Bill Alexander
Mount Pleasant,SC
Summary
Accomplished chemicals and plastics manufacturing leader with a proven track record of leading growth investments and building successful teams across different technologies and locations. Values safety, trust, integrity, and respect. Seeking a role that promotes growth and inspires operational excellence for organizational success. Eager to contribute expertise to drive overall company success by developing and inspiring team members as owners.
Overview
45
45
years of professional experience
Work History
Site Director
Celanese Polymer Products, LLC
11.2022 - Current
- Serves as leader to a team of 53 employees and 25 resident contractors focused on delivering world class safety, quality, reliability and employee engagement.
- Maintains compliance with regulatory requirements while continuously seeking opportunities for process improvement based on best practices.
- Develops strategic plans for site growth, resulting in increased revenue and profitability.
- Cooper River Site achieved 9 years injury-free for employees and contractors on April 28, 2025 and counting.
- Led team to self-provide utilities (steam, thermal fluid heating, instrument air, wastewater treatment, etc.) in less than one year as a result of site utilities provider/tenant, DAK Americas, exiting the site in 2023.
- Provided leadership in integration of Cooper River Site's Crastin/Hytrel operation into Celanese due to acquisition of DuPont's Mobility & Materials business effective November 1, 2022.
Site Leader
DuPont Specialty Products USA, LLC
04.2018 - 10.2022
- Served as site and manufacturing leader of two separate operations yet as one site team: Crastin/Hytrel polymer production and Molykote specialty lubricants/Liveo pharma tubing. Total of 120 employees and 40 resident contractors.
- Championed continuous improvement initiatives that led to streamlined processes, reduced waste, and higher overall operational efficiency.
- Reduced costs through careful budget analysis and resource allocation optimization.
- Evaluated employee performance regularly, providing constructive feedback and identifying opportunities for growth and development.
- Celebrated site opening of Liveo pharma tubing operation with ribbon cutting ceremony attended by key state, county, and municipal officials including Governor Henry McMaster (July 2022).
Global Manufacturing Director
Dow Chemical
10.2017 - 04.2018
- Served as interim Global Manufacturing Director for Dow Automotive Adhesives and Fluids for 3 US-based, and Brazil, Germany, and China.
- Key responsibilities included integrating Dow Automotive into the newly formed Dow-DuPont Transportation & Advanced Polymers business resulting from the merger of Dow and Dupont occurring in 2017 and planned split in 2019.
- Mapped and selected key talent to move from Dow into DuPont.
Associate Manufacturing Director, Dow Automotive Systems
Dow Chemical Michigan Operations
11.2013 - 04.2018
- Responsible and accountable for 125 employees working across three separate automotive adhesives and brake fluids manufacturing facilities and QC lab to achieve of plant-related, business, site, and corporate goals. Key results include:
- Achieved record-setting, outstanding environmental, health and safety (EH&S) performance: 2 - 11 years OSHA injury-free, 2 - 7 years spill-free, zero agency reportables, fines, penalties, etc.
- The Midland plant was considered a strategic asset to the Dow Automotive network that contributed to business success of achieving 9 consecutive record quarterly earnings records.
- Enabled productivity gains of 20+% while reducing unit conversion cost in excess of 25% in a sold-out market environment.
- Served as co-leader of the Michigan Operations EH&S Excellence Team, Michigan Operations has achieved breakthrough safety performance by reducing the OSHA recordable rate from 0.25 plateau of 2014-2016 to 0.10 in 2017.
Associate Manufacturing Director, Dow Solar Systems
Dow Chemical Michigan Operations
04.2012 - 11.2013
- Responsible and accountable for the success of 150 employees safely delivering POWERHOUSE solar shingles (a corporate high-profile, innovative product) to market from market development to full production. Key results include:
- Established a strong culture of EH&S and quality operational excellence which resulted in ZERO OSHA-recordable injuries for the entire duration of the plant operation.
- Achievement of business-critical manufacturing milestones including on-time start-up, quality performance, and efficiency/productivity.
North America Start-up Leader
Dow Chemical, Site Leader, Riverside Site
06.2008 - 12.2009
- Served in a dual role as North America Start-up Leader to start up a brownfield XPS plant in LaPorte, TX
- Provided leadership and plant start-up expertise to scale-up of new blowing agent formulation across Dow’s six North America XPS extrusion lines in the US and Canada.
