Coeur Sponsers PlastiVan- Polymer Science Program
Posted: 04-03-2008
Coeur celebrates 10 years of doing business in Beaufort County by sponsoring fun polymer science program at three area schools and hosting job fair.
Washington, North Carolina (April 3, 2008) ? In celebration of 10 years of operating in Washington, N.C., local medical device manufacturer, Coeur Inc., demonstrates its commitment to the community by bringing the internationally acclaimed PlastiVan? science program to three Beaufort County Schools and hosting a job fair at its plant to highlight the careers they offer. According to Jay Cude, President of Coeur, ?All of our products are manufactured using a wide range of plastic materials. We want to highlight the importance of plastic in our daily lives, and let our neighbors know about careers in the medical plastics industry.? The PlastiVan science program will be at Southside High School on Tuesday, April 8; Washington High School on Thursday, April 10; and Northside High School on Friday, April 11.
So much more than another school assembly program! When the PlastiVan arrives next week, the instructor will teach up to five class periods at each school, providing an advanced laboratory experience. Students are provided with their own polymeric science kits as the instructor guides them through exciting, hands-on experiments demonstrating the chemistry and properties of plastics. The history and sustainability issues of plastics will be discussed, as well as the many career opportunities available in the plastics industry. A product of the National Plastics Center (NPC) in Leominster, Mass., the PlastiVan program travels to schools throughout the United States teaching nearly 50,000 students a year about the science of plastics with the goal of inspiring a new generation of scientists and innovators. For more information, visit the NPC Web site at http://www.plasticsmuseum.org/plastivan.html, or contact Betty Coleman at (781) 337-7127; email bcoleman@socplas.org.
Coeur welcomes employment seekers at job fair. To highlight the career opportunities it offers, Coeur will be hosting a job fair Saturday, April 12 from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon at its manufacturing facility located at 209 Creekside Drive, Washington, N.C. 27889. Coeur will be accepting employment applications and giving attendees tours of the facility. Coeur will also be at the Beaufort County Job Fair Tuesday, April 15 at the Beaufort Community College. For more information on Coeur?s job fair, contact Laurie Raynor at (252) 940-4296. – M O R E –
“Coeur is excited about bringing the PlastiVan program to Beaufort County schools. Aside from helping teachers enhance the schools? science curriculum, the program creates awareness with students and the community about the exciting career opportunities Coeur offers here in Washington,” said Cude. “The plastics industry plays a significant role in North Carolina’s economy, and if plastics manufacturing in this country is to remain competitive, we need to generate enthusiasm for science and technology in our students.” North Carolina’s plastics industry employed 39,400 in 2006, and had $16 billion in plastics shipments according to the Size and Impact of the Plastics Industry on the U.S. Economy report published by The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc.
Established in 1998, Coeur, Inc. operates a 42,000 square foot state-of-the-art, plastic injection molding and assembly facility in Washington, N.C., manufacturing disposable medical products that are shipped around the world. According to Cude, “Twenty-two percent of everything we make is exported. We are very proud of the fact that we are shipping products, not jobs, out of the country.” To maintain a competitive advantage, Coeur continually invests in manufacturing technology, new product research and development, and its people. Employing approximately 90 people at its North Carolina location, Coeur offers insurance options on medical, dental and prescription drug programs; as well as a comprehensive wellness program, accrued paid leave, 401K plan and educational reimbursement. Dedicated to providing a safe work environment, Coeur is a recipient of The Society of the Plastics Industry’s 2006 Achievement safety award, as well as the U.S. Department of Labor safety award for 2007.
Aside from sponsoring the PlastiVan science program at area schools, Coeur and its employees are active in the community. For several years, Coeur employees have actively participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and will have a team of 20 people at this year?s event to be held on May 2-3, 2008. Coeur is also involved with the local Chamber of Commerce and the Committee of 100.
With corporate offices in Lebanon, Tenn., the company also has a medical tubing extrusion and assembly facility in Wisconsin and several other assembly operations. Coeur, Inc. is a member of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. For more information, visit the company?s Web site at www.coeurinc.com.
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Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc is the trade association representing the 3rd largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI’s members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain; including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.1 million workers and provides nearly $379 billion in annual shipments. For more information, visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.