President's Message

By Bill Putnam

I would like to begin this edition of the Ropecord News by expressing my gratitude to the Cordage Institute membership for giving me the honor and privilege to serve as President for the next two years.

I’ll try to live up to your expectations and serve the association in the common interest of our members and the general interest of the industry. It is very evident when we meet that our industry is strong, and the networking and cooperation provided by Cordage Institute events continue to reinforce this strength.

This past June we were treated to a long-delayed, but tremendous, Joint Conference hosted by our Eurocord partners in the magnificent city of Vienna, Austria. As always, these events do not take place without tremendous efforts and this one was no exception. We very much appreciate the work done by the Eurocord and Cordage Institute staffs. Many thanks to the entire Eurocord board and President Caroline Van Beelen for a job well done. We also must point out and thank the local assistance provided by Florian Teufelberger and Ute Steininger of Teufelberger. Their organization of chosen dinner venues, tours and, of course, the golf location was excellent.

We took the opportunity in Vienna to honor John Flory with the 2022 Gale Foster Award of Merit. The Cordage Institute’s Gale Foster Award of Merit is named after the well-respected former Technical Director, and it is presented to individuals who have contributed outstanding service to the organization and to the industry over a substantial period. It was a great pleasure to listen to some stories about John’s history and contribution to our industry. Our thanks to John and Margaret Flory for being in attendance to receive this award in the grand ballroom of the Palais Ferstel.

We welcomed several new Directors to the board. Thanks to Jim McTaggart, Cortland, and Rui Faria, Royal Lankhorst Euronete Group, for coming on board. I want to thank Luis Padilla and Wilco Stroet for their past service. Our full list of Key Personnel is available on The Cordage Institute’s website (ropecord.com).

The membership took action to approve a new budget, and a new slate of officers, and create staggered terms for directors. The delays caused by previous meeting cancelations had resulted in the entire board potentially being up for renewal in 2023.

Many thanks to Koen Van Goethem, our Past President and continuing Director, for his dedication during his two terms and his vision for the future of our association. We instituted a very successful virtual New Member introduction during the past 2 years and Koen has been a leader and champion of that effort with energy and excitement in introducing new members to the organization. We have welcomed several new members to the organization and this process is a way to help them get involved.

Progress in joint efforts from both associations through CIRTS, ISO, and different task forces continues to help us move our organizations in alignment. The best way to ensure the health of our association is to stay involved. Do not hesitate to raise your hand to become active in one of our many technical committees or advisory groups.

We are very pleased to be able to announce our next annual conference will be held at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs CO, USA on May 16-18, 2023.

Comments or suggestions on any of the initiatives we are undertaking, or should be are always welcome. You can send feedback to Pete Lance or any of the board members. Thank you for your continued support and participation.

Wishing you all a wonderful end of this summer and I look forward to meeting you at the Fall Technical and Board Meeting on October 12-13, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA.

The Cordage Institute Mourns the Passing of Past President, Sim Whitehill

It is with much sadness that the Cordage Institute acknowledges the passing of one of its past leaders, Sim Whitehill. Sim joined the Cordage Institute in 1994, was first elected to the Board of Directors in 1997, served as President from 2001 to 2005, and continued to actively serve on the Board of Directors until 2008. In 2019, Sim was presented with the Gale Foster Award of Merit for his many contributions to the organization and to the industry. He was respected for his technical expertise as much as his community spirit and willingness to work with others within the industry. Beyond his years of tremendous service to the cordage industry, he was a vibrant member of his community. Sim will be missed by the many lives he has touched. 

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Cordage Institute President: William (Bill) G. Putnam

Bill Putnam is President of Yale Cordage and has 23 years’ experience in the cordage industry. He started with Yale Cordage in 1984 as the Rigging Shop Supervisor, then moving to Customer Service, and eventually as a territory Sales Manager before departing in 1989.

He returned to commercial fishing/lobstering as the owner of Putnam Marine; as well as being the General Manager and Vessel Captain for Chebeague Transportation, Chebeague Island, Maine.

Bill returned to Yale Cordage in 1998 taking on the positions of Purchasing and Offshore Manufacturing Coordinator. In 2001, Bill was promoted to Plant Manager, then Vice President of Operations in 2006, Executive Vice President in 2009, and lastly President in 2012.  

Bill has had several professional associations which include:

• 2016 – Present, OIPEEC – Management Committee/Co-opted Member

• 2015 – Present, Board Member of the Cordage Institute

• 2012, State of Maine Trade Mission – China – Delegate

• 2011, State of Maine Trade Mission – Brazil – Delegate

• 2007 – 2013, Town of Cumberland Val Halla Golf Club Board of Trustees

• 1998 – Present, Member of the Cordage Institute

• 1988 – 1996, Town of Cumberland, Maine – EMT

• 1986 – 1989, Town of Cumberland, Maine – Town Council

• 1988, Chair of Budget Committee, Town of Cumberland

He and his wife, Julie, reside in Maine where their personal interests include 7 grandchildren, golf, boating, and travel.

