David Ploense Email & Phone Number

Summit, Il

Summit, Il

Summit, Il

Advanced Engineer in the Asphalt Technical Services and Testing Lab leading accountability for quality in Owens Corning's main lab and throughout the asphalt division. Technical representative for asphalt industrial specialties for new product development and product improvement. Provides technical assistance for customer service. Owens Corning representative to industry related professional groups and third-party approval agencies.

Summit, Il

Manages the day to day operations of the Owens Corning corporate Asphalt Testing Lab supporting the companies asphalt operations, product improvement and development, and providing technical support for several industrial specialties areas.

Directed all technical activities for the start-up and day-to-day operation of a new manufacturer of state-of-the-art polymer modified bitumen roofing and paving materials. These included adhesives for shingle wind uplift resistance, laminating dimensional shingles, impact resistant shingle coatings, asphalt enhancers and adhesive for self stick products for the roofing industry.• Designed and equipped the laboratory facilities for testing and developing polymer modified asphalt products.• Defined and implemented the quality program for the facility.• Trained all staff and lab personnel in polymer modified asphalt sampling and testing methods.• New product and raw materials development to meet customer requirements and reduce costs.• Technical service assistance to sales and marketing for new sales and current customers. Sales literature copyrighting and approval.

Consultant –Training, Product, Process, and Quality Improvement (2008-Present)Providing consultation services to manufacturers nationally and internationally with training and assistance in using the full range of the most recent profit improvement methods.

• Field and lab testing support of Ashland’s product line of solvent-based and water-based adhesives and accessories for EPDM, PVC, and TPO commercial roofing, including a novel one-part moisture-cured polyurethane adhesive technology.• Provided field and laboratory support to the development and commercialization of adhesives using the same polyurethane technology to adhere roofing membranes. Used DfSS (Design for Six-Sigma) methods to evaluate new product development and product improvement.• Liaison to Factory Mutual, Underwriters Laboratories, and Miami-Dade for system designs leading to third-party code approvals.• Designed protocol for accelerated and long-term product evaluation.• Developed techniques for efficient application of the adhesive products.• Investigated and evaluated reported field failures and produced formal reports to management.• Trained and assisted customers with the proper use of Ashland products.

Provided consultation services to manufacturers:• Planned and implemented a complete, ISO-9000 compliant quality management system for a new plastic extrusion manufacturing facility. Eliminated entire classes of defects using team methods and six-sigma tools. Trained all operators and staff in the QA system.• Determined the cause of a persistent process-related quality issue using six-sigma techniques in a team environment. Resulted in an estimated $700,000 /year in profit improvement to date.• Directed the multi-plant national quality activities for a client’s manufacturing units and trained their National Quality Manager.• Conducted product upgrades and improvements reducing costs, improving productivity, and reducing field claims. • Acted as an expert witness for litigations.• Wrote quality manuals for compliance with the requirements of third-party approval agencies. • Prepared and presented expert reports on key manufacturing issues.

1993-2000SR. Research ChemistManaged product development and process optimization for building products through all stages from bench formulations to plant trials and to commercialization.• Reformulated fire retardant formulations for savings of $300,000/year.• Reduced polymer costs by over $700,000/year. Instrumental in 2 plant startups.• Conducted a product line rationalization associated with two simultaneous acquisitions of major roofing manufacturers.• Trained over 2000 professional architects, contractors, and building managers as a faculty member for the “Better Understanding of Roofing Systems Institute”. • Represented JM in ASTM D-04 and D-08, and ARMA Research Committee.

Irving , Tx And Charleston, Sc

Bs, Self-Directed Degree Program

Received highest score in the history of the school on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required for all graduating students

Chemistry, Math