US polymer and fibre producer Invista (Wichita, Kansas; www.invista.com) has appointed Kevin Robles as senior vice president of global operations. He will assume operational responsibility for the company's 34 polyamide, spandex, polyester and specialty chemical manufacturing facilities in 20 countries. Robles succeeds David Dotson, who will leave Invista at the end of the year.

Since joining Invista in January 2011, Robles has served as vice president of operations for Invista's Intermediates business and played a key role in launching the company's latest PA 6.6 feedstock adiponitrile (ADN) technology, including a USD 100m investment in Texas (see Plasteurope.com of 22.05.2012). Before joining Invista, Robles served as vice president of refining excellence for US players ExxonMobil (Baytown, Texas; www.exxonmobilchemical.com) and Sunoco (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; www.sunocoinc.com).

Robles and Invista's operations team have established a global goal to reduce the company's energy intensity by 20% by 2020. To achieve the "20 by 2020" goal, Invista seeks to optimise its current energy practices in addition to making capital investments at its manufacturing facilities that reduce the amount of energy used per tonne of product.