Our Stories

Unlock the Power of AI at Monument – Join Our Upcoming Summer Sessions!

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Monument Team,

We’re excited to kick off a new initiative focused on building AI literacy and practical usage across Monument Chemical, and you’re invited to participate.

Artificial Intelligence is already transforming how we work. These sessions are designed to provide an opportunity for those interested to learn, explore, and build confidence using tools we already have access to, starting with Microsoft Copilot.

What’s Coming: AI Excite Days

We’ve designed an AI Learning session to help build both awareness and hands-on capability.

What you’ll learn:

What AI is and how it applies to your daily work
Introduction to Microsoft Copilot (free version)
Everyday use cases to save time and increase productivity
Responsible and effective AI usage

Session Options (choose one):

📅 June 18 at 9:30 AM ET (45 minutes)
📅 June 29 at 9:30 AM ET (45 minutes)

Register and take a brief survey here: Monument Chemical AI Learning Series – AI Excite Days Session Registration – Fill out form

Important: Planning Your Attendance

These sessions are completely optional, and we encourage participation only if it aligns with your interests and schedule.

If you would like to attend, please coordinate with your people leader in advance to determine the best session option based on your workload and responsibilities. This is especially important if the session falls outside your regular working schedule or on a non-working day.

Our goal is to ensure participation remains flexible while maintaining support for team and business needs.

Our Objective

Through these sessions, we aim to:

Build AI literacy and confidence across the organization
Increase adoption of tools we already have access to
Enable employees to work smarter, faster, and more effectively
Drive meaningful value through intentional AI usage and real use cases

In addition, we’re looking forward to learning more about how AI is currently being used across Monument. Your participation and feedback through this journey will help us better understand employee needs and interests, allowing us to shape and expand future learning opportunities in ways that are relevant and valuable to you.

Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting, these sessions are designed to meet you where you are and help you take the next step, if and when it makes sense for you.

Have questions or suggestions? Reach out to Chad Nichols or Dan Cortez directly.

Chad Nichols, Information Technology Director

Dan Cortez, Sr. Global HRBP & Analyst

Update Your Workday Profile. Unlock Possibilities – and a Chance to Win a Gift Card

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Monument Team,

What if five minutes today could help open the door to future opportunities tomorrow?

We’re encouraging all employees to take a few minutes to complete or refresh your Workday Career Profile, your place to highlight your experience, skills, interests, certifications, career goals, and more.

Think of it as your professional highlight reel.

Your Career Profile helps leaders better understand the strengths, experiences, and aspirations across Monument, while also supporting more meaningful career development conversations with your manager. Your profile is private and only visible to HR, your manager, and leaders above your manager in Workday.

One Easy Update. Five Winners.

Everyone who completes or updates their Career Profile by June 12 will be entered into a random drawing for one of five $25 gift cards.

Here’s how to get started:

In Workday, search for “Update My Career Profile” under Awaiting Your Action
OR
Go to: Your Profile (top left) > Career (bottom right) > Edit

Need help?

Employees: See this quick guide.
Managers: Please review this manager guide and encourage your teams to participate.

You bring a lot more to Monument than a job title. Let’s make sure your profile reflects it!

Take five minutes. Tell your story. And maybe win a gift card while you’re at it.

Sharon Barclay, Chief Human Resources Officer

Jamie Kieffer, HR Director, Global Talent & Reward

Our Q2 2026 Work Anniversaries — Congratulations!

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Stephen Cundiff Accepts New Role as EHS Manager - Brandenburg

Fri, 29 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

I am pleased to announce the promotion of Stephen Cundiff to the role of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager, effective June 1, 2026.

In this role, Stephen will report directly to me and assume responsibility for leading the development, implementation, and sustainability of proactive environmental, health, and safety programs. His work will be instrumental in advancing our commitment to regulatory compliance while strengthening overall EHS performance across the organization.

Stephen will continue to oversee environmental compliance programs, including permitting, reporting, and coordination with regulatory agencies. In addition, he will expand his leadership to include health and safety initiatives, driving continuous improvement through audits, training, operational discipline, and strategic planning.

