Society of Plastics Engineers

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and education for all plastics professionals. The SPE was founded in 1942. Today it is home to more than 20,000 plastics professionals in the United States, and more than 70 countries around the world.^[1]

The organization is divided into five parts: local and geographical sections, technical divisions, staff, volunteer leadership, and student organizations. There are also groups which are under formation, such as Sections in Formation (SPE Sections) or Special Interest Groups (SPE Divisions.) Sections exist around the world in over 70 countries. Sections publish local news letters as well as organize technical and social meetings.

Members of the SPE are also members of one or more of 26 specific technical affiliations. Affiliations include processing techniques, analysis, material specifics, markets, job function, and others. The Divisions are varied and include areas such as Blow Molding and Extrusion to types of plastics like Vinyls or Thermosets. 14 groups exist for the interest of development of new technologies or special interest areas that may at one point become a Technical Division. Locations without an active SPE Section that have formed a core group of interested members and potential officers are known as SIFs or "Sections in Formation."

The Society holds an "Annual Technical Conference" or ANTEC for short, each spring. Usually the meetings are in early May in various locations around North America. The meeting includes the largest presentation of peer-reviewed technical papers about plastics in the world, with usually over 700 submissions in sessions running all day from Monday thru Wednesday afternoon. The 2016 ANTEC was held in Indianapolis from May 22 through May 25.^[1]