There is no question that 2009 was a trying year for all industries and 2010 proves to hit the rubber industry with much of the same uncertainty.  With this uncertainty, it is more important now than it ever has been to understand the benefits of getting involved with the Chicago Rubber Group and the Rubber Division ACS.  As companies are working with a leaner staff and still expecting more productivity, exploring and implementing new technologies, as well as expanding employee knowledge bases become the essence of continual progress and success for all of us.  The Chicago Rubber Group and the Rubber Division ACS provide us all with a means to achieve many of these educational and technical goals, as well as a forum for business networking within the industry.  I urge all of you to continue with your membership, but membership is only one aspect of participation – volunteering your time to make other contributions to the group is of the essence for our continued success.  Your and your companies’ inputs, contributions, and attendance will help all of us maintain the professional standards of excellence that we have seen from so many others in the past and that we have come to expect from our members and volunteers. 

Information is enclosed in the latest newsletter and on our website for the 2010 Basics of Rubber Technology Course that we hold every other Spring at SKF Sealing Solutions in Elgin, IL.  This course is a good, meaningful introductory knowledge base on rubber for new employees and for cross-training existing employees.  Please spread the word however you see fit if you know of someone who may benefit from attending.  The deadline to register for the course is fast-approaching, so please do not wait to sign up.  In addition, we are once again awarding the annual Harold Stark Memorial Scholarship to a local graduating high school senior, as well as the Robert Kann Education Award to one of our current local colleagues.  Deadlines to sign up for or to nominate candidates for these are also fast-approaching, so watch the newsletter and website for more information, or contact the CRG Scholarship Chair and 2010 Vice President, Rich Alt (ralt@acmemachell.com).  

I would like to thank all the Board Members and Committee Chairs for their committed efforts of bringing and keeping this group together.  In 2010, the Chicago Rubber Group will be hosting the Fall Rubber Division ACS Meeting in Milwaukee, WI.  We will be looking for additional volunteers to help support the success of this event.  Please contact Tim Day (tim@chemrep.com) if you are interested in contributing to this effort. 

I would also like to congratulate those that worked to successfully merge The Wisconsin Rubber Group and The Central Illinois Rubber & Plastics Group into the Chicago family.  It has been a long time coming but I believe this new conglomerate known solely as The Chicago Rubber Group will strengthen the information of technology to the rubber industry. 

Finally, I would like to thank CRG Past President Brian Olson for all his dedicated work for the Chicago Rubber Group and the companies in the surrounding areas.  We wish him the best of luck in his new venture down south.

Andy Bobowski, President, The Chicago Rubber Group, Inc.