Site Leader
Dow Chemical
10.2001 - 04.2012
- Responsible and accountable for 80 employees in two manufacturing facilities: STYRON polystyrene and STYROFOAM extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam.
- Served as North America manufacturing representative on the XPS Asset Management/Business Management Team.
- Provided manufacturing leadership of plant assets to scale-up from R&D the next generation of XPS blowing agent formulation to eliminate ozone depleting chemicals.
- Achieved a global safety record of 18 years OSHA injury-free performance across Dow’s polystyrene manufacturing facilities.
Production Leader
Dow Chemical Production Leader, Fabricated Products
10.1997 - 10.2001
- Responsible and accountable for 35 employees in the manufacturing of STYROFOAM extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam.
- Served in a dual role as Global Work Process Leader for Fabricated Products responsible for implementing Dow’s launch of Operating Discipline Management System (ODMS) and Operate Plant Work Process across 24 plants globally.
- Served as a site integration leader for the Elizabethtown, KY site when Dow acquired Celotex polyisocyanurate foam business.
Site Logistics Leader, Hanging Rock Site
Dow Chemical
09.1996 - 10.1997
- Responsible and accountable for 20 employees and assets for bulk (marine, tank car and tank truck) and packaged raw material offloading/storage and storage/loading of finished goods for the site consisting of three manufacturing facilities: STYRON/Magnum polystyrene/ABS resin, STYROFOAM extruded polystyrene foam and ETHAFOAM extruded polyethylene foam.
ETHAFOAM Technical Supervisor/Improvement Leader
Dow Chemical
01.1994 - 08.1996
ETHAFOAM Quality Supervisor
Dow Chemical
01.1992 - 01.1994
ETHAFOAM Project Engineer
Dow Chemical
05.1989 - 01.1992
Process Engineer
Owens-Corning
07.1988 - 09.1988
Process Engineer
Ethyl Corporation
03.1987 - 09.1987
Shift Supervisor
Owens-Corning
05.1987 - 07.1987
Production Engineer, Brine Chemicals
Dow Chemical
05.1985 - 03.1987
4-Term College Co-op, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Union Carbide Corporation
05.1981 - 08.1983
Education
Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering
Clemson University
Clemson, SC05.1985
Skills
- Operational management
- Staff development
- Program leadership
- Operating Discipline
- Site safety & health
- Strategic planning
- Financial acumen
- Major capital projects
- Human & Organizational Performance (HOP)
- Continuous improvement, Six Sigma/Lean
- Polymer experience with polyethylene, polystyrene, SAN, ABS, TPC-ET, PBT, and polyurethanes
Affiliations
- South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA) board member
- Celanese Political Action Committee (CELPAC) executive committee chairman
- South Carolina Chemistry Council, vice chair
Timeline
Site Director
Celanese Polymer Products, LLC
11.2022 - Current
Site Leader
DuPont Specialty Products USA, LLC
04.2018 - 10.2022
Global Manufacturing Director
Dow Chemical
10.2017 - 04.2018
Associate Manufacturing Director, Dow Automotive Systems
Dow Chemical Michigan Operations
11.2013 - 04.2018
Associate Manufacturing Director, Dow Solar Systems
Dow Chemical Michigan Operations
04.2012 - 11.2013
North America Start-up Leader
Dow Chemical, Site Leader, Riverside Site
06.2008 - 12.2009
Site Leader
Dow Chemical
10.2001 - 04.2012
Production Leader
Dow Chemical Production Leader, Fabricated Products
10.1997 - 10.2001
Site Logistics Leader, Hanging Rock Site
Dow Chemical
09.1996 - 10.1997
ETHAFOAM Technical Supervisor/Improvement Leader
Dow Chemical
01.1994 - 08.1996
ETHAFOAM Quality Supervisor
Dow Chemical
01.1992 - 01.1994
ETHAFOAM Project Engineer
Dow Chemical
05.1989 - 01.1992
Process Engineer
Owens-Corning
07.1988 - 09.1988
Shift Supervisor
Owens-Corning
05.1987 - 07.1987
Process Engineer
Ethyl Corporation
03.1987 - 09.1987
Production Engineer, Brine Chemicals
Dow Chemical
05.1985 - 03.1987
4-Term College Co-op, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Union Carbide Corporation
05.1981 - 08.1983
Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering
Clemson University