People &
Places
Laurie Wood
Danny Wood, Jr.
Brenda Wood
Auburn Plastics & Rubber, Inc. announced the transition of three leadership roles.
Laurie Wood headshot
After 36 years at Auburn Plastics & Rubber, Laurie Wood is transitioning into retirement. Since 1986, vendors and customers alike immediately knew her by her resounding voice and joyful, kind spirit. As she built her reputation as an excellent liaison between vendors and customers, her partnerships quickly grew into friendships. Laurie Wood was an active member of IAPD, attending any and all events that she could, as well as serving on the Editorial and Membership Committees. After her father, longstanding IAPD member and co-founder of the original Auburn Plastics, Paul E. Lewis, passed away in 2010, Laurie Wood rose to the occasion as president. She maintained his legacy as integrity, kindness and honesty were the most important values she could pass on to their partners as a continuum of her father’s life’s work. She is now proud to pass along those same leadership reins over to her son, Danny Wood, Jr., and hopes she has left a lasting impression on the performance plastics industry. Laurie Wood looks forward to many things in retirement, including spending time with her beloved grandchildren and traveling to her favorite place in sunny Florida.
Danny Wood, Jr. headshot
Auburn Plastics & Rubber, Inc. announced the promotion of Danny Wood, Jr. to chief operations officer. He started working in the family business in 2000 as a shipping and receiving associate. As Danny Wood began to learn the business and understand this industry, he started serving the company across many different functions. He was taught every aspect of the job, including client services, facility management, equipment usage, material capabilities, purchasing and sales. His extensive experience, broad knowledge of operations and tricks of the trade shared by his mother and grandfather will help guide him into the future as the third generational leader of Auburn Plastics.
Brenda Wood headshot
Auburn Plastics & Rubber, Inc. announced the promotion of Brenda Wood to chief financial officer. Brenda Wood joined the family business in 2013 to support business development and manage a new marketing directive. From there, her role pivoted to account management, ensuring vendors and customers felt supported in their partnerships. In her new role as CFO, Brenda Wood is able to leverage her previous experience in business development with her new skill set as a money manager. She is very much looking forward to continuing the build of Auburn’s long-standing business as a top plastics distributor and fabrication house.
Tamira Ford headshot
Tamira
Ford
Tamira Ford joined Cast Nylons Ltd. as an inside sales territory manager. She will be responsible for states in the western United States. Ford has a Master of Science degree in engineering from the University of Akron, and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Miami University of Ohio, where she played varsity basketball. Ford began her career as a sales engineer with The Timken Company, focused on their tier one automotive customer base. Given her education in mechanical engineering and experience with bearings, Ford brings relevant technical knowledge to Cast Nylons’ customers.
Kevin Kramer headshot
Kevin
Kramer
Since joining A&C Plastics, Inc. Kevin Kramer has proven that he is an asset to the team. As a result, the company has promoted him to senior business development. In this new position, Kramer mentors sales representatives who are new to the performance plastics industry. Kramer exhibited great interpersonal skills and a head for customer service that secured his transition into this role. A&C Plastics is proud of its people and continues to seek talent internally to fill leadership positions.
Janell Puccio
Arifin Thien
Interstate Plastics welcomed Janell Puccio and Arifin Thien as the newest members of the company’s Sacramento, CA, USA inside sales team.

Janell Puccio previously worked in sales at Anderson Lumber and Brickyard Building Materials. She is excited to start her new journey in the performance plastics industry, and Interstate Plastics is thrilled to have her on the Sacramento sales team.

Arifin Thien joins Interstate Plastics with more than 12 years of sales experience. He previously worked for Royal Hawaiian Seafood in San Francisco, CA, USA and recently relocated to Sacramento. Thien enjoys building long-lasting relationships with customers and vendors, and Interstate Plastics is enthusiastic about having him on the Sacramento sales team.

