A Customer Event Like No Other

SP360 was an incredible event for both our customers and our team. For those that couldn’t attend the event in Monaca and Pittsburgh, PA, we’d like to recap the parts that made the show informative. The event itself had been in the works since before COVID-19. Back then, the idea was a roadshow, but as time went on, the idea of having customers come to our plant became more and more enticing.

That led us to SP360, an event that included interactive experiences, direct contact with our polymer experts, an interactive dinner experience, an event at Heinz Field, and a way for our customers to see our state-of-the-art site. Everything about SP360 tied into our focus on customer experience and putting the customer first. That mindset helped to dictate SP360 in its conception and execution.

Hosting SP360 on-site and bringing customers to our polyethylene plant made it a ribbon-cutting of sorts. We were able to share our site and the value it will bring in a more direct way with the customers who toured its various halls and labs. After all, what better way to understand the benefits of our technology, location, and expertise than seeing it all up close?

Road viwe and female face banner on vehicle

Talking Directly To Polyethylene Experts

During SP360, attendees had the opportunity to talk with our polymer experts just like customers will be able to do when our plant is operational. In fact, one of the biggest pieces of feedback we received from attendees is how knowledgeable and on-point our experts were. They were happy to answer specific questions and provide clarity on any topics attendees may have had.

In fact, one attendee stated that the “opportunity to meet and interact with multiple team members within the organization from top to bottom,” was one of their highlights of the event.

Leading up to SP360 and well before the show was even announced, our experienced team was something we got asked about frequently. SP360 sated converter curiosity as they got to meet our polyethylene experts in person. Dan Falla, Carl Baker, Francisco Alvarez, Elliot Carnevale, and others were at SP360 talking directly with attendees.

That kind of personal touch was important to our team, showing attendees that we’re more than just a polyethylene producer. There’s a common thought in our industry that producers just make goods and send them out to customers, but Shell Polymers aims to be more than that status quo. SP360 provided customers with a way to see the personal touch that Shell Polymers will bring to every customer conversation.

Office staff talking with each other

The Sights of SP360

A key attraction of SP360 was the ability to tour our plant and facilities. These tours were seen as a great way to see the scale of the plant. We’ve discussed our state-of-the-art technology and industrial scale before, but this gave attendees a way to see it up close.

Numerous attendees listed the tours as their favorite part of SP360 in our attendee surveys and that wasn’t all they had to say. One attendee stated, “The plant tour was great. Open, knowledgeable people, and a fantastic facility. Of course the socializing at dinner was great, and I learned almost as much there as on the tour.”

Another attendee appreciated seeing how work will be done at our plant, and the level of engagement our team offered during SP360. They said, “The plant tour and seeing the engineering areas used for testing an inspections of all items received and shipped. The managers we engaging and were able to add a bit of humor along with answering any questions presented.”

Tours were led by passionate team members who provided in-depth knowledge of their respective spaces. Team members like Bill Watson & Brooke Gil led our site tours and went into detail about the benefits the Analytical Lab and Application Hall will bring to customers.

The Analytical Lab is where we’ll do polymer testing & analyze pellets as they come off the reactors to verify that the resin produced is molecularly and chemically correct. By doing this, we ensure quality products that our customers can trust and will run successfully on their machines. Touring the plant gave attendees a sense of its scale and state-of-the-art equipment, as well as our team’s level of knowledge. One attendee said of the tours, “The plant tour was very interesting. The person who was our guide was very helpful and it was great to see firsthand the scale of the operation.”

The Application Hall is our 86,000ft2 space that houses the commercial-scale equipment we’ll be using for our customers. This is where our injection molding, blow molding, and pipe equipment will reside and where we can better understand our customers’ challenges by matching the setups our customers are using.

Machine viwe inside lab

The Big Attractions

Aside from the tours and in-depth conversations, attendees cited the Customer Hub and sustainability efforts as key points they were excited to learn about. Seeing the Customer Hub in real time helped customers understand the value of the custom reporting they’ll get from Shell Polymers. Having easy access to past order information, agreed volume metrics, on-time delivery performance, and the ability to track railcars was seen as a big value by attendees.

During SP360, Shell Polymers continued to speak on our sustainability efforts and what that means for converters. Those efforts include our chemical recycling plant, carbon capture efforts, and goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050. This is an effort that many companies are engaged in, but Shell Polymers is uniquely focused on the commercial-scale sustainability efforts that matter most to our customers.

We Can’t Wait for What’s Next

Customers have been seeing progress videos and reading about our site and experience since the plant was announced. We’ve provided virtual tours, updates on milestone achievements, and in-depth profiles of our experts all in an attempt to help you understand what Shell Polymers brings to the table as a new kind of polyethylene supplier.

SP360 put those concepts into action, giving attendees a clear picture of what Shell Polymers is all about. From our site tours to conversations with our experts, we provided attendees with an in-depth look at what sets Shell Polymers apart from other producers, and we’re just getting started.

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