Background

Mr. Christie has spent over 20 years in machine design and application.  Fifteen years of this time were in various positions within Black Clawson Converting Machinery specializing in extrusion process machinery.  As an active member in SPE and TAPPI-PLACE he has served on a variety of committee's contributing many technical articles and serving as technical instructor for industry seminars.  He holds two patents for extrusion feedscrew designs.

Experience
Jan 2002 - Present

President & Principal Consultant

Optex Process Solutions, LLC

Jan. 2000 to Dec. 2001 
Business Manager - Extrusion Systems
Black Clawson Converting Machinery, Fulton, NY
Responsible for managing cross functional group including product management, design & development engineering, installation engineering, and customer support.  Doubled profit targets in FY 2001.  Completed development of new product line offering significant improvements for customers in order cycle times, installation, and start up savings.  Developed and commercialized significant new feedblock technology for specialized packaging applications.  Implemented comprehensive floor test procedures resulting reductions in warranty costs.

Sep. 1997 to Jan. 2000 -  Engineering Manager - Extrusion Systems
  Responsible for managing design engineering group for extrusion equipment.  Completed production design engineering on sold projects.  Delivered record volumes with in-process improvement of margins and reduced rework and after shipment costs.  Provided in-house training for direct reports.  Developed customer training for new equipment sales.     

Apr. 1992 to Sep. 1997 -  Application Engineer - Polymers (ad hoc Project Mgr.)
  Provided technical process and design guidance to customers and engineering on various cast film, extrusion coating, sheeting, and blown film projects.  Assisted in development of technical machine specifications.  Designed feedscrews for all sold projects.  Managed a variety of machine system projects from initiation to successful start up.  Provided start up assistance.

Feb. 1990 to Apr. 1992 -  Application Specialist
  Performed pre-engineering calculations and developed technical specifications for machine projects, all Black Clawson products.  Obtained vendor quotations for major sub-systems.

Dec. 1986 to Feb. 1990 -  Design Engineer - Extrusion Systems
  Machine design on cast film and extrusion coating projects.

Other Machine Design Experience
1985 - 1986 Universal Joint Sales, Syracuse, NY - Mechanical drive systems
1984 - 1985 Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, NY - Packaged A/C Systems
1983 - 1984 Burroughs Corporation, Rochester, NY - Check writing machines
1977 - 1980 White Farm Equipment, Libertyville, IL - Farm Tractors


Education
  B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1984
  Rochester Institute of Technology
  Rochester, NY

A.S. Mechanical Engineering 1977
  Rochester Institute of Technology
  Rochester, NY


Professional Activities, Publications, and Patents

Member TAPPI - PLACE since 1988
Member SPE - Extrusion Division since 1989
Chairman TAPPI Film Extrusion Committee 1996
Co-Instructor TAPPI Extrusion Coating Short Course 1996
Co-Instructor TAPPI Extrusion Coating Short Course 1993
Member SPE - Technical Volumes Committee 1992-1993

Christie, A.W., Watson, T.P., "New 14 Layer Feedblock for Enhanced Products & Structures", European TAPPI Polymers, Laminations and Coatings Conference, 2001

Christie, A.W., "What's New in Stretch Film", Plastic's Technology Film Conference, 1999

Christie, A.W., "Machine Direction Orientation for Thin Films", LCM Film and Sheet Conference, 1997

Christie, A.W., "Equipment Design Considerations for Processing with Metallocene Resins", Shotland Specialty Polyolefins Conference, 1996

Christie, A.W., Wood, C.A., Gregory, R.B., "Polypropylene Crystallization Effects on Film Forming", TAPPI Polymers, Laminations and Coatings Conference, 1994

Christie, A.W., et al, "Screw Design Evaluations for Extrusion Coating Polymers", TAPPI Polymers, Laminations and Coatings Conference, 1993

U.S. Patent # 5,599,097 "Extruder Screw For Plastic Extruders",  Issued Feb. 4, 1997

U.S. Patent # 5,599,098 "Extruder Screw With Multiple Flighting", Issued Feb. 4, 1997

U.S. Pat Appl 60/358,974 "Plastic Co-Extrusion Apparatus…" Applied Feb. 21, 2003