Janell Puccio headshot
Arifin Thien headshot
Adrian Walio headshot
Adrian
Walio
Cast Nylons Ltd. announced that Adrian Walio has joined the company as a senior design and application engineer. Walio is a strategic add for Cast Nylons Ltd. that is aligned with their growth strategy to build a deeper, stronger engineering presence for customers and to build on their operational excellence. Walio will add another layer of depth to the team with his vast polymer engineering, equipment and tooling design expertise. Walio has worked in an advanced mechanical engineering role in the plastic polymer industry since 2003. Most recently, he spent the last 15 years at DEVOL Engineering Ltd. in the United Kingdom. Walio brings extensive application engineering experience in the markets the company’s distribution channel partners serve. Cast Nylons Ltd. is confident that he will elevate their value-added capabilities.
Mike Doremus headshot
Mike
Doremus
Stiles Machinery Inc. is pleased to introduce sales engineer Mike Doremus to the plastics manufacturing industry. Doremus has been helping manufacturers identify challenges and find solutions for more than 15 years. In his new role, Doremus will be consulting throughout the Great Lakes region including the states of Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky.
Steve Rood headshot
Steve
Rood
Enflo LLC announced the promotion of Steve Rood to president. Reporting to the CEO, Rood will be primarily responsible for implementing the company’s strategic initiatives and ensuring that Enflo meets its financial performance objectives. Key among his duties will be inspiring and motivating employees to maximize individual and company performance and success. Rood will provide leadership to all facets of the organization and will oversee day-to-day business operations, ensuring accountability to Enflo’s stakeholders. In addition, Rood will support the development of strategies that align with the company’s goals.

“Steve has proven to be an extraordinary leader in his year and a half with Enflo,” said Mark Lamoureaux, Enflo’s CEO. “We knew going in that Steve’s vast experience and background in LEAN would drive us forward operationally. His ability to identify opportunities in process improvements across the company have greatly enhanced our ability to support the growth we are seeing in the business.”

Prior to joining Enflo, Rood was the chief operating officer for Light Metals Coloring. He was also the assistant plant manager with Carter Wallace, Inc. and director of manufacturing operations with Lapointe Industries.

Rood has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut – School of Engineering and also attended the school’s MBA program.

Jeff Jacobs headshot
Jeff
Jacobs
Jeff Jacobs has joined the sales team at Afton Plastics as an account executive. His background includes more than 20 years of business development, including national and regional account management. General Manager Brandee Moshier commented, “Jeff will use Afton’s superior service and quality to maintain our legacy accounts as well as grow our presence in the high-performance thermoplastics industry.”
Vice President of Operations Ashoo Saigal, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Rohit Saigal, Sheila Keller and Polymer Industries Owner Andy Saigal
From left to right: Vice President of Operations Ashoo Saigal, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Rohit Saigal, Sheila Keller and Polymer Industries Owner Andy Saigal.
Sheila Keller retired from her position as senior inside sales representative with Polymer Industries after a 40-year career with the company. Keller’s contributions will always be valued and remembered by those who worked with her. As a tribute, the company organized a lunch on Thursday, June 17 to honor and appreciate her.

IPEX USA LLC expanded its warehousing and distribution capabilities a distribution center (DC) in Garland, TX, USA. The new facility replaces IPEX’s smaller Houston, TX, USA location, giving the company more than three times the warehouse space in the area. “The distribution center is the newest facility in our multi-year strategy to expand our footprint in the United States,” said IPEX Chief Executive Officer Alex Mestres. “In doing so, we continue to focus on our customer-first culture by having what our customers want when they want it.”

Currently stocking industrial products (pipes and fittings), future growth and expansion potential in Garland could see the remainder of the company’s product lines stocked in the Garland facility. The distribution center serves IPEX customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. IPEX will continue to execute on its strategy to expand its warehousing capabilities with focus on the southern and western United States in the second half of the year.

