For Immediate Release — Contact Eileen Petridis, Falls Communications, (216) 696-0229
CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH
August 11, 2014
EMERALD KALAMA CHEMICAL PROMOTES GRAVEL TO VICE PRESIDENT OF K-FLEX® NON-PHTHALATE PLASTICIZERS AND COALESCENTS
Emerald Kalama Chemical, a business group of Emerald Performance Materials, has appointed Shamsi Gravel as vice president of its K-FLEX® line of non-phthalate, low-VOC plasticizers and coalescents. Previously serving as K-FLEX® product line director for the Americas, Gravel will now assume global leadership for the business platform, implementing strategies for continued growth and working directly with internal and external stakeholders worldwide.
Prior to joining Emerald as product line manager in 2009, Gravel served The ChemQuest Group as a senior consultant specializing in the coatings, adhesives, resins and polymer industries. She also previously held various business and technical roles at Bostik Findley and Henkel (formerly National Starch). She holds an M.B.A. in Finance, Marketing and Strategy from Boston University, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University, a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University and a graduate certificate in Polymer Engineering from N.J. Institute of Technology.
“Shamsi has had considerable impact on the growth and success of the K-FLEX® line, demonstrating remarkable expertise and charisma as a leader,” said Ed Gotch, president of the Emerald Kalama Chemical group. “Her finesse in executing key growth strategies is a testament to her understanding of the key needs, markets and drivers for the business. In her new role, she will have the opportunity to build upon these successes as we continue to expand globally.”
The Emerald Kalama business group is currently serving customers in over 70 countries, and that number is expected to grow with its expansion in infrastructure and innovative, value-added new product technologies. The Emerald Kalama business group has more than doubled U.S. capacity for K-FLEX® plasticizers and coalescents since 2011, completing several expansion projects at its Kalama, Wash. facility. However, the group has also made several large investments in recent years to increase the footprint of the brand internationally. A new K-FLEX® operation was added at the group’s Rotterdam, Netherlands facility in 2012 to better serve the European market, and Gotch has affirmed aggressive expansion plans to widen the brand’s presence in Asia and South America.
The K-FLEX® benzoate technology has over a three-decade proven track record delivering performance —a highly effective alternative to phthalates plasticizers and high-VOC coalescents, which are being increasingly regulated due to health and environmental concerns. The REACH-compliant K-FLEX® platform provides a range of non-phthalate, non-SVHC products—including those with certain clearances for use in food-contact applications.
In recent years, the company has focused on product innovation to deliver benefits to an expanding range of adhesives, sealants, caulk, paints, coatings, graphic arts and plastisol and vinyl applications. For example, in adhesive and sealant applications, K-FLEX® products are known for enhancing film formation and adhesion, processing characteristics and improving the resistance of the end-product to oil, grease and water. Other important benefits include improved scrub resistance, gloss retention in paint and coatings. In vinyl applications, performance can be greatly enhanced by blending the fast-fusing K-Flex® plasticizers with many other general purpose plasticizers to increase line speed and/or lower processing temperature, as well as improve stain resistance and toughened wear layers in plastisols when compared with other materials.
Emerald Kalama Chemical also produces sodium and potassium benzoate, benzoic acid and intermediates and specialty flavor and fragrance ingredients, which the company sells globally through its distribution partners. The business has manufacturing operations in Kalama, Wash. and in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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