Bruce Larsen joined Toledo, Ohio-based glass and plastics packaging giant Owens-Illinois in 1979 after serving four years in the U.S. Army, where he achieved the rank of captain and served as Army Airborne, Ranger, and Special Forces.
During his first 13 years with O-I, the 1975 University of Oklahoma graduate held a number of production assignments throughout the United States. In 1992 he was named a vice president and area manufacturing manager for plastic containers, and the following year he assumed overall manufacturing responsibility for those products. In 1997 Larsen became a corporate officer and operations manager for that unit. In 2000 he was promoted to general manager for O-I plastic containers and the following year had his GM responsibilities broadened to include all of O-I Plastics Group's food and beverage products.
In his current role, Larsen is responsible for all sales, marketing, manufacturing, administration, financial and strategic planning, technical, and research and development functions for O-I's plastic container businesses. The publicly owned firm operates 68 plastics manufacturing plants worldwide, has cross-licenses for plastics technology with 24 companies in a dozen countries, and ranks as North America's largest blow molder, with 2001 sales of blow molded products valued at $1.2 billion.
