Graham Packaging Co. L.P., York, PA, has announced the closing of its container manufacturing plant in Cincinnati as part of its integration efforts from the acquisition of O-I Plastic Container. Approximately 75 employees will be affected by the shutdown, which is scheduled to take place in mid-March. Displaced employees will receive severance based on years of service. Some employees may be offered positions at other Graham Packaging facilities.

IPC NAMES KLOS CFO AND VP OF ADMINISTRATION

Bernie Klos has joined IPC - Association Connecting Electronic Industries, Bannockburn, IL, as its new chief financial officer and vice president of Administration. In this new role, Klos will be responsible for IPC's financial, information technology, customer service, human resource and meeting functions. A certified public accountant with more than 25 years of experience in financial and strategic planning, treasury management, and acquisition and divestiture, Klos most recently served as vice president and CFO for a manufacturer and distributor/retailer of imported home textiles.

For more information, visit http://www.ipc.org .

ROYAL ACQUIRES J&R INDUSTRIES INC.

Royal Adhesives and Sealants LLC, South Bend, IN, has announced the completion of its acquisition of the assets of J&R Industries Inc., Wilmington, CA. J&R Industries, which has been in business for over 25 years, serving both domestic and international clients, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of polysulfide sealants and electrical potting compounds for aerospace, defense, and marine applications, as well as specialty epoxy coatings for industrial maintenance applications. The J&R Industries business will now operate under the Royal Adhesives and Sealants name, and its employees will become employees of Royal.

SOLVAY CHEMICALS NAMES HOGAN PRESIDENT AND CEO

Richard Hogan has been named president and CEO of Houston-based Solvay Chemicals, Inc. Hogan succeeds David Birney, who will continue to hold the position of president and CEO of Solvay America, Inc. Hogan joined Solvay Minerals Inc. in 1991 as vice president in charge of Commercial Operations, and became that company's president in 1994. In 2003, he was named senior vice president, Commercial Operations for the newly formed Solvay Chemicals Inc., and became executive vice president in 2005. Hogan holds a BS in biology from the University of Michigan. He attended the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program for International Senior Managers in 1996.

For more information, visit http://www.solvay.com .

SPI PROMOTES BISHOP TO V.P. IN CHARGE OF TRADE SHOWS

The Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. (SPI), Washington, DC, has promoted Walt Bishop to the position of vice president in charge of trade shows. In this position, Bishop's chief responsibility is to oversee the SPI Trade Show Department staff and a wide range of contractors in producing NPE 2006, which will take place in Chicago June 19-23 and will be the world's largest plastics show in 2006.

For more information, visit http://www.plasticsindustry.org .