Reporting directly to Stephen will be Tim Tucker (HSE Technician) and Leslie Hoxsie (Training Coordinator).

Stephen’s experience in his previous role, along with his familiarity with the plant, has positioned him well for this next step.

Please join me in congratulating and supporting Stephen in this role.

Thank you,

Allen Hughes, Director Health & Safety

Monument Houston Earns Eighth Straight Pinnacle Award for Rail Safety

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Eight safety wins in a row don’t happen by accident.

For the eighth consecutive year, Monument Chemical’s Houston site has earned Union Pacific’s Pinnacle Award, which recognizes excellence in rail safety performance and the safe transportation of hazardous materials.

The recognition reflects Monument’s consistency, attention to detail, and day-to-day accountability required to safely move products by rail year after year.

“This award still matters every single time because it’s proof that we’re living what we say,” said David Zapata, Monument Houston Site Logistics Leader. “Safety is our top priority, and this recognition shows the discipline and commitment our team brings to the job every day. To sustain this level of performance for eight consecutive years says a lot about our people and the standards they continue to uphold.”

Rail operations require a high level of precision and expertise. From inspections and securement procedures to regulatory compliance and loading practices, even small details can make a major difference.

According to Roberto Castaneda, Monument Chemical Houston Shipping Manager, one of the team’s biggest strengths is how quickly new employees learn the expectations and habits that define the site’s safety culture.

“You see newer employees pick it up very quickly because the team around them already operates at a high level,” said Roberto. “There’s a strong understanding that there’s a correct way to do this work, and people reinforce that with each other every day. That consistency across the team is a big reason we’ve been able to sustain this recognition.”

For Roberto, the award also reflects the pride the team takes in the work itself.

“We push ourselves because this work matters,” he added. “Every day, we’re putting products onto railcars and making sure they safely get where they need to go without issues. Customers depend on us to get it right, and recognitions like this show that our commitment doesn’t go unnoticed.”

The Houston team celebrated the achievement with award dinners across all shifts — recognizing the employees whose focus and follow-through continue to drive the site’s strong safety performance.

For Adam Pingel, VP of Operations, the award reflects something larger than one facility or one year of performance.

“Eight consecutive Pinnacle Awards speaks to the kind of culture the Houston team has built over time,” said Adam. “Operational excellence doesn’t happen through shortcuts or occasional effort. It comes from people consistently doing the right things, paying attention to details, and holding each other accountable every day. We’re incredibly proud of the Houston team for continuing to raise the bar.”

Congratulations to the entire Monument Houston team on another outstanding achievement – and for continuing to demonstrate what long-term operational excellence looks like in action.

Monument Engineer Alexandra Bledsoe Featured in CPI Young Professionals Spotlight

Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Careers in chemical manufacturing don’t always follow a straight line — and that’s exactly what makes them exciting!

In this new feature from the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI), Monument’s Alexandra Bledsoe shares how she’s grown from a chemical engineering graduate into a production leader focused on safety, teamwork, continuous learning, and community impact.

At Monument, we believe the best careers are built through hands-on experience, strong mentorship, and opportunities to step outside your comfort zone — whether that’s in the control room, on the plant floor, or leading teams.

We’re proud to see Alexandra helping showcase the next generation of talent shaping the future of manufacturing and polyurethanes.

Read the full story here

Expand Your Professional Development — Free Continuing Education Opportunities Available

Thu, 21 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

As part of Monument Chemical’s LinkedIn Learning partnership, employees have access to a wide range of formal Continuing Education courses through recognized professional organizations — at no additional cost.

This benefit can help team members maintain professional certifications, earn continuing education credits, and continue building skills aligned with their career goals.

Supported certification and continuing education programs currently include:

National Registry of CPE Sponsors (NASBA) CPE

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®): Online Courses, Training and Tutorials | LinkedIn Learning PDUs

Project Management Institute (PMI) PDUs

HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®)

International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®) CDUs

Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA®) CEUs

Employees interested in taking advantage of these learning opportunities or exploring certification-related learning paths can reach out to their manager or HR representative for additional information.

