AURORA, ILL. — James Johnson, a 51-year plastics industry veteran and sheet extrusion authority, has retired from Processing Technologies International LLC, where he worked for the past nine years.

He will be a part-time consultant for PTi, the company said in a news release.

Johnson was senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Aurora-based manufacturer of sheet lines.

Johnson has held wide-ranging responsibilities during his career, in technical sales, engineering, application development, sales and marketing.

In addition to his nine years at PTi, Johnson worked as vice president of sales at flat-die maker Extrusion Dies Industries LLC; business area manager for extruder manufacturer Davis- Standard LLC; vice president of marketing for Reifenhauser Inc.; and vice president of marketing and engineering for Johnson Plastics Machinery. He also was a development engineer for Rexall Chemical Co.

"PTi has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with someone as talented as Jim over the years," PTi President Dana Hanson said in the release.

Johnson plans to spend more time with his family and grandchildren, according to the company.

In 2007, Johnson received the Society of Plastics Engineers' Jack Barney Award for his major contributions to the plastic sheet industry.

Johnson holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master's degree in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.