NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR FOR DUGDALE PLC WILL DRIVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL COMPOUNDS - May, 2006

PVC expert Dr Jeff Ryan has joined specialist PVC compound and dry blend manufacturer Dugdale Plc as technical director. Previously he was technical manager-materials of Eurocell Profiles Limited, one of the largest PVCU extruders in the UK.

Dr Ryan is well known in the PVC industry and is a co-author of the RAPRA material review ‘PVC: Compounds, Processing and Applications’.

Eurocell manufacture PVC window and door systems, conservatory roof systems, profiles and roofline products and Dr Ryan will bring extensive knowledge of the materials and manufacturing systems used to produce these products to Dugdale. Having also worked for Hydro Polymers for 12 years in technical and commercial roles he has unparalleled experience in the PVC sector.

Originally serving a mechanical engineering apprenticeship with Renold Power Transmission he took a degree in this subject and went on to achieve a PhD in Mechanical Engineering for a thesis on reaction injection moulding processing.

At Dugdale his role will be to take overall control of the existing technical department and lead the development of new materials and the processes required to manufacture them.

“Jeff Ryan’s appointment completes a series of key senior appointments aimed at growing the business on the back of technical competency,” said Tom Durkin managing director of Dugdale. “He will play a key role in driving our strategy of developing and manufacturing tailored, high performance PVC compounds.”