots in Scientific Discoveries in the last Century, but its growth has been a significant phenomenon of the twentieth Century.   Today, Plastics can be found everywhere, from the smallest Child's Toy, to the most complex items of Industrial Equipment.  Plastic, in all its forms, continues to be a Substitute for more traditional Materials.  The Plastics Industry is now a mature Industry, but one which can look forward to the New Millennium.

Ireland has seen production in the Plastics Industry grow by a massive 50% in just three years, due to new opportunities both in Domestic and Export Markets.  The Plastics Industry now employs over 20,000 People and has Sales of over £1.7 Billion, Annually.  The development of the Sector has also fostered a vibrant Mould making Industry in Ireland, that currently employs over 1,000 People.

Over 100 independent Plastic Component Manufacturers are now operating in Ireland, supplying Components across many Industrial Sectors, including the Computer, Electronic, Automotive, Healthcare and Consumer Sectors.  Prospects in the Plastics Sector are very promising.  However, as with many other Industries, the future will see considerable change in the Sector, change that must be accepted and needs to be well managed.

The Customers served by the Plastics Industry are typically Global Operators servicing the Pacific rim, Far Eastern and European Markets.  Many of them are World Innovators in Product Development.  These Companies must be cost effective and must cope with ever shortening Product Life Cycles.  Satisfactory Compliance with the high Standards necessary, to service Multinationals operating in this Country means that Irish Plastic Companies are Internationally Competitive and in many cases are sought after, by very demanding Export Customers.  In the future, these Global Companies will be compelled to reduce their overhead costs by rationalising the number of Suppliers.  This will require their Irish Suppliers to supply the Company Globally, in a cost effective manner.

As Compliance to Standards is so critical to Competitiveness in the Sub-Supply Sector, it is important for Companies to Benchmark against best International Practice and to establish Programmes to match Competition.

It goes without saying that, in this regard, well-trained and informed Staff are essential.  Investment in such Training is necessary in order to maintain and improve Standards.

The Healthcare/Medical Device Sector has emerged as a very important Sector in Ireland, with 75 Companies employing approximately 16,000 People.  Half the Companies in this Sector are involved in Research and Development with approximately 80% of the Products being Polymer based.

Innovation is the lifeblood of the Plastics Industry.  There will be continuous change in the type of Polymers being used.  Newer Polymers, offering better Structural strength and Characteristics such as ‘Soft Touch’ are much sought after, in the Mobile Phone, Vehicle and Computer Sectors.
 

Changes in Technology will also lead to improved weight and cost considerations.  Such changes are vitally important, when one considers that Polymer accounts for 40% of the value of a Component or Plastic Product.  The Development of  Raw Material Substitutes for Polymers derived from Crude Oil, is likely to prove of great  importance in the future.

Under the umbrella of Materials Ireland, the Polymer Research Centres at the Athlone Institute of Technology, at the University of Limerick, and here at Trinity College Dublin; provide a vital link between the Academic and Industrial worlds, making the Research Work at Universities accessible and responsive to Industry. The Polymer Processing Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast, also provides a similar resource to Industry.

Technological Developments in the Polymer Industry have been driven by Chemists, Physicists, Technologists, Engineers, Marketeers and Designers.

To continue its expansion, the Plastics Industry needs to ensure that it continues to attract Young People to these excellent, exciting and varied Careers available in the Industry.  They must be trained to a high standard. Courses at the Third Level Centres, which I have mentioned give Young People the opportunity to develop and improve their skills in an Industry, which is forward looking and will enable them to seize the opportunities provided by the Plastics Industry, in the twenty-first Century.

It is widely recognised that Research and Development is a vital component to the future Competitiveness of Irish Industry, not only in the Plastics Sectors but in all Industrial Sectors.  The widespread use of Plastics in today’s Society, has not been achieved without large scale Investment in Research and Development, by all concerned.

Without continuing investment in New Technologies, Technology Transfer and New Skills, Companies cannot hope to remain competitive in a Global Market, where there is increasingly intensive Competition.

Small and medium sized Irish Companies need to be encouraged and helped to develop their own Research and Development capability.  The Development of New Industrial Technologies and their diffusion into Irish Industry, is a major part of the work of Enterprise Ireland.

In 1998, Enterprise Ireland assisted over 1,300 Firms, many of whom were in the Plastics, Engineering, Healthcare and Packaging Sectors, through a variety of Services, ranging from Calibration Services through Product and Process Development, through Analysis, through to Consultancy Assignments.
 

The Programmes in Advanced Technology were set up as a Partnership between Enterprise Ireland, Industry and Third Level Colleges, to provide Strategic Centres of Expertise, to enhance the performance of Irish Industry.  They provide an unique and effective interface to the Research and Development capability, in Third Level Colleges, as well as access to a Network of Expertise.

This is achieved by implanting teams of Technologists into Third Level Colleges, to ensure that Third Level Research is effectively Commercialised and delivered to Irish Industry, in a professional manner and in a timescale required by Industry.

Access to the best available Research in a simple and single point of access, is essential for SMEs’. The Networks and Linkages developed, provide SME’s with valuable Technological Support and Expertise.  Technology Transfer is actively achieved:
    - through the Application of New Technologies, to improve Products and Processes,
    - through the Training of Industrial Personnel, and
    - through the transfer of Staff to Industry.

This Conference is an important part of the Technology Transfer Process, particularly as this is the first North-South Initiative of its kind and hopefully many more will follow.

The Organisers of this Conference comprise of the Industry Association for the Plastics Industry (PIA), and the two Organisations, which through Irish and British Government Initiatives, provide comprehensive Research and Development support, for the Plastics Industry, both North and South of the Border – Materials Ireland and the Polymer Processing Research Centre in Queen’s University, in Belfast.

 I would like to commend all of these Organisations for their efforts in organising this special  Event.

This is a valuable opportunity for Industry, on both sides of the Border, to meet, to network, to look for new opportunities and to become aware of the exciting new Developments, taking place within the Polymer Field.

On that note, I’d like to officially open this Conference and wish all of you every success in all of your endeavours today and in the future.
 

MR. NOEL TREACY T.D.

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