IISRP elects Karbochem exec as president for 2014-2015

ERJ staff report (TP)

Kyoto, Japan – Dr. Abraham Brink, president and commercial director of Karbochem in South Africa, was elected president international of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP) for the year 2014-2015 at the association’s 55th annual meeting on 21 May. He succeeds Shinobu Watanabe, who now becomes the past-president international.

Dr. Brink joined the then Karbochem Division of Sentrachem Ltd in 1977 as head of R&D. In 1981, Karbochem expanded its synthetic rubber activities to solution elastomers at a new greenfields site at Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) and transferred him to be involved in plant start-up and project activities. This was followed by a number of assignments until he was appointed as general manager of the Karbochem Rubber Business in 1987.

He transferred to Sentrachem Head Office in 1995 as group general manager: technology, but rejoined Karbochem again in 1997 just before the company was taken over by Dow Chemical Company. This was followed by a period as Dow regional general manager Elastomers until 2003, when he was involved in a management buyout of the synthetic rubber and related businesses of Dow South Africa. The name Karbochem was then re-instated for the elastomers business and Dr. Brink has maintained his current position since.

The IISRP is an international not-for-profit association with 60 corporate members domiciled in 21 countries who produce 80 percent of the world’s supply of synthetic rubber. Incorporated in 1960 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, the Institute supports regional offices in Milan, Tokyo and Beijing.