Whether you’re maintaining a certification, building new skills, or simply investing in your own growth, this is one more way Monument is helping support continuous learning across our teams.

Raising the Bar on Customer Experience

Tue, 12 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Last week, I was ordering something online and saw the delivery estimate was five days. FIVE DAYS?!! Did I travel back to 2010?

Let’s be honest…we’ve all become pretty ruthless customers. We want exactly what we want, and we want it fast. We want it to arrive in perfect condition – and be easy to send back if we no longer want it.

And if any of that doesn’t happen, we notice immediately.

Because the bar has quietly moved. What used to feel like great service now just feels expected. And that shift doesn’t stay in our personal lives – it carries straight into how our customers experience us.

So let’s talk about Customer Experience – and why it’s going to be a big focus for us in 2026 and beyond.

But first, I want to clarify two things…

First, “Customer Experience” is more than Customer Service (although that team absolutely plays a critical role). Customer Experience (CX) is the full experience of working with Monument, from the first conversation with our commercial teams, to how we plan and schedule, to how we run the plant, to delivery, communication, and how we respond when something doesn’t go as expected.

That’s why CX is somethingall of us influence and own – just like safety and quality.

Second, this focus doesn’t mean adding more to our plates.In fact, it means the opposite. To deliver better CX, we have to be even more disciplined about what we prioritize – and just as importantly, what we don’t.

We talk a lot about being ruthless with our priorities. The most important work we do should be the work our customers actually feel—what helps them move faster, solve problems, and succeed.

When we deliver a consistently great experience, we become easier to do business with and harder to replace.

And in a highly competitive market like ours, that matters.

Our Shared CX Calls-to-Action

So what does this mean for us in Operations?

1. ENGINEER the Customer Experience

We engineer processes every day. We break things down, find the root cause, and improve them until they work the way they should. We need to take that same mindset and apply it to CX.

Where are we creating friction?
Where are things slowing down?
Where are we making it harder than it needs to be for the customer?

And then we go after those gaps the same way we would anything else – methodically, thoroughly, and with urgency.

2. Step into the “delighter space”

Even when our traditional metrics are green, that doesn’t always mean we’re where we need to be.

Because customers don’t experience our dashboards. They experience us.

And what they’re telling us is that we have the right capabilities, the right access, and the right people – but they want more partnership. Not just a company that makes and ships product, but a partner who helps them succeed.

We’ve seen this happen across Monument. Take the Brandenburg ChampionX effort as a great example; the team pulled together across functions, moved quickly, and helped ChampionX get to market in a way that made a real difference for their business.

3. Recognize. Rinse. Repeat.

The last piece is making sure we recognize what good looks like. We’re going to be more intentional about recognizing Customer Experience in action.

Not just the big wins, but also the everyday moments where someone steps in, communicates clearly, solves a problem, or finds a better way to get something done.

When we recognize those moments, we reinforce a stronger CX mindset.

Every Customer. Every Time.

The expectations around us have changed. That’s not going away.

The good news is, we’re in a strong position to meet them. The way we’re aligning as an organization – with clearer ownership and better coordination – puts us in a place to deliver more consistently.

So yes…we may be ruthless consumers in our personal lives. But we’re also ruthless competitors – and partners our customers count on.

We have the people.
We have the capabilities.

Now it’s about delivering the best customer experience in every interaction.

That’s what earns the next order, the next customer, and the next opportunity to keep growing.

Gulf Coast

Business Wins

Several successful trials at Bayport in the first quarter
Improvement of Lyondell Acetone
Successful Flexsorb trial with collaboration of Houston and Bayport
Lubrizol cycle time improvement without WFE – Bri Borders and Ted Olszanski
IDD trial finished up in early Jan – Bri Borders and Yndalecia Martinez
Bringing sample data into TrendMiner as part of Digital transformation – Ted Olszanski
Engineering has handled several lingering MI and process safety issues (vessel ratings, RV sizing, failed equipment replacement) – Michael Woerner, Stephanie Gonzalez, Joel Griffin, and Hao Cui

