Metabolix Hires To Support Technology Development Of Mirel Bioplastics
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX) today announced that Telles™, the joint venture between Metabolix Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Company that produces Mirel™ bioplastics, has made three new hires to support the technical development of Mirel. Joining Telles are Joseph Huang, Product Development Engineer, David Scarlett, Laboratory Manager, and Thomas J. Pitzi, Application Development Engineer.
"The addition of these three individuals adds further global experience to the Telles team," said Bob Findlen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Telles. "In the newly created positions at the company, Joe, Dave and Tom will be instrumental in the expansion of the Mirel product line."
Joseph Huang has more than nine years of experience in developing thermoplastic compounds. Joe was previously with RTP Company and PolyOne, where he traveled extensively throughout Asia and the U.S. working directly with customers to develop unique products to fulfill their needs. He spent three years in Singapore to support RTP's launch of a compounding plant. With two pending patents for specialty compounds, fluency in Mandarin Chinese and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Joe brings further international experience to the Telles product development team.
David Scarlett brings 34 years of experience in the area of thermoplastics to his new position as Laboratory Manager for the Telles product development team. Dave has had involvement with ASTM and ISO technical committees, as well as the UL and CSA product regulating agencies. Most recently, Dave has spent more than ten years assisting customers with application and processing issues for both molding and extrusion grade plastics and has been involved with mechanical property measurement of plastics for over three decades.
Tom Pitzi has more than fifteen years of plastic application development experience and in-depth knowledge of both processing methods and plastic materials. Prior to joining Telles, Tom spent nine years at DSM Thermoplastic Elastomers, where he held several positions within both the technical and commercial functions, most recently as a Senior Application Development Engineer. Prior to DSM, Tom was an Application Development Engineer with Elf Atochem North America (Arkema). Tom received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University.
About Metabolix
Founded in 1992, Metabolix, Inc. is an innovation driven bioscience company focused on providing sustainable solutions for the world's needs for plastics, chemicals and energy. The Company is taking a systems approach, from gene to end product, integrating sophisticated biotechnology with advanced industrial practice. Metabolix is now developing and commercializing Mirel™ bioplastics, a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Mirel is suitable for injection molding, extrusion coating, cast film and sheet, blown film and thermoforming. Metabolix is also developing a proprietary platform technology for co-producing plastics, chemicals and energy, from crops such as switchgrass, oilseeds and sugarcane.
Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) are commercializing Mirel through a joint venture called Telles. The first commercial scale Mirel production plant is being constructed adjacent to ADM's wet corn mill in Clinton, Iowa. The plant is designed to produce up to 110 million pounds of Mirel annually. Mirel will reduce reliance on petroleum and decrease environmental impacts relative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.
For more information, please visit www.metabolix.com. (MBLX-G)
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding commercial viability of Mirel, and expectations regarding Mirel commercial production and the commercially produced Mirel material, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation, risks associated with: the Company's ability to develop and successfully commercialize Mirel, market acceptance of Metabolix products, the Company's ability to compete with petroleum-based plastics, chemicals and energy and with other biobased products, and other risks detailed in Metabolix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, which was filed on March 13, 2008, and form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, which was filed on May 8, 2008. Metabolix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.
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