In this exclusive interview, Cannabis Tech Today speaks with Ben Kultgen, Process/Sales Engineer with Pope Scientific Inc. at MJBizCon in December 2019. Pope Scientific Inc.’s cannabis distillation equipment is recognized as the leading purification method for production of the highest quality clear cannabinoid vape, oil, dab, and shatter. Pope Scientific has the expertise on subjects ranging from cannabinoid purification/distillation to terpenes isolation, hash oil concentration, and ethanol removal.
Get to know Ben:
How long have you been at Pope and what’s your role?
I have been with Pope since 2018. I’m a Process and Sales Engineer, so I find myself working in many areas… Anywhere from the initial customer call to discuss our equipment’s capabilities and their applications, to follow though after delivery, or helping with replacement parts and technical support.
Tell us a little about your background, and how did you become interested in Chemical Engineering?
I was born and raised in Wisconsin and found myself at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I decided to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. Throughout high school I always enjoyed math and chemistry which led me toward chemical engineering. I discovered I was most interested in the problem-solving aspects of engineering and the unique ability for a chemical engineer to take what was possible on a bench top and scale it up to a process that would be able to supply the whole world with products. Prior to joining Pope, I spent time working in an alternative fuel R&D facility, an air pollution control equipment manufacturer, and most recently at an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer.
What do like most about the work you do?
I like the unique challenges that our customers’ applications pose. Within cannabinoid processing there are many innovators so it is interesting to get their input to help improve Pope’s designs. Additionally, we do quite a bit of work outside of the cannabis space which poses its own unique challenges.
What should people who are interested in Cannabis distillation know about Pope?
Pope has been a leader in wiped-film distillation for more than 40 years and we have done our best to apply the knowledge gained in that time to cannabinoid distillation. Our motto is that we are “solution driven” so it truly is our goal to work on solutions that make our customers successful.
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Video provided by Cannabis Tech Today
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Video: Adam Saldaña