Ten pioneers who achieved advances in plastics technology and business development will be inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame at a gala banquet during NPE2012, it was announced by SPI, the plastics industry trade association. Produced by SPI, NPE2012 will take place April 1-5 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

The induction ceremony will take place during the NPE2012 Opening Gala on the evening of “Super Sunday,” a day of social events, networking opportunities, and panel discussions prior to the start of the NPE trade show on Monday. The event will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando and include a reception, keynote address, and banquet.

The 10 new inductees to the Plastics Hall of Fame are:

• Thomas E. Brady, PhD. A pioneer of today’s PET industry, Dr. Brady did fundamental research on polymer and packaging technology, founded Plastic Technologies Inc. (PTI) and six other packaging-related companies, and received patents relating to PET and packaging.

• Lawrence J. Broutman, ScD. A prolific researcher, Dr. Broutman has developed techniques for the analysis and characterization of polymer materials that have spurred further research and generated innovation in many plastics sectors. He has written nearly 170 technical publications and two textbooks, been awarded four patents, and received five best paper honors from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).

• Jay L. Gardiner. A tireless volunteer for plastics causes, Gardiner has been continuously active in service to the industry for more than two decades and has held leadership positions or board memberships with many plastics organizations.

• Jobst U. Gellert. One of the most prolific inventors in Canadian history, Gellert has been awarded hundreds of patents. He patented the first commercially viable hot runner system in 1965 and built Mold-Masters Ltd, a leading worldwide supplier of hot runner systems.

• H. Gunther Hoyt. Hoyt has played important roles in the internationalization of the plastics industry and in the progress of SPI and the NPE exposition. He has also been a technological leader in the field of machine components.

• Robert P. Kittredge. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Kittredge founded Fabri-Kal Corp. in 1950. It is now the eighth-largest thermoformer in North America, serving the packaging market. Kittredge also established the Fabri-Kal Foundation, which has provided millions of dollars in scholarships and community grants.

• H. Richard Landis. An inventor and entrepreneur, Landis has been a pioneer in injection molding. His company, Landis Plastics, grew from a one-machine operation in 1956 to an enterprise with six U.S. locations employing more than 2100 people. He has been awarded 16 patents in the design of plastic parts. He participated in SPI’s development of the resin identification code for the “chasing-arrow” recycling symbol.

• Robert A. Malloy, PhD. An educator, researcher, and author, Dr. Malloy chairs one of the leading U.S. plastics engineering departments and has trained many engineers who have gone on to make an impact on the industry. He holds 16 patents, has been a principle investigator for more than 70 funded research projects, and has authored or co-authored more than 60 conference and journal papers in the field of plastics engineering.

• Daniel W. McGuire, Jr. Dubbed “the father of resin distribution,” McGuire founded the first plastics distributor in North America. His vision was to create an organization to fill in the gap between resin producers and small or medium-size processors. This became the mission of his company, General Polymers.

• Timothy W. Womer. A widely recognized authority on plasticizing screws, Womer has designed thousands of these components. He holds 15 patents and is a prolific author and lecturer. He has been extensively involved with industry associations, held a number of leadership positions, and received several of the industry’s most prestigious honors.

The Plastics Hall of Fame was founded in 1972 to honor individuals whose extraordinary accomplishments contributed to the growth of the plastics industry. The Plastics Hall of Fame is administered by The Plastics Academy. New living inductees are elected every three years by a majority vote of the living members of the Hall of Fame and are honored at the triennial NPE. Between NPEs, posthumous inductees are honored. Thus far 153 individuals have been inducted. More information is available from The Plastics Academy by contacting John R. Kretzschmar at [email protected] or 419-352-5922.

For more information, visit www.plasticsindustry.org.