Steven Alexander Email & Phone Number

Lead the team responsible for implementation of technology enhancements and operational optimization for the Intermediate Chemistry, Emulsion Polymers, and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Co-polymer divisions. Assets under the group’s stewardship include fourteen sites in nine countries on three continents and encompass fourteen different product lines (Acetic Acid, Vinyl Acetate, Acetic Anhydride, Acetate Esters, Olefin Methanol Derivatives, Ethanol, Methanol, Vinyl Acetate/Ethylene (EVA) emulsions, Vinyl Acetate homo-polymer (PVAc) emulsions, Styrene Acrylic copolymer emulsions, Vinyl Acrylic copolymers, Acrylic polymer emulsions, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Co-Polymers, and Low Density Polyethylene). Lead a global staff of eight senior engineering professionals located in the United States, Mexico, Sweden, Germany, and Singapore that comprise the corporate technology experts servicing these processes.

Led the team responsible for implementation of technology enhancements and operational optimization for the Intermediate Chemistry, Acetate Derivatives, and Food Ingredients divisions. Assets under the group’s stewardship included nine sites in five countries on three continents and encompassed eight different product lines (Acetic Acid, Vinyl Acetate, Acetic Anhydride, Acetate Esters, Olefin Methanol Derivatives, Cellulose Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, and Sorbic Acid). Led a global staff of seven senior engineering professionals located in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany that comprised the corporate technology experts servicing these processes. Stewarded the deployment of technology and operations improvements globally which achieved in excess of 30MM$ period, variable, and energy improvements and an excess of 2MM$ in revenue generation through June of 2015 with full year forecasts for 2015 for the areas under the group’s stewardship were in excess of $60MM period, variable, and energy improvements and over 7MM$ in revenue generation. Stewarded the deployment of technology and operations improvements globally which achieved in excess of 80MM$ period, variable, and energy improvements and an excess of 3MM$ in revenue generation in 2014.

Responsible for leading the implementation of technology enhancements across all Acetyls sites worldwide, with a focused on delivering improved performance in Process Safety, Unit Operating Reliability, Production Cost and Quality, and Asset Investment and Management. Also provided special problems troubleshooting, support, and incident investigation services globally. Led a staff of 20 engineering professionals globally with backgrounds ranging from new hires to 35+ years experience and degree levels from bachelors to PhD. Stewarded the deployment of technology and operations improvements globally which achieved in excess of 20MM$ period, energy, and variable cost reductions each year for 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Responsible for all aspects of production for an ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol manufacturing facility owned by Old World Industries but operated by Celanese Ltd. Direct reports include 31 engineers, maintenance personnel, specialists, supervisors, and operators. Facilities include reaction and purification trains for both ethylene oxide and mono-ethylene glycol together with co-product di-ethylene glycol and tri-ethylene glycol with associated tank farms. Achieved an increase in maximum sustainable capacity in excess of 10% over prior records and an annual production of nearly 5% over prior records. Total energy usage (steam, electricity, and natural gas) per pound of raw EO production reduced by over 25% versus a 2008 baseline. Aggregate productivity improvements (fixed costs, variable costs, and energy) of nearly $6MM achieved over a three year period of time with over $10MM in revenue generation opportunities realized.

Responsible for identifying and developing raw material efficiency improvements site wide for the company's PBT, Vectra LCP, and associated compounding facilities. Personally implemented over 12 projects with annualized savings in excess of 1 million dollars. Also responsible for driving and coordinating productivity projects site wide. Overall productivity projects for 2007 implemented by various individuals from hourly staff to salaried professionals exceeded 3 million dollars actual savings in 2007. The variable cost aspects of these improvements represented a 1.5% raw material efficiency increase site wide.

Responsible for all operational aspects of the production of PBT, PET, and Vectra Liquid Crystal Polymers. Organization included over 60 engineering professionals, clerical staff, operators, and contract laborers. Facilities included 24 independent batch polymerization trains with supporting raw material recovery facilities, tank farms, rail & truck loading and unloading facilities, raw material and semi-finished goods warehousing.

Responsible for all operational aspects of a butane liquid phase oxidation to various carboxylic acids, alcohols, and associated esters. Facilities included three oxidation reactors with two associated oil absorption butane recovery units, an acetic acid distillation purification train, and methyl acetate / methyl formate hydroylysis reaction train. Also air compressors with total capacity in excess of 90 thousand standard cubic feet per minute and two molecular sieve oxygen enrichment plants. Staff of direct reports included two engineering professionals and 30 specialists and operators.

Responsible for all operational aspects of a batch acylic acid esterification facility owned by UCB Surface Specialties but operated by Celanese Ltd. Served as sole on-site technical support engineer. Direct reports totaled 16 specialists, operators, lab techs, loaders, and clerical staff.

Leipzig Area, Germany

Provide technical support for the construction, commissioning, and start-up of the butyl acrylate reaction and purification train, the glacial acrylic acid crystallization train, the facility tank farms, and the loading / unloading facilities for both rail and truck traffic for a joint venture acrylates complex with the Dow Chemical Company. Assumed responsibility for support of the acrylic acid purification train, in addition to the above listed areas, after serving on the investigation team for a major process incident in the acrylic acid purification area of the facility and supervising the reconstruction and restart of the damaged equipment.

Pasadena, Texas

Provided technical support for propylene oxidation to acrylic acid with associated esterification trains. Facilities included heterogeneous catalysis oxidation reactors, acrylic acid purification including crystallization, butyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate esterification and purification. Also served as the site on-site Aspen simulation resource, developed training materials for acrylates process technology, reviewed and maintained operating procedures, and provided technical support for a facility expansion startup.

Corpus Christi, Texas

Provided design support for an acrylate facility expansion in Pasadena, Texas and a green-filed acrylate complex joint venture with Dow Chemical in Leipzig, Germany. This included developing facility material and energy balances, estimation of physical properties, simulation of plant processes, and design of purification trains including tower internals. Provided oversight for construction of all towers including contractor shop and field audits. Provided general process engineering support for environmental permitting for both projects including serving as the sole on-site engineer representing Hoechst Celanese working with the German environmental authorities from the construction contractor's Leipzig offices.

Corpus Christi, Texas

Developed and reviewed process designs and economics of speculative technologies for expanding current product lines and/or identifying potential competitive advantages. Developed new process chemistry and technologies and provided general technical support for optimization and expansion of existing facilities world-wide. Organized seminars, acted as corporate representation to industry and academic symposium, and authored over 40 internal publications on subjects ranging from comparative process economics to distillation tower design.

Mba, Business

Activities and Societies: Delta Mu Delta, Tutor for Quantitative Analysis and Operations Management GPA: 4.0 / 4.0

Phd, Chemical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Sigma Xi, AIChE, Omega Chi Epsilon (President), Georgia Tech Fencing Club (Treasurer), Association of Chemical.

B.Che, Chemical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Omega Chi Epsilon (Vice-President), Tau Beta Pi, AIChE, Alpha Chi Sigma Co-Op with Allied Signal - Columbia, SC.