Scenes from the 2026 Annual Blow Molding Conference

Learning, connecting, celebrating and even music-making were on the agenda at the SPE Blow Molding Division's event Oct. 5-7.
Oct. 8, 2026
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The Musikmeisters play on a stage, including a man with a long alphorn

The Musikmeisters played at the Oktoberfest-themed opening night reception, complete with an alphorn.

Bruce Geiselman, senior reporter for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, spent the past few days on the floor of the SPE Blow Molding Division's Annual Blow Molding Conference, which ran Oct. 5-7 in Wheeling, Ill.

He found conversations on the exhibit floor, promising students on the way up, informative sessions and even some music.

Watch for more coverage on PMM's website and in the fall issue of The Journal of Blow Molding.

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At the Proco Machinery stand, founder John McCormick (left) and daughter Katie McCormick (right) chat with a visitor.

At the Proco Machinery stand, founder John McCormick (left) and daughter Katie McCormick (right) chat with a visitor.


Read our "In Other Words" Q&A with John McCormick.

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Motivational speaker and mountain climber Manley Feinberg spiced up his presentation with some guitar shredding.

Motivational speaker and mountain climber Manley Feinberg spiced up his presentation with some guitar shredding.

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Harpreet Singh, global TS&D director of packaging and specialty plastics at Dow, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Mridula (Babli) Kapur, who recently retired from Dow as principal R&D fellow after nearly 35 years of service.

Harpreet Singh, global TS&D director of packaging and specialty plastics at Dow, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Mridula (Babli) Kapur, who recently retired from Dow as principal R&D fellow after nearly 35 years of service.


Read a profile of Kapur from The Journal of Blow Molding.

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Honorees in the Student Design Competition included, from left: Brady Rametta, Penn State Behrend (first place) and Nathan Zook, Luke Springman and Trevor Culbertson of Pennsylvania College of Technology (second place).

Honorees in the Student Design Competition included, from left: Brady Rametta, Penn State Behrend (first place) and Nathan Zook, Luke Springman and Trevor Culbertson of Pennsylvania College of Technology (second place).

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The Musikmeisters play for the ABC crowd at the Oktoberfest party.

The Musikmeisters play for the ABC crowd at the Oktoberfest party.

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Aleksandr Kharazov, regional sales manager for ST BlowMoulding USA, at his company's stand in the exhibit area.

Aleksandr Kharazov, regional sales manager for ST BlowMoulding USA, at his company's stand in the exhibit area.


Read his Journal of Blow Molding article on lightweighting of large drums.

About the Author

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Bruce Geiselman

Lead Reporter

Senior Reporter Bruce Geiselman covers plastics processing technologies and end markets including automotive and packaging. He also writes features, including In Other Words and Problem Solved, for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and The Journal of Blow Molding. He has decades of experience in daily and magazine journalism, including eight years at PMM, and is the recipient of a Jesse H. Neal Award, among other recognitions.

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