Key Projects

Fuji estimate
CH28
Waste water trial
Complete Flexsorb trial distillation at Bayport
EEP as product

Key Focus

Continue working on reactor optimization at Houston and Bayport
Optimization of the assess between GC plants
Successful ONB campaign

Oxides

Business Wins

Site Production: 52m lbs. – Entire site: All Production units, shipping, maintenance, QC, Utilities
Record Quarter of PRG production: 17.6m lbs. (previous record 10.6m lbs. in Q1 2025) – Gary Sipes, Michael Resel, Jordan Lindey, Eathan Peach, and the PRG/EDC Team
Shipping: Over 50m lbs. shipped out in the first Quarter – Brian Vincent, Teri Gonzalez, drummers, floaters, PCH shipping, and EDC Shipping teams
LOPC Reduction YTD LOPCs: 431 lbs. vs. 1,720 in 2025 lbs. – Entire site

Key Projects

EDC #4 Capital Project Improvements: Allowing TPM WIP and EM WIP recovery that wasn't possible before upgrades
Air Compressor installed and running since 1-8-2026
EO storage PHA Improvements

Key Focus

Maintain focus on reducing LOPC’s
Continue site safety focus

Disciplined execution on key priorities: Cost Control, PRG, Micro, Afton, Champion X products, Amination, Maintenance Excellence, and Sustainability

Specialty Fuels

Business Wins

Accelerated transition from Detroit blending to Texas location – Angie Prazak and Bonnie Koechel
By rethinking how we transition between feed streams, the team reduced changeover time from four days to one or less – eliminating extended steaming, improving efficiency, and increasing available production time at Port Arthur – Milo Duenez, production engineer
Improved issue identification and action! Key example…By uncovering hidden weld quality issues that standard inspections wouldn’t detect, the team implemented a smarter, risk-based inspection approach—enabling targeted fixes, avoiding costly blanket testing, and establishing a long-term plan to strengthen system integrity and safety – Entire inspection team

Key Projects

Continuing to produce RP crude at the Baytown site on a 4 day/week schedule.
Achieving designed rates with reduced staffing with no safety incidents
Concerted focus on unbudgeted ONB demand to meet large production volume vs. previous limited trial volumes

Key Focus

Safe operation at the Baytown site on a day shift only operation
Continuing to identify issues – and take action!

Europe

Business Wins

Successful commercialization and high yield production of 2-Me-THF as important solvent for the European pharmaceutical market – Commercial team OP, Process technology, QA team, and Operations
Several successful CP campaigns to support future growth as C12 and C13 distillation (Exxon project), and VMOX and AMIX1000 (both BASF-projects) – Commercial team CP, Process technology, QA team, and Operations

Key Projects

Continue to implement operational excellence projects to optimize site costs (frequency drives cooling water pumps, condensate recuperation, QC/lab-projects, etc.)
Safe and successful completion of Project Bridge to increase plant flexibility and support new business development for high-quality and CMR/odor-sensitive products

Key Focus

Swift implementation new business opportunities – OP and CP to utilize spare capacity
Drive cost‑efficiency and flexibility initiatives without compromising safety or quality

More Than a Science Demo: Monument’s STEAM Lab Event Gets Students Thinking Bigger

Thu, 07 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Last year, the experiments wowed the students. This year, the students became part of them.

What started as a fun day of science demos has evolved into something bigger: a hands-on experience where students aren’t just watching reactions happen—they’re helping create them!

And according to teachers, they’re still talking about it long after the day ends.

For the third year in a row, Monument Chemical Brandenburg, KY team members again “wowed” local students at the STEAM Lab classroom, created by Meade County Schools, during an interactive STEAM experience designed to make science feel real, approachable, and fun.

“This year, the impact felt deeper because students didn’t just experience science—it was incredibly interactive, and every student played a role in the simulation,” shared Gifted and Talented Teacher Kala Robinson.

That shift showed up everywhere throughout the event. Students practiced reaction concepts with worksheets and life-sized models. They acted out molecule movement. They connected chemistry concepts to everyday things like batteries, freezing temperatures, and materials they use all the time.

