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Tuesday, 08 September 2020 07:12

Vinyl Council appoints new Chairman

Matthew Hoyne (L), Chairman and Rob McLorinan (R), Vice Chairman

 

The Board of the Vinyl Council of Australia has elected a new Chairman following the decision by Ian Rayner (Managing Director, Breathe Fresh Australia Pty Ltd) to retire as Chairman after eight years at the helm.

Taking over the role is Matthew Hoyne, Director and General Manager of vinyl compounder and recycler, Welvic Australia.

Ian has supported the Council with his extensive management and industry experience since his appointment as Chairman in 2012 and as a Director since 2005. He has steered the Council through the major industry restructure in 2016 when the country’s only resin producer ceased manufacturing, as well as through the current, challenging pandemic. The strength of the Council today as the peak association for the vinyl industry is testament to Ian’s leadership. He will remain on the Board as a Director.

Matthew Hoyne’s role as Chairman commenced on 25 August. Matthew has served on the Council Board as a Director since 2009 and has been the Treasurer and Deputy Chairman for the past eight years.

He brings over 26 years of experience in the plastics industry having held several technical and commercial roles with different plastics manufacturers. He has been a part owner and Director of Welvic Australia since 2006.

Matthew has been a member of the Council’s Technical Steering Group for the PVC Stewardship Program and currently chairs the PVC AUS conference organising committee and the PVC Circularity Task Force.

The Council’s Board currently has eight directors, including Matthew. These are:

  • Vice Chairman/Treasurer: Mr. Rob McLorinan - General Manager, Armstrong Flooring Pty Ltd
  • Mr Brad Scharenguivel – Country Manager, Deceuninck Australia
  • Ms Cindy Bray – Executive General Manager, Plastic Industry Pipe Association of Australia Ltd (PIPA)
  • Mr David Cooper - General Manager, Australian Vinyls Corporation Pty Ltd
  • Mr Dieter Klamann – Managing Director, Chemson Pacific Pty Ltd
  • Mr Ian Lilja – Group Technical Advisor, Sun Ace Australia Pty Ltd
  • Mr Ian Rayner - Managing Director, Breathe Fresh Australia Pty Ltd

 

Published in News Archive

The Vinyl Council of Australia is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year amid on-going progress in guiding the continuous improvement and sustainable development of the Australian PVC industry.

Founded in 1998, the nation’s peak association for the PVC value chain has made great strides in changing perceptions and advancing the material’s sustainability over the past two decades.

Key achievements include the 2002 launch of the PVC Stewardship Program (PSP) that has been fostering advancements in innovation and sustainability throughout the Australian PVC industry, for both locally-made and imported products and the introduction of the Best Practice PVC third party accreditation scheme for products.

Recognised in rating tools such as Green Star and public and private procurement policies, Best Practice PVC requires strict compliance and has driven change through product global supply chains.

Acknowledged as one of the longest-standing product stewardship programs in Australia with a full life cycle approach, the PSP currently has 47 Signatories representing the majority of the Australian PVC industry. All are committed to driving positive measurable change in five key areas, such as transparency, resource efficiency and safe and sustainable use of additives.

The information and data collected through the program has helped inform industry and stakeholders, influence product design and ensure the Australian PVC industry continues to innovate.

Industry successes include the most stringent manufacturing benchmarks for raw material suppliers; a 98% reduction in lead additive use by Signatories since 2002; compliance by 90% of Signatories with the PVC Industry Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Charter; growing use of PVC recyclate in products placed in the market; research and development of innovative solutions for recycling PVC coated fabrics; and initiation of the recycling of medical devices. As the program evolves year to year, industry is driven to improve performance and reduce the environmental footprint of vinyl products along the entire value chain.

The Council’s thriving PVC Recycling in Hospitals program now operates in 160 hospitals throughout Australia and New Zealand, recycling more than 200 tonnes of high-grade PVC waste each year into new goods, such as playground mats and garden hose. Design of new product applications for the recyclate is currently being explored.

Vinyl Council Chief Executive Sophi MacMillan comments: “We have made major progress over the past two decades with some significant breakthroughs, both in how PVC is perceived and how it is increasingly being specified for sustainable applications. Through our ‘whole of life approach’ to PVC stewardship, today’s vinyl is a sound material choice.”

We have achieved this as an industry, continues Sophi, by ‘working together through a public voluntary commitment to address key aspects of the product life cycle based on credible science and life cycle assessments’.

As a low carbon and durable plastic, PVC provides solutions through its track record of stewardship, alignment with several global Sustainability Development Goals and its potential for circularity. Each tonne of recycled PVC will replace about one tonne of virgin PVC compound in new products, consuming 80% less energy and reducing carbon emissions.

In providing the platform to share information and engage with stakeholders, the PSP has developed partnerships and collaborations that are driving change through the industry and better understanding of supply chains for vinyl products placed on the Australian market.

Sophi adds: “In our 20th anniversary year, we are immensely proud of how far we’ve come on our continuous and evolving journey towards a circular economy for vinyl.”

Published in News Archive
Wednesday, 20 September 2017 00:03

Vinyl Council of Australia welcomes new members

The Vinyl Council is delighted to welcome a recently new member.

  • Dincel Pty Ltd has joined the Council as an Ordinary member and as a Signatory to the PSP. Based in NSW, Dincel manufactures the Dincel Construction System, a PVC permanent formwork profile for constructing concrete walls and columns. The Sydney plant has four extrusion lines and continues to grow the market for this PVC application. 
  • IXOM Operations Pty Ltd has joined the Council as an Ordinary member. Based in VIC. They are a chemicals distributor in Australia and New Zealand and supply plasticisers to the PVC industry.

The Vinyl Council truly represents the vinyl value chain in Australia, acting as the collective voice for the industry and working to enhance the industry's opportunities for growth and sustainable development.

See a full list of Council members here.

To inquire about membership, call 03 9510 1711 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in News Archive
Thursday, 01 June 2017 03:41

About Us

Vinyl - Part of the Solution

The Vinyl Council of Australia believes that vinyl products have a valuable role to play in a sustainable society.

The Council is a member-based organisation established in June 1998. It acts as the peak organisation representing the Australian PVC, or vinyl, value chain. Our members are drawn from across the supply chain of the vinyl industry in Australia, representing a wide range of products.

The Vinyl Council is working to advance the sustainability of the PVC industry in Australia through sharing information on, and engaging with stakeholders regarding the life cycle of PVC.

The Council advocates the responsible manufacture, use and disposal of PVC products. It aims to foster cooperation between member companies, governments and organisations to increase the understanding of the PVC life cycle.

The Council provides leadership to its members in Product Stewardship and best practice models to encourage industry advances and operation to the highest standard.

The Council provides members with a forum where they can seek information and support for the advancement of the industry.

Not yet a member? Learn more or contact us to discuss This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

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As part of the VCA’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and the sustainable development of the Australian PVC industry, we have taken the Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) pledge.

The VCA continues to work with our members and their supply chains to work towards the goal of zero pellet loss and encourages our members to make the pledge as well. 

We are proud to be a partner of the program and to play a role in protecting our natural environment alongside many other organisations in Australia and abroad.

For more information on the program, visit the Operation Clean Sweep Australia website.

 

Published in Content Page