Dene Taylor has more than 25 years experience with technical and business leadership, and development in the paper, film, coating, printing and packaging industries. There he has worked with and made innovations in core products and processes with applications ranging from traditional and digital high quality printing; surfacing, insulating and barrier films; beverage packaging; construction materials; and decorative panels. He combines technical vision with sound manufacturing practices, good business sense and the ability to achieve results through openness, teamwork and partnership.

Biography

Dene is President of Specialty Papers & Films, Inc., a consulting consortium serving the paper, film and printing industries. SPF-Inc. has clients in North America and Europe. It has been retained for technical management; new product design, development, commercialization and distribution; problem resolution; business and technical strategy analysis and development; manufacturing troubleshooting; expert witness; intellectual property analysis and protection. Through SPF-Inc Dene has acted as CTO for start-ups needing innovative and groundbreaking technologies. Consequently, clients are investing in new products, new markets, new production lines and new factories.

In 2001 Dene founded Decorative Surface Technologies, Inc., Union, NJ. DECSTEC produced rigid panels decorated and printed by dye sublimation, all with extremely high image quality. It supported the high-end store fixture, gaming table, architectural, specialty furniture and signage markets. It was recognized for providing unique, custom products for high value applications, such as for wood grain printing on veneers. In 2005, DECSTEC was acquired by Magi Products. He was retained to provide operational management.

From 1997 through 2000 Dene was Vice President, Product Development, of Dunmore, Newtown, Pa. Dunmore was a three site coater, metallizer and laminator of films, papers and fabrics, producing label face-stocks, direct imaging media, spacecraft insulation, and surface finishing films for plastic, metal, wood and leather. Solvent, UV cure and aqueous systems are all in use. For a time he was Business Manager, Fashion Products, where he led the rationalization reorganization that quickly ended the unit's heavy losses.

In 1987 he joined James River Graphics (later Rexam Graphics) to lead development of digital (both ink jet and electrostatic) photographic reproduction media. He played a critical role in the wide format digital graphics market by directing the development and production of totally new, high image quality papers. 3M Commercial Graphics (ScotchPrint ), Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Tektronix and Raster Graphics were all directly supported. He was the primary inventor of Rexam's patented Image Transfer products, and recipient of both the "Spirit of Innovation" and Spirit of Cooperation" awards.

From 1983 to 1985, Dene was with Mead in Chillicothe, Ohio, leading coating and calendering research. He began his industrial career in 1983 with Union Camp Corporation, Princeton, New Jersey, developing processes that improved the performance and productivity of the corporation's coated board operation. Before this he worked on virus colloid chemistry for the New York State Department of Health, and as assistant to the Chief Director of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Born in New Zealand, he was educated at Auckland and Waikato Universities, graduating from the latter in 1977 with a Ph.D. in Colloid Chemistry. He is named on at least 25 issued patents. He is active with trade associations such as ACS, SGIA, TAPPI, RadTech, ISCS&T, FSCS&T, and AIMCAL.