FRED HUTSELL
Process/Chemical Engineer

I worked for Eastman Chemical Company for 30 years prior to retiring December 1999. Before joining Eastman Chemical Company, I was employed by Olin Chemical Company. My job classification at the time of retirement was Technical Associate. I have extensive experience as a manufacturing area supervisor, as a manager of capital projects, as a capital project representative, as a manager responsible for process improvement, as a process improvement engineer and as a manager responsible for division maintenance.

After retiring from Eastman Chemical Company, I worked for APTECH as a Process Chemical Engineer responsible for the consequence of failure (COF) portion of the Eastman Chemical Company Equipment Evidence Based Inspection Program.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

• BS in Chemical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1967

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Limited Service Employee — Responsible for the consequence of failure portion of the Eastman Chemical Company Evidence Based Equipment Inspection Program.
• Process Chemical Engineer — Responsible for the consequence of failure portion of the Eastman Chemical Company Evidence Based Equipment Inspection Program. This assignment required an understanding of chemical processes, chemical reactions, safety hazards to be expected, and the modes of expected danger. The ability to read and interpret HMB’s and P&ID’s and to translate to paper the essence of what is happening in the process was also required.
• Technical Associate responsible for the consequence of failure portion of the Eastman Chemical Company Evidence Based Equipment Inspection Program.
• Technical Associate, responsible for Specialty Plastics Division Maintenance, Division Capital Program, and Equipment Development. Managed a total of 40 employees.
  • Maintenance: Between 1995 and 1998 reduced annual maintenance cost from $5.1M to 3.9M (reduced maintenance cost from 5.02% to 3.46% of Asset Replacement Value), and reduced Maintenance staffing from 37 to 26.
  • Capital: Managed capital cash flow to target. Capital projects included two $4.5M stand-alone cellulosic compounding lines. Each line installed under budget, on time, and operating at 130% of nameplate and @ 94% reliability with 60 days of start up. Airvey upgrade was responsible for this $5M project from identifying need, determining justification, capital appropriation and start of construction.
    Equipment Development: During 1997 and 1998, the group focused on reliability projects to realize maximum benefit. $1.8M was spent on Reliability Projects and an annual savings of $3M from this investment was realized. The group maintained focus for Tenite Division that all control systems be compatible.
• Technical Associate assigned to Primester Joint Venture (A $250,000,000 joint venture with Rhone-Poulenc to provide a stand alone cellulose acetate plant) responsible for capital project completion, check out and start up. Worked with start up team to assure accurate, timely, and quality completion of each unit operation check out. Responsible for Crew 2 during start up of acid recovery, sludge treatment and ester processing. Worked with entire start up team to identify and correct unit operation deficiencies. Worked with Operation Technicians, Core Technicians and Junior Engineers to improve their knowledge of how each piece of equipment should behave and why. Helped the technicians develop skills in problem solving of each unit operation.
• Technical Associate Co-Manager, Cellulose Esters Capital Staff, responsible for Plastic Esters portion of Cellulose Esters Division Expansion ($35M project). Worked with Operating Departments and Engineering Division to assure maximum value from Capital Expenditures. Reduced Capital funding over $4M by finding more effective solutions, or removing scope from projects. Managed an annual cash flow of $18M and supervised two Division Representatives.
• Technical Associate responsible for Plastic Esters Department Technical Staff.
• Technical Associate responsible for Acetylation and Hydrolysis Sections in Plastic Esters Department. I was responsible for 84 operators, 8 shift supervisors and one staff Engineer. I was responsible for bringing Statistical Process Control to the area. The acetate and butyrate viscosity variability was reduced over 80% by using SPC control strategy and through key process changes. Quality for each of the 23 ester types produced was improved. (Changing the hydroxyl control limits based on fitness for use limits reduced reject CAB-504 from 5% to less than 0.4%. Improved filter elements and providing secondary filters reduced off quality due to fiber in product by 11M#/yr.).
• Senior Chemical Engineer responsible for Hydrolysis Section, Plastic Esters Department.
• Senior Chemical Engineer responsible for Cellulose Esters Division, Quality Engineering Staff.