EAST BERLIN, CONN. (Jan. 9, 5 p.m. ET) — Brooks B. Heise Sr., who founded blow mold manufacturer Heise Industries Inc. in 1965, passed away on Jan. 8. He was 90.
Heise served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He graduated from Yale University with a degree in mechanical engineering. In 1946, he began working at Hartford Empire Co. and its Plax Corp. division, a pioneering blow molding business.
Heise remained at Plax for many years, before leaving to manage Redmond Tool and Die Co. in New Haven, Conn. Soon after Redmond closed its doors, he bought the equipment and relocated the employees to Berlin, Conn. Heise Industries was born.
In 2010, Heise earned the lifetime achievement award from the Society of Plastics Engineers’ Blow Molding Division. He was a leader in creating the division’s student scholarship program.
Heise Industries is now into its third generation of operation. Brooks’ son, Tad, is president. His grandson, Skip, is manager of the company that makes blow molds for extrusion blow molded consumer products such as shampoo and detergent, and the medical and automotive markets.
