Ramesh Iyer has been named president and chief operating officer of leading compounder Asahi Kasei Plastics.
Iyer assumed his new roles with Fowlerville, Mich.-based Asahi Kasei on April 1. He'll have responsibility for the company's U.S. facilities, which make compounds based on polypropylene, acetal and nylon 6/6, primarily for the automotive market.
A 12-year Asahi Kasei veteran, Iyer will report directly to CEO and Chairman John Moyer, who previously held the title of president. Iyer has held various sales, marketing and supply chain roles with Asahi Kasei, which ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers.
Since 2016, Iyer has served as the firm's COO. Under his leadership, Asahi Kasei has expanded its portfolio of materials, growing operations into the European Union, China, India and Mexico.
"Over the last decade, Ramesh has built an impressive track record of commercial, operational and strategic accomplishments," Moyer said in a news release. "He has proven to be both an effective and solid leader and has a strong reputation for developing talent. I could not be more pleased about his appointment to this critical role at this important time for Asahi Kasei."
Iyer added in the release that he was "honored to take on this role for Asahi Kasei Plastics and look forward to partnering with John and our talented senior leadership team to deliver on our company's strategic vision and continue the growth trends seen across our company worldwide."
Asahi Kasei Plastics is a unit of Asahi Kasei Corp. of Tokyo. The firm plans to open its first compounding plant in Mexico in 2020.