Dr. Amit Dharia.

Senior Associate Consultant
Dr. Amit Dharia

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Dr. Amit Dharia - Polymer Expert
Dr. Amit Dharia is a Plastics Industry expert with broad education and 30+ years’ experience as a scientist/ engineer/entrepreneur in new plastics/ polymers product R & D and project management.  His work has resulted in several innovative technologies with applications in construction, medical, automotive, consumer and electrical products.  He holds 20+ issued patents and authored 27 technical publications. Since 1999, he has owned and managed a contract R & D and testing lab catering to domestic and international clientele in new product development area. As a member of strategic management, he assists clients in market research, equipment, and raw material vendor selections, JDA, conducting due-diligence, technology valuation, novelty and FTO reviews, and assists patent attorneys during application preparation and prosecution.  He is registered USPTO agent.  He was awarded Platinum Ribbon for his contribution to SPE -The Chain online forum.
  • Able to quickly understand value chains, market trends, new business opportunities.
  • Successfully developed and launched new products that have dominated in their markets. 
  • Substantial operations experience. 
  • Effective networking, customer relationship, and market intelligence skills.
  • Articulate written and verbal communicator. 
  • Experienced supervisor; motivates others through excellent interpersonal and team skills
Experience
May 1999 - present
Transmit Technology Group, LLC, Owner
Irving, Texas
Fully equipped independent R & D lab offering plastics testing, failure analysis, formulation and product development, technical marketing, and contract R & D services. 
  • Conducted over 600 experimental studies for domestic as well as international clients. 
  • Conceptualized, designed and Developed two patented machinery for Plastics Industry.
  • Assisted two start-ups technical advisor in areas of Thermoformable TPOs for transportation industry, Halloysite nano clay. Resulting in three issued patents. 
  • Prepared marketing plan and established customer base for Borealis Daploy HMSPP (12 Y)
  • Participated in preparing STTR and SBIR proposals related to nanocomposites.
  • Served as Adjunct faculty at University of North Texas. Was on advising committee for 3 Ph.D. and two MS students. Joint work produced one US patent.
  • Prepared and presented technology transfer proposals
 
1997 – March 1999
Solvay Engineered Polymers, Program Manager
Texas
  • Presented market and technology analysis for Thermoplastic Vulcanizates. Turned project into a major strategic initiative in one year.
  • Developed TPV with demonstrated repeated production in nine months.
  • Created novel compositions for the enhancement of mar resistance, melt strength, surface appearance, paint adhesion, and thermoformability.
  • Developed a screening analytical test to predict “tiger stripping” surface defects in large injection molded parts with thin walled.
 
1992 – 1995
Teknor Apex Co, Senior Engineer
Rhode Island
  • Strategically led all activities in development, scale-up, vendor selection, and commercialization of the Uniprene brand TPV.
  • Developed formulations for fog resistant automotive mats and kink-free medical tubes.
  • Developed analytical test to predict scuffing and developed formulation for scuff-free cap-liners and saved company loss of a major account and reputation.
  • Developed method to mix heat sensitive critical color compounds and reduced failures by 70%.
 
1990 – 1992
Basell (Himont), Senior Process Engineer
Delaware
Led efforts in developing mixing processes for HiGlass, Hivalloy, HMS, HiFax and Catalloy based compounds. An internal consultant for extrusion process modelling and Taguchi  Methods.    
  • Saved a major automotive OEM account in automotive sector by developing an alternate screw design for injection molding
  • Developed basic concepts and mixing strategies for HiGlass(GRPP) with superior properties and lower processing cost.
  • Developed process technologies for reducing gels in irradiated PP - HMSPP.
  • Developed formulations based on recycled comingled plastic waste.
 
1986 – 1989
Raychem Corporation(Tyco), Senior Product Development Engineer
California
Led a team in developing various energy efficient conductive PTC polymer formulations, accelerated tests, and analytical techniques for PTC cables used in freeze protection and process temperature maintenance.
  • Jointly developed novel energy efficient and durable PTC heat sensing cables and polymer thick film sensors with market potential exceeding $70 MM.  Work resulted in three patents
  • Jointly developed unique concepts in tailoring of P-T curves and increasing heat transfer efficiency of cables leading to lighter, more durable heaters, and phenomenally successful commercial product (Electromelt).  Work results in one patent.
  • Developed proprietary fluoro-polymer blends with 40% lower cost and recommended plans for recovering expensive fluoropolymer from production scrape.
  • Work product resulted in five patents and several disclosures of inventions.

Awards and Memberships
  • Platinum Ribbon – The Chain- SPE
  • AIPLA (2007-2013), SPE (1986 –current)
  • Recipient of UML Bronze Innovator Award 2012
  • Research Fellow UML
  • Top of dean’s list (1975-1980) - Gold Medalist- Chemical Engineering
  • Recipient of the National Merit Scholar award
Education
  • University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, PhD, in Chemistry/Plastics Engineering
  • Bryant College, Smithfield, Rhode Island, MBA
  • Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey,  MS, Chemical Engineering, Polymers
  • Gujarat University, Gujarat, India, BE, Chemical Engineering (Petrochemicals),

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