And yes…there was still liquid nitrogen.

A lot of liquid nitrogen.

“Ping pong! Ping pong!”

For Monument volunteer and chemist Jarrod Eubank, one of the most rewarding parts was seeing students go from quietly observing…to fully jumping in.

“They were great this session and all participated well throughout,” Jarrod shared. “But I think doing the practice worksheet model helped them really feel more involved once we performed the life-sized version.”

And then came the crowd favorite.

“They loved the liquid nitrogen demo,” Jarrod said, “but they really seemed to get engaged when we got them chanting ‘ping pong! ping pong!’ waiting for the next one to shatter.”

The demonstrations may have created the excitement, but the real goal was helping students connect science to the world around them.

Making science feel real

Throughout the sessions, Monument volunteers worked to translate complex chemistry concepts into something students could immediately understand.

“This time we looked at redox reactions and electron transfer, how they apply to a battery cell, and then had them think about ways a battery could go ‘dead’—and how they could use what they learned to recharge it,” Jarrod explained. “They seemed to really connect with this.”

Another standout activity involved a “molecule dance,” where students physically acted out how atoms and molecules slow down under extreme cold temperatures.

“It helped demonstrate how we use concepts like liquid nitrogen to slow down molecules so we can better study materials,” Jarrod said.

For students, it transformed chemistry from something in a textbook into something they could see, move through, and experience themselves.

And according to Kala, those experiences stick.

“Students are still talking about specific experiments from last year,” she shared. “They always remember it as one of their favorite days.”

Even more importantly, she’s seeing the impact continue back in the classroom.

“They are able to make connections to content as we explore similar curriculum later. I’ve seen increased curiosity, with more students asking thoughtful why? and what if? questions.”

Building the future—one question at a time

Over time, the STEAM Lab experience has become more connected to classroom goals and curriculum, making it feel less like a one-time event and more like a meaningful extension of learning.

But for Monument volunteers, the bigger impact may be helping students see themselves in science careers in the first place.

“I think it’s more important than ever to encourage kids to better understand and appreciate science from a young age,” Jarrod shared. “And let them see that science can be fun as well as educational.”

“Programs like this help students see that science isn’t just something in a textbook—it’s part of everyday life and the future they can help shape,” added Tonya Jeffries, HR Manager at the Monument Brandenburg site. “When students get the chance to participate, ask questions, and experience science firsthand, curiosity grows quickly. That’s what makes days like this so meaningful.”

And if this year proved anything, it’s that curiosity grows quickly when students are invited to participate—not just observe.

Which, of course, means next year’s challenge may be even bigger!

Building What’s Next in Europe: A Conversation with Sweder van Rijckevorsel

Wed, 06 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Sweder van Rijckevorsel has spent his career navigating global markets, from trading offices in Amsterdam to complex operations across the Caribbean and the U.S. Today, he’s leading Monument’s European business at a time when the market is shifting – and new opportunities are emerging.

In this Q&A, Sweder reflects on the experiences that shaped his path, what it took to build Monument’s presence in Europe, and how he’s thinking about growth, partnership, and what comes next.

You’ve spent more than two decades in the chemical industry – how did your career first begin?

I started working in the chemical industry during my university years. I’ve always been fascinated by global trade, especially logistics, ports, and how products move around the world. Growing up in the Netherlands, you’re naturally close to that. It’s a small country, but very international. Even as a teenager, I was drawn to those global connections.

That curiosity led me into my first role at a procurement trading office, now part of Brenntag, and that’s really where everything started.

You’ve worked across regions and roles – what experiences shaped you most along the way?

Early in my career, I was building growth in new markets like South Africa and Latin America, supplying chemicals from Europe and Asia and working closely with local distributors. That gave me a strong foundation in understanding both the products and the global flows behind them.

One of my biggest career turning points was moving to the Caribbean. That was a completely different environment: very complex markets, challenging negotiations, credit risks. It really pushed me to grow from being part of a trading office to thinking like a business leader.