Cordage Institute Vice-President: Elizabeth (Beth) Huntley

Elizabeth Huntley is currently President of Whitehill Manufacturing, which has founded by her father, Simeon Whitehill, in 1978.  Elizabeth is a mechanical engineer who specializes in the development of high performance synthetic ropes. She has over 25 years of experience in design, manufacture, testing and development of synthetic ropes for a wide range of military and industrial applications. She has previously served as Technical Committee Chair of the Cordage Institute and has received a number of distinguished awards including the DeepStar Outstanding Contribution Award from the American Petroleum Institute and the 2015 Best Paper Award at the OIPEEC Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. Elizabeth has published many technical papers regarding synthetic rope applications and recently patented a non-destructive test method for synthetic rope in service. 

Cordage Institute Board Member: Rui Faria

Rui Faria, Senior Vice President for Maritime & Energy Offshore of WireCo Group, has been appointed to the Board of Directors at the Cordage Institute. A graduate in Marketing Administration, he has over 32 years of experience in the synthetic rope industry. 

Mr. Faria has held senior positions at Lankhorst Offshore (formerly Quintas & Quintas in Portugal), and led the development of the company’s market-leading position in deepwater mooring and single-point mooring. As managing director of Lankhorst Offshore, he was responsible for establishing the company’s Brazilian production facility close to Rio de Janeiro. Recently appointed also as managing director Lankhorst Ropes, Rui Faria is today responsible for the combined maritime and offshore businesses of WireCo Group, as well as leading high-performance rope manufacturer, Phillystran. A firm believer in the importance of maximizing manufacturing resources and technical know-how across the company, Mr. Faria is committed to ensuring Lankhorst Ropes continues to grow and prosper in the highly competitive global ropes market.

Please mark your calendar for the Cordage Institute Annual Conference on May 16-18, 2023, at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort. The Cheyenne Mountain Resort is a scenic 10-mile drive from the Colorado Springs Airport and sits at an elevation of 9,570 ft above sea level. Enjoy the onsite lake, tennis courts, spa, and golf with awe-inspiring views at the base of the Front Mountain Range. 

If you need an adventure; learn about Colorado’s past while viewing millions of years of erosion and geological wonders below ground at the Cave of the Winds Mountian Park. Explore miles of trail above ground with towering dusty-red formations that frame the view to Pikes Peak at the Garden of The Gods park. Make new friends at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo while feeding elephants, giraffes, and birds. Feed yourself in one of the “Friendliest Cities in the US,” Manitou Springs; or learn what it takes to be the best in the world at the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum, which is not to be confused with those training to serve with the best at the US Airforce Academy.

The program will feature technical working group meetings, a meeting of the Technical Committee, the annual business meeting, a technical seminar, the Annual Gale Foster Memorial Golf Tournament, award presentations, and plenty of other networking opportunities. 

During the Technical Seminar on Thursday, May 18, members are invited to present technical information to the membership. Presentations should not exceed 15 minutes. Depending on the number of participants, the allotted time and/or the number of presentations may need to be limited. If you are interested in presenting during the Technical Seminar, please send a summary of your presentation to info@ropecord.com.

Be on the lookout! More information on the conference and program will be sent to members and posted on the website in early 2023.

The next meeting of the Cordage Institute Technical Committee will be held on October 12-13, 2022 at the Courtyard Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard. In addition, the Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, October 12th. 

Situated in South Philly's thriving Navy Yard, the hotel offers a prime location in the historic business district, surrounded by waterfront restaurants and shops. The Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center, and Citizens Bank Park are all within walking distance. 

Location

Courtyard Philadelphia South at The Navy Yard

1001 Intrepid Avenue 

Philadelphia, PA 19112

Phone: (215) 644-9200

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The 5th Joint Conference of the Cordage Institute and Eurocord was held on June 12-15, 2022 at the Hilton Vienna Plaza in Vienna, Austria. The full conference program included the Annual Technical Seminar, a Business and Industry Meeting, Technical Committee Meetings, and plenty of networking opportunities.

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On June 13th, the Cordage Institute held a joint Technical Meeting with Eurocord during the conference in Vienna, and the day consisted of Technical Subcommittee and Task Group meetings. A meeting of the full Cordage Institute Technical Committee also occurred, and reports from each Subcommittee and Task Group were provided.

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Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), a leading provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions, has completed its purchase of the protective materials business of DSM (including the Dyneema® brand), which will now be called Avient Protective Materials and reported within the company's Specialty Engineered Materials segment.

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TP is proud to announce our transformation from a trading company to a full-service global provider! Our goal is to empower success with world-class customized yarns utilizing our state-of-the-art in-house production and testing facilities. We proudly announce the launch of our new website to give you a complete picture of what we do and what we stand for. 

Visit Their New Website