Drug-packaging pioneer Frederick Biesecker died Oct. 12 at the age of 74.
Biesecker and his wife founded their company, Drug Plastics & Glass Co. Inc., in 1963 and over the years turned the business into a major blow molder and injection molder of prescription vials. The company is based in Boyertown, Pa.
He is survived by his wife, Suzanne, a son and two daughters.
In addition to serving in the Society of Plastics Engineers, for which he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Biesecker was extensively involved in charitable work, including the American Diabetes Association and the Children's Circle of Care Society.
Biesecker was a current member of the Board of Trustees of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He founded the Fred and Suzanne Biesecker Pediatric Liver Center there and established a chair in biliary atresia.
He had attended Penn State University.
The blow molding business had sales of about $140 million in 2011, according to Plastics News data. The business runs six plants in the U.S. A sister company, Drug Plastics Closures Inc., injection molds closures at two U.S. plants and had sales of about $49 million last year. Drug Plastics & Glass acquired the closures business in 2001.
The two businesses supply health-care and pharmaceutical markets, including special closures for childproofing and for seniors.