Jim Botkin is an independent technical/marketing professional providing services to
the plastics and specialty chemicals industries.  As a business professional Jim also
has a track record of success in introducing and marketing new products to the plastic
industry.  He has the analytical skills to clarify difficult technical or business issues and
can sift through the details to solve problems quickly.  Jim thrives on interaction and
face time with his clients and enjoys getting out of the office and into the "real world" to
meet new contacts.  He also has a natural curiosity and is adept at learning new
technical skills.

He spent over 15 years with
Ciba Specialty Chemicals (formerly Ciba Geigy) serving in
a variety of technical and marketing roles, leaving in March 2005 to start his own
business.  

Jim also has extensive experience in the synthesis of high temperature
polyaryletherketones from his early industry work at Amoco Performance Products
(now
Solvay Advanced Polymers).  He holds degrees in Chemistry from Northeastern
University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Florida State University.  He
currently resides in
Portland, Maine but can often be found at his camp in Lovell.


Areas of Expertise

  • Strong background in organic chemistry and polymer science
  • Marketing to the plastics industry, including market planning, marketing
    communications, and the use of e-marketing tools
  • Polymer degradation and stabilization
  • Rotational molding of plastics
  • Scratch and mar resistance of automotive plastics
  • Nucleation of semicrystalline polymers
  • Technical service & customer problem solving
  • Patents and licensing
  • Regulatory affairs
  • Laboratory management and project design
  • Synthesis of polyaryletherketones


Industrial Experience

2005-                Principal, BotkinChemie
Founded BotkinChemie to provide technical and business services to companies in the
plastics industry.  Examples of services provided to clients include:  
  • Served as a resource to address technical, patent, and regulatory issues
    related to the use of plastic additives, including troubleshooting, providing
    technical recommendations, developing training materials and providing
    technical training to the client's staff.
  • Researched technical aspects of new markets/applications, including
    identification of performance requirements and test procedures, competitive
    assessment (including patents), and development of recommended formulations.
  • "Ghost writer" of five technical papers presented by clients at industry
    conferences.

1999-2005        Marketing Manager, Automotive & Rotomolding
                      Ciba Specialty Chemicals
Led the analysis of target industries for market needs, new growth opportunities, and
competitive threats; as well as the development and implementation of marketing
plans.  Launched two new products for the automotive market in the NAFTA region:  
Ciba® TINUVIN® XT 850 high performance light stabilizer and Ciba® IRGASTAB® NA
11 nucleating agent.  Played a key role in the development of the antiscratch additive
for polyolefins Ciba® IRGASURF® SR 100.  Led the development of a state-of-the-art
rotomolding laboratory at Ciba’s facility, including upgrades to equipment, molding
procedures, and test methods.  Developed new formulations for the stabilization of
polyolefins in automotive and rotomolding applications.

1995-1999        Technical Director, Ciba Specialty Chemicals
Led the technical staff in working with Marketing and Sales to develop and launch new
products, solve customer problems, and identify and develop new business
opportunities in additives for engineering plastics, nonolefin polymers, polyurethanes,
and styrenics.  New products launched in the NAFTA region included Ciba® TINUVIN®
1577 for the light stabilization of polycarbonate and Ciba® IRGANOX® HP Systems for
the stabilization of polyether polyols to inhibit scorch in polyurethane foams.

1989-1994        Senior/Staff Scientist, Ciba-Geigy
Technical specialist in the stabilization of engineering plastics, polyurethane foams,
and polyamide fibers.  His work resulted in two US patents and two foreign patent
applications.

1986-1989        Research Scientist, Amoco Performance Products
                      (now Solvay Advanced Polymers)
Conducted synthesis and scale-up of polyaryletherketones (KADEL®) and specialty
monomers, resulting in two US patents and three publications.


Education

Ph.D. with honors in Chemistry with specialization in physical organic chemistry
Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 1986

M.S. in Chemistry with specialization in synthetic organic chemistry
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1983

B.S. with honors, major in Chemistry
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 1981
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Jim Botkin
+1 (732) 309 3476
jim@botkinchemie.com