Then I moved to Houston, managing a trading office supplying chemicals into Latin America. This was fast-paced with large contracts, tanker shipments, and freight negotiations across regions. We even built backhaul trade flows from Latin America to the U.S., which added another strategic layer.

All of those experiences together really shaped how I think about markets, logistics, and running a business globally.

What led you to Monument?

At the time, I was in Houston and thinking about what was next, both professionally and personally. My family and I were deciding whether to stay in the U.S. or move back to the Netherlands.

I connected with Dan Malone (Monument’s Commercial VP) around that time, and we hit it off immediately. Monument had recently acquired the Antwerp site in Belgium, and we started talking about the opportunity to build something new in Europe. I was intrigued and excited from the start, and I joined Monument in 2011.

What made that opportunity stand out to you?

It was a great combination of things. I had experience on the distribution side, and this was a chance to step into production and really learn that side of the business. But just as important was Monument’s entrepreneurial mindset.

It felt like we were building something from the ground up – inside an existing organization, but with a real “what’s next?” mentality. What should we produce? Where can we grow?

And on a personal level…my family and I were happy for the chance to return home to the Netherlands!

You helped build the European business – what has that journey looked like?

Together with the local team, we built the business from scratch, starting with semi-commodity chemicals and gradually moving into high-purity products, primarily serving the pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, we have grown into a significant solvent player in Europe.

Every year, there are new opportunities to develop products and grow the business. That’s quite unique in this industry, and it keeps things dynamic.

You’ve now stepped into the role leading Monument’s European business – what excites you most about this next chapter?

The chance to challenge myself again – to learn, grow, and take on a wider leadership responsibility for the full business.

I’m also working with a team I’ve known for more than ten years. There’s a lot of trust here. Everyone brings something different, and together we’re in a strong position to navigate a complex market and keep growing.

And now being part of the global leadership team – helping shape company strategy – that’s a new and exciting dimension as well.

What are your immediate priorities?

First and foremost – safety. Always.

Beyond that, a big focus is on culture. We have a strong foundation, and I want to continue building an environment where people feel empowered to speak up, collaborate, and really support each other.

It’s about working cross-functionally, staying connected, and making sure we’re not just operating efficiently, but also looking out for one another as a team.

On the business side, the priority is growth. The market is challenging, but we have capacity, and we need to bring in long-term, sustainable business to our facilities.

That means staying very close to the market, understanding where the gaps are, and identifying the right opportunities – whether that’s new projects, circular streams, or expanding into adjacent areas.

That agility – being able to adapt and evolve – is what’s kept us competitive.

How would you describe the European chemical market right now?

It’s definitely under pressure. There are plant closures, and overall conditions are challenging.

But with that comes opportunity.

As consolidation happens, there’s space for flexible, multipurpose players like Monument. We can step in where others are exiting.

There’s also a growing demand for regional production, especially from customers who value quality, reliability, and service. That plays directly to our strengths.

Monument talks a lot about partnership – what does that look like in practice?

For us, partnership means going beyond just supplying a product.

It’s about saying “yes” where others might say “no.” It’s about understanding what the customer really needs, and helping them grow their business on our platform.

In custom manufacturing, that might mean building on a core business and expanding into adjacent products.

On the product side, especially in pharma, it’s about continuously raising the bar – adding new solvents, delivering consistent quality, and hitting the target every time.

What part of your work energizes you most?

Business development. Growth. That’s always been my passion, and it still is.

I’ve really enjoyed building the European business over the past 15 years, alongside the team and with the support of Dan Malone.

It’s been a great journey, and we’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

Outside of work, how do you recharge?

I like to stay active, and I kickbox, ski, and walk the dog to keep my energy up. Spending time with family and friends, especially on weekends, is important to me as well.

I also enjoy reading, especially about business and the journeys of successful people. It helps me stay inspired and keep a forward-looking mindset.

Any book recommendations?

Shoe Dog, which tells the story of Nike’s founder, Phil Knight. It follows his journey from a student with an idea, to a distributor, to building a global brand. Really inspiring – and a mindset we can definitely relate to at Monument!