v inyl b uilding c ouncil v inyl i nstitute a nnual m eeting presented by: richard seaman chairman...
TRANSCRIPT
VINYL BUILDING COUNCILVINYL INSTITUTE ANNUAL MEETING
Presented by:
Richard Seaman
Chairman & CEO
Seaman Corporation
November 6, 2013
©Seaman Corporation 2013
Orlando, Florida
HISTORY
o Vinyl Building Council evolved out of the Vinyl Promotion Network effort three years ago
o VPN was going to be a three year $3.5 million marketing and public relations campaign• Difficult to get the industry commitment to fund
an effort of this magnitude
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HISTORY
o My previous Military Marketing work in Washington with resources such as Holland & Knight offered another option• Targeted public advocacy strategy
More cost efficient – 25-30% of the costMore effective
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PURPOSE OF AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC ADVOCACY STRATEGY
o Focused on legislative and government officials that drive public policy
o Correct the false narrativeso More importantly, stress the importance of the negative
economic impact caused by the anti-vinyl activists organizations• The vinyl industry represents a $54 billion industry• Employs over 350,000 workers in nearly 3,000 plants
in the US
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STRATEGY
o Learned that the “business model” for the NGO activist organizations such as the Greenpeace and the USGBC is to create anxiety in the minds of the consumer • Agencies obtain funding through donations from the
public’s anxiety• Promote false narratives rather than scientific based
information
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VINYL BUILDING COUNCIL
o The Vinyl Building Council began its formation in 2011• Initial objective was to combat the USGBC LEED Pilot
Credit 2Provided an extra LEED point if vinyl were de-selected as a
building material
• Developed a focused strategy to selected legislators and government agencies Promote factual data about vinylStress the significant economic impact on the vinyl industry
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INITIAL CHALLENGE
o USGBC then unveiled LEED 2012 in March, 2012• Incorporated Pilot Credit 2 PLUS many other chemical
disclosure requirementso American Chemistry Council adopted the VBC
strategy and expedited its implementation
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THE VBC AS PART OF VINYL INSTITUTE
o Vinyl Building Council became formally organized as a working group of the Vinyl Institute• Worked closely with the ACC’s American High
Performance Building Coalition to fight LEED 2012• Continued its strategy to influence the GSA’s decision
on what green building rating standards it adopts for government buildings
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EARLY SUCCESSES OF OUR PUBLIC ADVOCACY MISSION
o Corrected a GSA regional multi-year roofing procurement specification that excluded vinyl roofing
o Delayed the USGBC LEED 2012 by a full year• Subsequently passed as LEED v. 4 this past
summer
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EARLY SUCCESSES OF OUR PUBLIC ADVOCACY MISSION
o GSA recently announced it was changing its exclusive green building rating standard with LEED by allowing Green Globes to also be an approved standard • Also significant that it did not approve the new
LEED v.4 but LEED 2009 version that does not have the chemical de-selection provisions
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EARLY SUCCESSES OF OUR PUBLIC ADVOCACY MISSION
o Working to affect legislation in the states of North Carolina and Ohio to use only consensus based standards for green building ratings
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The self-funded Vinyl Building Council is
a UNIQUE FORUM for all companies
and their trade associations throughout
the vinyl value chain
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to CONSOLIDATE AND DRIVE AN EFFECTIVE
PUBLIC ADVOCACY STRATEGY.
REPRESENTATION
o The VBC is unique in this effort – and a valuable asset to VI and ACC – because we represent small and mid size manufacturers located around the country• Larger geographic and
legislative footprint• Far more employees• Greater national, state,
and local economic impact
©Seaman Corporation 2013
DRIVEN BY SCIENTIFIC FACTS
o The VBC can effectively drive the scientific facts about vinyl• Vinyl is one of the most resource-efficient, safe,
and sustainable plastic polymers ever discovered and developed50% of its feedstock comes from salt50% of its feedstock is natural gas –
very abundant in the US
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DRIVEN BY SCIENTIFIC FACTS
• Vinyl has been safely used for more than 60 years• Vinyl is used in a multitude of applications• Vinyl is recycled and repurposed• The nation’s blood supply is stored in vinyl bags and
delivered to the body in vinyl tubing Just how dangerous can this polymer be!!!
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FUTURE
o With the VI, the VBC engaged Tarnell to develop a state by state legislative map of the vinyl industry• Will be an effective tool for continuing the
development of our national, state, and local advocacy strategy
• Will be working with VI legislative resources as well as organizations such as Holland & Knight and grass tops/grass roots organizations
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FUTURE
o The VBC currently has 35 members representing all segments of the industry:• Resin suppliers• Additive supplier• Product manufacturers• Compounders• Distributers• Trade associations
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FUTURE
o The VBC needs additional support to continue developing and implementing our cost effective public advocacy strategy at the national, state, and local levels• We have engaged JP Morey to assist our
membership recruitment efforts• When a member of his team contacts you, please
take the time listen to and respond to this membership request
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SUPPORT
o Most importantly, let us know how we can best drive our public policy strategy in your markets• We will be in contact with you for
your ongoing support – not just financial but more importantly to support our legislative engagement
©Seaman Corporation 2013