CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Officials of Bryan Custom Plastics, a custom injection molder in Bryan, Ohio, received the first Plastics News Processor of the Year award at a reception Nov. 13 during Plastics Fair Charlotte. Robert Grace, Plastics News' editor, told attendees that a team of senior editorial managers whittled the list down to five finalists from the original batch of nominations for this inaugural award.
Those companies then were scrutinized for their performance over the past five years for financial and quality results, customer/employee relations, environmental record and community and industry service.
``Any of the five finalists would have been worthy of this award,'' said Grace, noting that several strong recommendations from major customers and even a union local helped Bryan's cause. BCP, with 1995 injection molding sales of about $100 million, serves primarily the automotive market, but also makes trash cans and components for golf carts, toys, heavy trucks and televisions.
Accepting the award for Bryan Custom Plastics were Tim Kline, vice president and general manager; Gene Schubert, director of sales and marketing; Cindi Byers, account manager; and Ralph Rose and his son Townley Rose, Chicago-based sales representatives for the company.
Bryan Custom Plastics is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is a division of United Screw & Bolt Corp. of North Olmsted, Ohio. Grace said Bryan was nominated by GE Plastics.
Upon receiving the award from Plastics News Publisher Tony Eagan, Kline quipped about mistaking a large ice sculpture of the award placed near the reception's entrance for the actual award.
"I was a little nervous when we walked in and saw the giant ice sculpture and I wondered, `How are we going to get it home?' But I knew if we did get it home it would stay frozen for a while,'' he said, referring to the harsh snowy conditions back in Ohio during Plastics Fair Charlotte.