Alvarez was named in June to the top technology position at United Plastics Group Inc., a full-service manufacturer of plastic products for the electronics, medical, consumer and industrial markets.
In his new position, he is responsible for engineering and manufacturing in United Plastics' medical division. He also helps evaluate potential acquisitions.
United Plastics was formed one year ago as an acquisition vehicle to build a $500 million company. The purchase of SPM in July – United's fifth acquisition – gives it 16 manufacturing sites and $400 million sales. Company officials have said they are seeking additional acquisitions in the medical field.
Prior to joining United Plastics, he was a principal and consulting engineer for Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery Division in Cincinnati, where he established and refined the design and manufacture of endoscopic surgical instruments. Prior to that, Alvarez was technology director P.E. Handley Walker Corp. in Tustin, Calif., a London-based international consulting firm.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a degree in plastics engineering, Alvarez first worked as a process engineer for the Dixon Industries Division of Furon Co. He later joined Rhone-Poulenc and eventually became head of technical support in injection, compression and laminate technology for North America.
Later he started Tribol Industries, which specialized in compounding and molding high-performance engineering plastics. Tribol was sold to Furon, where Alvarez remained as president and general manager for four years.
Next he started a consulting company called Base Technology, which he ran for five years before joining Hexcel Corp. to work on a project to convert the power generator for the F-18 military fighter jet from magnesium to plastics. After completing that project he returned to Base Technology, which eventually was merged into P.E. Handley Walker.
Alvarez has published more than 70 articles and holds seven patents in plastics engineering.
United Plastics Group's Web site is www.unitedplasticsgroup.com.
