William “Bill” Bittle
William “Bill” Bittle
Professional Member
Rock Hill, South Carolina
William “Bill” Bittle is a man who likes to get his hands dirty – literally and figuratively. Self-described as someone who likes to “play in the dirt with heavy equipment,” he has been a hands-on mentor, manager and learner throughout his career, which is just one of the reasons why he has always encouraged TAPPI membership to his direct reports and peers.
Long before he began a successful engineering career in the nonwovens and paper industry, Bill was honing many useful skills by attaining Eagle Scout status, the highest honor earned in the Boy Scouts, at the age of 15. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Clemson University while working summers for DuPont, and from there followed his career pursuits at several well-known firms including GAF Materials Corporation, Lennox Refrigeration, and Milliken. His diverse roles and responsibilities ranged from Shift Manager and Manufacturing Superintendent to Senior Process Engineer and Glass Research and Development Manager. Today, he is the proprietor of SciEnTech Solutions in Rock Hill, SC, a company that provides scientific, engineering, and technical consulting, as well as equipment sales, to the nonwovens and paper industry. Special emphasis is also placed on high speed manufacturing processes, green technologies, landfill-free manufacturing processes, process optimization, project management and complex issue resolution.
Having earned numerous awards and certifications in his career, including the VFW Voice of Democracy Award, American Production and Inventory Control Society JIT Leader Certification and Ford Motor Company SPC Specialist Certification, Bill’s most recent recognition came from TAPPI. In September, he was presented with the NET Division Leadership & Service Award and Rohm and Haas Prize at the 2011 TAPPI NETInc Conference held in Atlanta, Ga. This annual award recognizes outstanding leadership and exceptional service to the Division which results in significant benefits to the members and the division.
Obviously no stranger to TAPPI, Bill has been a member since 1998 and is actively engaged in the NET Division and Buildings and Industrial Materials (B&IM) Committee. He says that membership has always provided him with access to a wealth of information which he relies on to get the job done better and more efficiently than he could without it. With 11 patents related to the shingle and glass mat industry, he values highly the ability to tap into such a vast knowledgebase of publications, training, conferences and networking opportunities. “TAPPI offers the best professional tools, experiences and training that simply puts one ahead of the completion,” he declares emphatically.
Q. Why Did You Decide To Join TAPPI?
My supervisor recommended that I join TAPPI while I was a Process Engineer at GAF.
Q. Please describe your involvement with TAPPI over the years.
I have served on the Net Division Steering Committee, the 2011 NETInc Technical Session Development Team, and the B&IM Conference Planning Committee. I have also held staff positions on the B&IM Committee and the Net Division. Currently I am Chairman of the B&IM Committee and Secretary of the Net Division.
Q. How has TAPPI helped you in your career pursuits?
It has given me the wonderful opportunity to develop business relationships and work with an astute group of dedicated professionals.
Q. Tell us about some of your interests outside of TAPPI and your professional life.
My hobbies include auto restoration, hunting, fishing and farming. Some of my volunteer activities include church-related projects for the poor and disabled, and I also participate in the March of Dimes March for Babies, as well as the Boy Scouts.
Q. Can you share a unique or fun fact about yourself?
I like playing in the dirt with heavy equipment.
Q. Closing sentiments?
Being a member of TAPPI provides one with an encompassing, holistic view of all industry business segments, as well as how they interact and support each other. The TAPPI organization offers the best professional tools, experiences and training that puts one ahead of the competition. As a result I am more valuable and effective in my industry roles. Plus, TAPPI presents a great networking experience that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. For this reason I have always urged my reports and peers to join TAPPI and tap into its knowledgebase, publications, training, and conferences.