Who's Hiring? MicroGreen Polymers -- Career Center Blog

May 26, 2010

Who's Hiring? MicroGreen Polymers

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By Randy Woods
NWjobs

Over the last few weeks, I've written about economic indicators pointing toward a coming surge in high-tech jobs and growth in the construction and manufacturing sectors. While most of these reports talked about statewide job increases, they were light on the specifics about where some of these jobs can be found.

Then, a few days ago, I heard from the folks at MicroGreen Polymers, an Arlington-based thermoplastic manufacturing company, that wanted to announce to the region that they will be looking to fill at least 15 new positions over the next several months. Now, those are some specifics we can all enjoy!

Tom Malone, CEO of MicroGreen (pictured above, left), told me that between now and the end of the third fiscal quarter this year, he hopes to add 12 factory floor workers, two line supervisors and one production manager to his staff. "We've been looking to build the core of a great team," he says. "Through the course of this summer, we hope to add two shifts to the production line and start shipping orders."

Launched in 2002 by UW graduate students Krishna Nadella (above, right) and Greg Branch, MicroGreen uses an innovative process called Ad-air, which injects microbubbles of carbon dioxide or nitrogen into various types of plastic polymers to increase material volume by 150 to 200 percent. This process uses no harmful VOCs and makes the plastic lighter, less dense and a better insulator without reducing its performance characteristics. The extruded end-products, which use about 80 percent fewer raw materials than standard solid plastics, can then be used in packaging, electronics, transportation, appliances and building materials.

What may be of particular interest to local job seekers is that the process is not as exotic as it sounds. The equipment used in MicroGreen's 35,000-square-foot plant is very similar to that used in the continuous web-feed paperboard industry that has been long established in this region, Malone says. The skills of paperboard mill workers, he adds, should be easily transferable to his new plastics plant.

While production of these products is only beginning to ramp up, Malone sees a bright future for these lighter thermoplastics as more end users show concern about their environmental impacts. Eventually, he predicts, MicroGreen will be able to replace plastic-coated paper and create the first easily recyclable to-go coffee cup.

"Consumers are starting to recognize that paper coated with plastic can create a real problem environmentally," Malone says. "It's very difficult and expensive to recover fibers from cups that come into direct contact with food." MicroGreen, he adds, will make the process simpler by using an already commonly recycled plastic, such as PET (a.k.a. "#1 plastic" in your recycling bin).

"We're looking for creative types with the ability to listen and to adapt to a new way of doing things," Malone says of his prospective hires. "We're happy to be in a region where there is a lot of paper industry experience that can be adapted to our process."

For more information about job opportunities, visit MicroGreen's careers page.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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Christine Buck | May 27, 2010 4:45 PM | Reply

Thank you, Randy, for introducing yet another fine NW group whose combined efforts will not only make them very successful, but be a huge positive step for their community/environment. Good for you, MicroGreen Polymers! Congratulations! Christine B.