Marking Minute: Behind the Scenes in The Presco Lab

 

Dr. Stephen Hutcheson, Technical Director, Presco Polymers and Stephen Janak, Chemical Engineer, Presco popped by Marking Minute to give host James Kent an insider’s perspective on the research & development process of many of Presco’s products. Dr. Hutcheson, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, found his love of STEM at an early age. His father was, and still is, a high school biology teacher. Dr. Hutcheson pursued an engineering degree in college and discovered his interest in polymers, which eventually led a pathway to Presco.

A chance meeting with Joe Hardt, CEO of Presco, led chemical engineering undergraduate, Janak, to an eventual position as a chemical engineer working in R&D under Dr. Hutcheson at Presco.

What’s it like working in R&D at Presco? “It depends on the day,” Janak said. “A day can include traveling to a customer location to provide technical support, or I can spend an entire day on the production lines scale up a project. But most of my time is spent in the labs developing new colors or materials for our customers.”

Dr. Hutcheson agreed with the varying nature of each day. “I focus on formulating specific customer requirements. We are a lean organization, and that allows us to move fast when it comes to developing products. It also allows us to get information back to the customer quickly.” Although many of the projects that keep R&D busy are quick turnarounds for customers, the team also works on a steady mix of long-term product solutions.

The team has a lab extruder that allows them to turn around fast projects and provide small lab samples to the customer, which mimics what the final delivery project will be. “I like it because it lets us create a base formulation that will have all the properties of the materials a customer will need and create a lot of variation of colors for them,” Janak said.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Engineering & Construction Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

How Verizon Business Utilizes UGC for Sales Enablement
How Verizon Business Utilizes UGC for Sales Enablement
April 24, 2025

In this episode of UGC for B2B, host David Dabney welcomes Cesar Teran, Verizon’s Sales Enablement Lead for Channel, to explore how user-generated content (UGC) is transforming training and team engagement at Verizon Business. Cesar shares the journey of introducing UGC into Verizon’s training initiatives, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, collaboration, and celebrating contributions….

Read More
digital freight invoicing
ODeX Is Leading the Charge in Digital Freight Invoicing
April 24, 2025

Global shipping continues to grapple with fragmented billing processes, often delaying cargo movement. According to McKinsey, adopting an electronic bill of lading could save $6.5 billion in direct costs and enable $40 billion in global trade. As vessels carry goods for thousands of shippers per voyage, the administrative burden of managing and reconciling invoices…

Read More
Human Intelligence Movement
Just Thinking… about Reimagining Education for the AI Era with the Human Intelligence Movement
April 24, 2025

As artificial intelligence reshapes education, work, and daily life, educators are grappling with how to prepare students for a future where human skills—not just knowledge—will be paramount. In fact, a growing number of reports highlight that employers increasingly value collaboration, communication, and emotional intelligence over memorized content. Amid this transformation, the Human Intelligence Movement…

Read More
The Value of a Restoration Team with Healthcare Experience
The Value of a Restoration Team with Healthcare Experience
April 24, 2025

In this episode of Inside Restoration & Recovery, host Martha Lewis welcomes Jason McClaren, Director of Facilities Operations at Reunion Rehabilitation Hospitals, to discuss the critical advantage of partnering with a restoration team experienced in healthcare. A former firefighter and military veteran, Jason has spent the last decade managing safety, risk, and emergency preparedness…

Read More