Q + A with New Plastics Division Member NEXEO

October 27, 2021

For anyone not familiar with Nexeo Plastics, can you give a brief introduction to the company and your focus areas? From what I’ve read, you distribute a wide range of resins to customers all over the world.

Nexeo Plastics connects suppliers and customers with solutions that go beyond logistics. Aside from distributing a wide range of resins from world-class suppliers to customers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, we also provide material selection assistance, offer supply chain and inventory solutions, and provide value-added services across many industries, including automotive, healthcare, packaging, wire and cable, 3D printing and more.

Along with Canada, where does Nexeo Plastics have facilities and what is the approximate size of your staff worldwide?

Nexeo Plastics currently has over 700 employees worldwide, with approximately 90 owned, leased, or third-party warehouses in North America, Europe and Asia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many different industries and supply chains. How has Nexeo Plastics faired, and how have you adapted operations?

Global supply chains have become more complex and intertwined than ever. The scope and size of the disruption has been unprecedented, and we experienced shortages across nearly every resin family, supplier, and geography. Despite that, Nexeo Plastics has had a lot of success this year. We worked hard to find and bring in additional sources of resin, and thanks to our world-class supply chain infrastructure, which includes a private fleet, we have been able to maintain a high level of service and deliver above and beyond our customers’ expectations.

Sustainability is an important topic, especially when it comes to plastics. What is Nexeo Plastics’ views on sustainability and the need to develop a circular economy for plastics?

Sustainability and the formation of a circular economy for plastics are important ways our industry can help protect our planet.

At Nexeo Plastics, we are committed to and strive to be a responsible corporate citizen. We’re continuously looking for opportunities to improve our sustainability efforts and help our customers with their own sustainability programs. We are a member of Operation Clean Sweep, which is a program that aims to reduce plastic resin loss in the environment. On the supply front, we have an opportunity to connect customers with sustainable materials and continue to add 100 percent renewable-based resins, recycled content resins and resins with renewable content to our slate of product offerings. In addition, we have technical experts who can help customers evaluate their production processes and suggest ways that can help reduce scrap rates, improve energy efficiency, and optimize packaging.

Nexeo Plastics distributes a lot of different types of products and resins; are there any innovative products or resins you’d like to highlight?

Nexeo Plastics is proud to represent materials from a wide selection of world-class suppliers across all resin segments. We are particularly excited about the emergence of several Post Industrial Recycled (PIR) and Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) grades that align with our commitment to be a leader in sustainability and to offer high performance, environmentally responsible choices for customers and their clients.

We are also excited about the addition of more 3D printing materials, including filaments, powders, and liquids.

Nexeo Plastics is a new member of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada’s Plastic Division. What are the reasons for joining an organization like CIAC PD, and what do you hope to get out of being a member?

As a leader in plastics distribution in Canada, we believe that Nexeo Plastics should take part in critical conversations about the future of the plastics industry in this country and how we can partner with key stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions for our country and our planet. Our participation in CIAC will allow us to advocate for our industry and remind stakeholders of the importance of plastics in healthcare, in preventing food spoilage, in making transportation more energy efficient, and in every aspect of our daily lives.