Bo Branch, Kennedy Ellis and Alfred Read
Dedicated employees from left to right: Bo Branch, Kennedy Ellis and Alfred Read recently celebrated their first year of perfect attendance at A&C Plastics, Inc.
A & C Plastics, Inc. hired a record number of employees in 2020, and the team has proven its dedication. Salespeople Bo Branch, Kennedy Ellis and Alfred Read completed one year at A&C with perfect attendance, regardless of weather or circumstances. They also went above and beyond by not leaving early. A&C Plastics is proud of its dedicated and determined team, and they were rewarded with a US$2,000 for their efforts.

Falcon Private Holdings, LLC announced that it will sell Aristech Surfaces LLC to Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber, for US$445 million in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments. Aristech manufactures continuous cast acrylic sheet for the wellness, architectural, transportation and industrial markets.

Falcon Co-founder Barry Siadat said, “Since the carve-out from Mitsubishi Corporation in 2008, Falcon has actively collaborated with management to establish Aristech as a thriving independent business by improving processes, investing to expand operational capabilities, growing in core hot tub and bath tub applications and entering new markets and applications in the United States and internationally. We are confident that Aristech is poised for continued growth as part of Trinseo and we wish them ongoing success.”

Falcon Co-founder Jamshid Keynejad added, “Though much was accomplished over the course of Aristech’s thirteen years as part of the Falcon family of companies, we are particularly proud of the acceleration of growth and value creation under Michael Gilbert’s leadership since 2018. We thank Michael and his talented team for their valued contributions to this rewarding investment.”

Aristech CEP Michael Gilbert commented, “Over the past three years, with Falcon’s capital and hands-on support, we have accelerated growth by investing in talent, adding capacity and enhancing product differentiation. This transaction validates Aristech’s strategic value, developed over the course of fifty years of leadership in surface solutions. I would like to thank our employees for their dedication and commitment, and we look forward to becoming part of the Trinseo family.”

The transaction is expected to close this year. The business will become part of Trinseo’s Engineered Materials segment.

In Memoriam
Joseph Benson Campbell memoriam card
Ben Campbell passed away on July 8, 2021. He was the owner of Campbell Companies, headquartered in West Lawn, PA, USA. Over the last 30 years, Campbell Companies acquired four companies, supplying the global market with diverse products such as spine implants, knees and pump heads. Plastic Center Inc. was founded in 1945 in Philadelphia, PA, USA as a distributor of plastic materials (sheets, rods and tubing). In 1980, Campbell purchased the company and took it on a path of continued growth. In 1995, Plastic Center Inc. acquired General Technical Plastics Inc. This acquisition expanded their CNC machining capabilities, in addition to the distribution of plastic materials. Brandywine Fibre Products was purchased in 1997 and relocated from Wilmington, DE, USA to Exton, PA, USA. With this acquisition, Campbell Companies expanded into screw machines and punch operations. The most recent growth has been the purchase of Troutman Industries Inc. in 2003. Troutman is known for quality and precision machining. The Campbell Companies now has the capability of machining all types of materials from metals to plastics.

In 2014 the plastics center distribution business was sold to Piedmont Plastics. Ben Campbell remained involved with Troutnam Industries Inc. until his passing.

Ben was greatly loved by his wife Diane (Graff) Campbell, two daughters and four grandchildren. Condolences may be made by visiting
www.phoenixvillefuneralhome.com.

Barry Glick headshot
Alro Vice Chairman Barry Glick passed away on June 21, 2021, in Boca Raton, FL, USA at age 70. Barry was a leader, role model, teammate and friend. He leaves behind his wife Debby, two children and two grandchildren.

Alro CEO and Chairman Al Glick, said, “It is with a heavy heart that I share that Barry, my nephew and vice chairman of Alro, passed away yesterday after battling a long-term illness. He means so much to our family and company, and he will be truly missed. Barry exemplifies one of my favorite sayings: It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.”

Barry’s uncle Al and father Robert founded Alro Steel in 1948 in Jackson, MI, USA. Barry began his career with the company in 1977 and served as vice chairman for 27 years. Alro operates over 70 locations in 12 states under the following companies: Alro Steel, Alro Metals, Alro Metals Outlet, Alro Industrial Supply and Alro Plastics.