Coatings World staff08.19.20
The ChemQuest Group expanded its offerings to include intellectual property services, led by 20+ year veteran, Sapna Blackburn, Ph.D.
ChemQuest’s Director of Intellectual Property Dr. Sapna Blackburn has R&D and subject matter expertise in materials development and intellectual property generation and protection for a wide range of industries including Optical, Automotive, Aerospace and Transportation, Consumer Electronics and Telecommunications, and Safety.
Dr. Blackburn’s career was launched as a materials scientist at General Electric (GE) Corporate R&D in Schenectady, NY (1996–1998).
From 1998–2001, as GE’s Crystalline Product Technology Product developer, her work culminated in $1 million in direct savings for stabilizer optimization in the crystalline product portfolio; a novel crystalline product/platform development for higher flow and faster crystallization; and the development and commercialization of automotive lighting and underhood products (EAV: $7 million).
From 2001–2003, as Crystalline Product Technology Six Sigma Black Belt and project leader of GE Plastics’ 17-member cross-functional global team, Dr. Blackburn delivered $5 million in net savings through supplier specification globalization, consolidation, and qualification of key raw materials.
Dr. Blackburn’s early scientific accomplishments served as a successful springboard from 2003–2006, when, as Specialty Film Technology Team Leader in GE Plastics’ Specialty Film and Sheet business, she technically led a global 10-member technologist team that developed technology platforms and commercial products for ophthalmic, medical diagnostics, flexible printed circuit films and aerospace FST composites, with the crowning achievement of the development and launch of wide-web 25-500 micrometer gage Optical Quality high-heat Ultem electrical insulation film (~$2 million annual sales).
Over the next 4 years, as Specialty Film Technology Manager, Dr. Blackburn’s focus on scratch-resistant graphics films for multiple end-markets such as consumer electronics, appliances, and automotive; and technologies such as photovoltaic cell backsheets, anti-fog freezer films, environmentally-friendly, flame-retardant electrical/electronic insulation, and security document substrates, delivered two-fold results:
She drove product value proposition creation, multi-generation product strategy development, and intellectual property generation; while delivering on film portfolio growth and product development from laboratory to commercial production for SABIC Innovative Plastics (formerly GE Plastics) Specialty Film & Sheet business, resulting in $15 million annual new product sales.
In April 2010, Dr. Blackburn joined coatings manufacturer, SDC Technologies, Inc., a 100% subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, as VP, R&D, a role that quickly expanded to VP, Technology, encompassing product and platform development; material characterization; intellectual property generation, defense and maintenance; and quality control leadership for the SDC group of companies.
Dr. Blackburn developed and implemented a structured, cross-functional approach to product development that successfully delivered product pipelines for year-over-year growth over the next 10 years, with new products constituting six percent of annual sales in hardcoats and functional coatings for a wide range of industries including Vision, Safety, Transportation, Electronics, Consumer and Architectural/Construction.
During her 10-year tenure at SDC, Dr. Blackburn identified and leveraged R&D synergies with Mitsui Chemicals and affiliates, and executed strategic partnerships to accelerate expertise and platform development to build a diversified product portfolio for new markets; established and staffed a state-of-the-art photocurable 3D inks development lab; and devised and implemented a quantitative risk/benefit process for objectively assessing inventions for patentability and freedom-to-practice to ensure IP generation that benefitted the company.
In April 2020, Dr. Blackburn launched her own company, IMATZ Consulting LLC, to provide IP and materials guidance to specialty chemicals and plastics manufacturers and R&D organizations.
“I am excited to bring my experience to CQTI to assist clients with leveraging intellectual assets to gain or maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace," Dr. Blackburn said. " I look forward to overseeing the expansion of ChemQuest’s practice to ensure clients’ investments in innovation are managed effectively with a clearly defined business and IP strategy that generates maximum value, removing obstacles to market penetration and profitability.”
“We warmly welcome Dr. Sapna Blackburn to our practice,” added Dan Murad, president/CEO of ChemQuest. “A complete understanding of a company’s intellectual property―regardless of its size and position within the specialty chemicals value chain―must include portfolio monitoring of its chief competitors’ IP arsenal. Whether it is to ensure exclusivity in the marketplace, or guarantee control when monetizing the distribution of valuable intellectual assets to third parties, optimizing returns on a client’s portfolio through inorganic and organic IP growth is a key differentiator. I look forward to tapping Dr. Blackburn’s scientific background and business acumen to build value for CQTI clients through a seamless IP strategy.”
