Past Event
Plastics Meets AI
Apr. 14, 2026
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM PT
Long Beach Marriott
4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, CA 95815
Real-World Production Insights
Join us in person for a practical look at how AI is being used to improve plastics production on the plant floor. If you’re looking to improve production performance, better support your customers, and stay competitive, this session is for you.
Learn how NOVA Chemicals is helping optimize performance before production begins, and how Reifenhäuser is using real-time data to increase efficiency, reduce downtime, and support better day-to-day operational decisions.
Presentation & Speakers
BONFIRE® App; using technology to help in resin selection
Presented by Greg Courtney, NOVA Chemicals
Greg Courtney has over 30 years of experience in the plastics industry and has been with NOVA Chemicals for more than 27 years. Throughout his tenure at NOVA Chemicals, Greg has held numerous roles across the organization. For the past 17 years, he has served as a Technical Service Representative specializing in the Heavy-Duty Sack (HDS) and Food Packaging markets. Greg currently supports customers across both North America and Europe. His background includes extensive hands-on experience in extrusion, new product development, and troubleshooting, making him a trusted technical resource for customers and internal teams alike.
Presented by Steve DeSpain, REIFENHAUSER INC.
Steve DeSpain has over 35 years of worldwide experience in the plastics industry and his background includes film production, machinery installation, engineering and sales expertise. He has held various positions ranging from production management to engineering and sales with such well-known companies as ITW and Davis-Standard and has achieved a high degree of respect from his customers and peers for his technical expertise as well as for his commitment and understanding of the market. He has presented various papers at many technical conferences around the world.
Steve is the Vice President of REIFENHAUSER INC. the wholly owned subsidiary of Reifenhäuser Extrusion GmbH, Troisdorf, Germany, an internationally oriented company and is responsible for the North American market. Steve also serves on the board of the WPA (Western Plastics Association) and is also part of PLASTIC’s Flexible Film and Bag Executive Committee.
About Reifenhäuser Group: Together with its highly specialized business units, the Reifenhäuser Group is the leading provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion. Founded in 1911, the company has grown to become a global provider of high-tech solutions. Today, Reifenhäuser has the world’s largest network of expertise in plastics extrusion technologies, supported by 1,500 experts and led by the Group CEO Bernd Reifenhäuser.
