CINCINNATI (Sept. 21, 2:40 p.m. ET) — Machinery maker Milacron LLC has named Tom Goeke CEO, replacing Dennis Smith in the top spot.

The Cincinnati-based company announced the news Sept. 21. Goeke assumed his position immediately.

Goeke, who serves on Milacron’s board of directors, has more than 25 years of executive management experience in the plastics industry. From 2005 until May 2011, he was CEO of Kl"ckner Pentaplast Group, a major maker of film for packaging, printing and specialty applications. He joined Kl"ckner Pentaplast in 1989.

Prior to that, he worked at Hoechst Celanese Corp.’s Rigid Film division, where he was a product manager for pharmaceutical and food packaging films.

Goeke earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Widener University, and a master’s of business administration from the College of William and Mary.

Smith had joined Milacron as CEO in 2009.

Milacron Chairman Ira Boots said Smith “created a strong foundation for future growth.”

“Tom Goeke is a talented leader with a deep understanding of the industry and a clear vision for its future,” Boots said in a prepared statement. “He has a proven track record of driving growth in global businesses.”