Americhem spotlights longtime employees as it marks 80th anniversary

Materials maker Americhem reached the eight decade mark on Nov. 29.

The Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based firm was founded in 1941 as the Caldwell Co. in a small office in Akron, Ohio, by Sylvester Caldwell. At that time, its business consisted of selling pigments and additives to the rubber industry, much of which was based in Akron and northeast Ohio. Today, Americhem is based in nearby Cuyahoga Falls and operates 12 plants worldwide.

In 1953, the Caldwell Co. hired Richard H. (Dick) Juve, who had experience with Goodyear Tire & Rubber, which accounted for about 80 percent of Caldwell's business. Caldwell opened its first plant in Akron in 1959 and changed its name to Americhem that same year. Americhem moved its headquarters to Cuyahoga Falls in 1965.

A key product move was made in 1969, when Americhem made its first masterbatch concentrates for vinyl siding. Juve and Vice President Harvey Cooper — another key figure in the firm's growth — each had acquired a one-third stake in Americhem in 1958. In 1979, Juve became majority owner.

Juve's son Richard C. (Rick) Juve joined the firm in 1982, first working in a production role in order to learn more about the company. Americhem in 1991 made its first masterbatch concentrates for PVC decking applications.

Rick Juve became president and CEO of Americhem after his father retired in 1993. Dick Juve died in 1995. Mark Juve, Rick's son, represents the third generation of the Juve family at Americhem. He currently serves as vice president and general manager of commercial, North America,

New product developments at Americhem in the last 20 years include PET solution dye products for automotive fabrics, clarified polypropylene pharmaceutical products and outdoor color lines for PET fabric.

Americhem also has grown through acquisition, making five deals since 2013. Most recently, the firm in September 2020 acquired Controlled Polymers A/S, a compounder and concentrates maker based in Ribe, Denmark.

Today, Americhem employs more than 900 and is one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers, according to Plastics News data.

As part of Americhem's 80th anniversary celebration, the firm this year on LinkedIn has interviewed its 12 longest serving employees. That list includes:

• Ron Beitler, 39-plus years. Beitler is currently based out of Americhem's plant in China, but has relocated to multiple international Americhem locations during his career.

• Kim Sorensen, 27-plus years. Sorensen worked her way up from QT Lab Technician to QT Lab Team Leader to her current role as manufacturing technical support in Concord, N.C.

• Tim Heiss, 41-plus years. Heiss is currently plant manager in Liberty, N.C., and has been plant manager of three different Americhem plants during his career.

• Karen Jenior, 28-plus years. Jenior spent more than 20 years in Customer Service before she moved into the purchasing department as a buyer.

• Christa Batton, 28-plus years. Batton is currently senior human resources manager for North America. Americhem "was her dream job" after watching her dad become the firm's first engineer and design many production lines that are still in operation today.

• Rick Calhoun, 44-plus years. Calhoun is currently senior field service technician. He's done everything at Americhem from managing 32 direct reports to starting the packaging color group to becoming the firm's very first field service technician.

• Cynthia Floyd, 29-plus years. Floyd is currently EDW/BI architect in IT. She's led many projects in Americhem's IT department, but has kept her focus on building and maintaining internal database applications.

• Mike Collins, 45-plus years. Collins is currently project coordinator for building & construction. He was hired on September 13, 1976, 12 days after his 18th birthday.

• Sharon Toth, 37-plus years. Toth is one of Americhem's buyers. In 1984, the firm visited Cuyahoga Falls High School in search of the top two students from her IOE (Intensified Office Education) course to offer them jobs. She was one of the two chosen.

• Ron Beck, 45-plus years. Beck is Americhem's R&D manager and has played a critical role in the start-up of three different labs for the firm.

• Regina Roy, 38-plus years. Roy is Americhem's longest tenured female employee and is the firm's application & service lead in IT. She oversees many of Americhem's IT projects.

• Doug Croley, 50-plus years. Croley is national account manager for packaging. When started at Americhem, Bill Fowler, a fellow 50-year-Americhem employee, trained Croley on all of the machines on their second shift together.