At Savannah Technical College, White Star Chemical will host a day-long Specialty Chemicals Best-Practices Forum to advance industry knowledge and safety while providing networking and job-finding opportunities for community members.

Invited participants: Process engineers, chemists, formulators, quality and operations professionals from regional chemical, cleaning-product, pulp-and-paper, and related manufacturers; technical sales and application specialists from regional and national suppliers; Savannah Tech instructors and advanced students; early- to mid-career professionals open to new opportunities; and local economic-development or workforce partners.

Sessions will include:

• Surfactant systems and end-use performance: Practical discussion of cleaning power, foam control, emulsification, hard-water tolerance, formulation trade-offs, and application-testing methods that produce reliable data.
• Process safety and responsible handling: Practical approaches to the handling, storage, and transfer of surfactants and related specialty chemicals in production.
• Lab and in-process controls: Key physical and performance tests, sampling strategies, and data trending that help protect product performance.
• Sustainability and environmental impacts: A balanced discussion of formulation choices that can improve environmental profiles without sacrificing function, as well as changing customer and end-market expectations.
• Talent attraction and workforce development: The skills White Star values in operators, lab technicians, and formulators; how Savannah Tech and similar programs map to plant needs; internal training and progression paths; what a successful first one to two years looks like; and discussion of current or upcoming opportunities.

The event will also be open to trade-publication representatives, local business leaders, environmental groups, and other regional and national stakeholders. Talks will be led by White Star Chemical employees, Savannah Tech partners, and others with established expertise in their respective fields.