OMNOVA Solutions Recognizes Employee Innovations with 2007 Technology Awards
01 July 2008 - 7:15AM
PR Newswire (US)
FAIRLAWN, Ohio, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OMNOVA Solutions
(NYSE: OMN) today announced its 2007 Technology Awards recipients.
This annual award program recognizes exemplary technology-based
contributions by associates in OMNOVA's research and development,
sales and marketing, technical service, operations and product
management organizations. Technology innovations support activities
in new product development and in a number of OMNOVA's end use
markets, including commercial graphic printing, in-ground swimming
pools, modular office paneling and masking tape. Recipients hail
from all across OMNOVA's global operations, including its
Performance Chemicals business segment facilities in Akron, Ohio,
Mogadore, Ohio, Chester, South Carolina, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
and Shanghai, China; and Decorative Products business segment
facilities in Columbus, Mississippi and Jeannette, Pennsylvania.
"Innovative new products and exceptional service are cornerstones
of our growth strategy, providing OMNOVA with a strong and
sustainable competitive advantage," said Kevin McMullen, OMNOVA
Solutions' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "This year's award
recipients exemplify OMNOVA's focus on technologies that provide
unique value propositions to our customers and result in profitable
growth for our Company." Innovation titles, summaries and
recipients are as follows: Color-Matched Wallcovering Panels Ronnie
Bell - Columbus, MS Steve Bergeron - Field Sales Percy Shelton -
Columbus, MS OMNOVA's Decorative Products unit was able to secure
business with a leading innovator of office furniture by meeting
stringent color-matching criteria within its commercial
wallcovering product line. To ensure the desired quality for the
customer's demountable wall systems, a team of associates from
OMNOVA's Columbus, Mississippi facility made several process
adjustments and initiated strict color-match guidelines. As a
result of these efforts, the customer named OMNOVA its Supplier of
the Year. In-Ground Swimming Pool Liner Sunil Deoras - Jeannette,
PA Tim Polaski - Jeannette, PA Steve Pcolka, Jr. - Jeannette, PA
Associates at OMNOVA's Jeannette, Pennsylvania Decorative Products
facility developed an in-ground pool liner, leveraging the
Company's vinyl films technology for entry into an exciting related
market. The new product had to meet stringent application
requirements and retain a high aesthetic value. The team exceeded
those requirements by developing an in-ground swimming pool liner
film, which was hailed by the customer as "one of the best printed
films we have encountered." Inkjet Receptive Coatings Ted Del Donno
- Fitchburg, MA Eric Rall - Field Sales Cathy Smith - Akron, OH
Associates from OMNOVA's Performance Chemicals sales and technology
teams worked with a customer to develop a customized family of
binders and coatings for use in commercial graphic signage. The
resulting business also prompted the customer to purchase vinyl
film substrate from OMNOVA's Decorative Products business. New
Research & Development Polymerization Vessels and Enhancements
Carla McBain - Akron, OH Jacki Laurich - Mogadore, OH Jeff Pazzelli
- Mogadore, OH Joy Untch - Mogadore, OH Brian Doucet - Mogadore, OH
Mitch Shipman - Mogadore, OH A cross-functional team of associates
from OMNOVA's Mogadore, Ohio Pilot Plant and Akron, Ohio Technology
Center built upon the Company's core competencies in polymer
manufacturing and customization by leading the design and
installation of new research and development polymerization
vessels. The vessels, located at the Mogadore Pilot Plant, provide
the Performance Chemicals business with a means to strengthen its
new product development capabilities, as well as drive strategic
growth and operational excellence. Saturants and Release Coatings
for Asia Market Haiping Fu - Shanghai, China Rob Holmes - Akron, OH
Doug Harper - Chester, SC Norm Porter - Akron, OH Bobbie Varnadore
- Chester, SC As one the leading suppliers of chemistries for the
tape and adhesives market in the United States, OMNOVA's
Performance Chemicals business is also working to achieve similar
success in the Asia-Pacific region. A global, cross-functional team
of OMNOVA specialty chemicals associates has been collaborating
with customers throughout Asia to transition the Company's existing
technology base to meet the unique needs of the market. After
diligent research and close collaboration with these customers, the
team successfully developed custom chemistries to overcome the
challenges presented by local paper formulations and manufacturing
processes, lengthy shipping distances and other variables. OMNOVA
Solutions Inc. is a technology-based company with proforma 2007
sales of $836 million and a current workforce of 2,810 employees
worldwide. OMNOVA is an innovator of emulsion polymers, specialty
chemicals, and decorative and functional surfaces for a variety of
commercial, industrial and residential end uses. Visit OMNOVA
Solutions on the internet at http://www.omnova.com/. DATASOURCE:
OMNOVA Solutions Inc. CONTACT: Sandi Noah, Communications of OMNOVA
Solutions, +1-330-869-4292 Web site: http://www.omnova.com/
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