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Rubicon believes in the power of community and the importance of giving back. We are thankful to continue contributions to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, protects and serves over 132,000 residents of Ascension Parish through patrol and investigative service, operates the Parish jail, security for the courts, school resource deputies and much more. The APSO mission is to enforce state laws, deter criminal activity, protect life and property, maintain order, and serve the citizens of Ascension Parish. Using innovative leadership and dedication to provide quality service, APSO maximizes the use of its resources to provide the highest quality service which aid in improving the quality of life for the citizens of our parish.

Donations like these can be crucial in supporting local law enforcement and community initiatives. We are proud to support the APSO as they continue to make a real impact on the lives of those around us.

Empowering Futures: Engineering Interns Make a Difference at St. Vincent de Paul

Our summer Engineering Inters recently partnered with a local St. Vincent De Paul, a renowned nonprofit organization. By combining their skills with a spirit of service, these interns are not only enriching their own professional experiences but also making a tangible difference in their communities.

St. Vincent De Paul has long been a beacon of hope for those in need, offering everything from food and shelter to financial assistance and educational support. As the organization continues to expand its services and facilities, the need for volunteers has become increasingly apparent. This is where our engineering interns come in.

Learning and Growth: Interns Gain More Than Just Experience

For the engineering interns, volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul provides more than just experience. It offers a unique opportunity to work in and for our community while collaborating as a team. Beyond skills gained during their time at Rubicon, they have gained the sense of community.

Moreover, the experience fosters a deeper understanding of social responsibility and the impact that volunteering can have on improving lives. Our interns have returned to their studies since concluding their time here at Rubicon with a renewed sense of purpose, motivation by the tangible outcomes of their work and positive feedback from the community they’ve served.

Building a Stronger Community: The Broader Impact

By fostering these partnerships, both students and organizations such as St. Vincent De Paul are contributing to a cycle of positive change. Engineering programs benefit from enhanced curriculums that include real-world problem-solving, while nonprofits gain access to specialized skills that help them better serve their missions. This symbiotic relationship not only strengthens individual organizations but also builds a more resilient and connected community.

In conclusion, the synergy between engineering interns and St. Vincent de Paul is a testament to the power of commitment to service. As these young engineers contribute to meaningful projects and learn valuable lessons, they are not only advancing their careers but also playing a crucial role in building a stronger, more compassionate community.

On Tuesday, July 9th, Rubicon and Turner proudly hosted a Sitewide “Celebration of Excellence and Achievement” to honor exceptional performance in Safety, Operations, Maintenance, and Turnaround Execution. Over the first six months of 2024, our teams achieved remarkable milestones together, including:

• Safely working over 1.2 million manhours
• Executing and completing 6 major Turnaround events
• Restarting MDI-1 after 16 months of inactivity
• Navigating multiple supplier raw material interruptions

These accomplishments reflect our team’s agility and unwavering commitment to Safety, Quality, Teamwork, and dedication to our business, customers, and community.

In recognition of these achievements, Rubicon and Turner partnered to provide a BBQ Lunch catered by Caribbean Joe’s in Rubicon’s on-site Cafe. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each team member for their loyalty, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

As we celebrate these successes, we encourage continued prioritization of ZERO HARM as we strive for ongoing success.

Summer internships are often a gateway to the professional world, offering students a chance to gain hands-on experience, apply their knowledge, and explore potential career paths. This summer, Rubicon, a leader in Polyurethane, opened its doors to a group of bright and enthusiastic engineering interns. Their time at Rubicon has been spent shadowing exceptional mentors throughout the site concluding with a project presented to the leadership team in The Woodlands, Texas.

A Dynamic Summer Experience

This summer, Rubicon’s engineering interns were deeply immersed in projects that increase their knowledge and experience in support of their path forward. From working on cutting-edge technology to solving real-world challenges, the interns were involved in various aspects of our site production.

Learning and Growth: Skills Beyond the Classroom

This summer, we carefully curated meaningful projects for our interns to work on so students can take theories learned in university and apply them to real-world engineering problems. Some example projects that the intern class took on this summer included:

• Evaluation and recommendations of mechanical engineering problems for fixed assets across different plant locations impacting operational efficiencies across utilities, maintenance, and reliability, to help ensure safe operations

• Helping develop preventative, proactive maintenance plans for large rotating equipment

• Developing small-batch chemical formulations and scientific tests of chemical variations designed to troubleshoot customer requirements for future products and innovations.

• Applying Lean Sigma 6 methodologies to analyze and evaluate physical plant changes to columns, piping, and venting equipment at different Huntsman production locations

• Working on developing programs for electrical grounding maintenance, evaluating cathodic protection of metal structures to help preserve plant integrity, and lifesaving programs within day-to-day operations.

Some shared key takeaways from their time spent at Rubicon:

✔️Developing more in-depth knowledge and understanding of both fixed and rotating machinery and the impacts on operations.
✔️How to approach problems and responsibilities like an engineer.
✔️Working on meaningful projects to help drive better plant efficiencies while enhancing each location’s operations’ overall health and safety.
✔️Scaling up innovations from the R&D to a large-scale production
✔️True teamwork of every site and working with people who genuinely enjoy what they do

Building Connections and Future Opportunities

One of the highlights of the internship program was the opportunity for interns to connect with professionals across various departments within Rubicon. Networking events, mentoring sessions, and team-building activities allowed interns to build relationships and gain insights into different career paths within the company.

Many interns expressed interest in continuing their relationship with Rubicon beyond the summer. The experience not only provided them with valuable skills and knowledge but also inspired them to pursue careers in the industry. This program has proven to be a stepping stone for many students, offering potential pathways for future employment and career development.

Rubicon’s dedication to providing a meaningful and enriching internship experience reflects its broader mission to drive positive change. By nurturing the next generation of engineers, Rubicon is not only advancing its own goals but also fostering a culture of innovation that will benefit the industry for years to come.

In summary, the engineering summer interns at Rubicon have demonstrated that they are not just the engineers of tomorrow but the innovators of today. Their work this summer has been a testament to their skills, creativity, and dedication, and it is exciting to imagine the future contributions they will make to the field of engineering and sustainability.

Rubicon believes in the power of community and the importance of giving back. We are thankful to continue contributions to local organizations such as The Arc of East Ascension.

The Arc of East Ascension, the oldest and largest nonprofit agency based in Ascension Parish, is continually striving to meet the needs of those with disabilities. By expanding and improving services through education, employment, family/community involvement, housing, recreation and access to additional services.

This contribution reflects our commitment to not only advancing these impactful services but also fostering positive change in our community. We are proud to support initiatives that align with our values and make a real impact on the lives of those around us.

Several Rubicon associates attended the 2024 Annual Awards Banquet Presented by Our Lady of The Lake Ascension. During this event, 2023 Award Nominees and Recipients were recognized at the new Price LeBlanc PACE Center. The night began with a networking hour presented by Express Employment Professionals, continued with buffet service, and concluded with an awards program.

The mission of the Ascension Chamber of Commerce is to facilitate and foster economic growth for all members. Ascension Parish is the fastest growing parish in the State of Louisiana. Our Chamber strives to be the primary voice and resource for business community and connectivity of Ascension Parish.

Thank you to the Ascension Chamber of Commerce for another amazing banquet. It is always a wonderful event, celebrating our local businesses and their contributions to our community.

Photos courtesy of Bayou Rose Photography