Chroma Color Corp. has named market veteran Joe Herres as the firm's new chief executive officer.
Herres had served as sales and marketing vice president for McHenry, Ill.-based Chroma since early 2023. As CEO, he's replacing Shruti Singhal, who had served as the firm's CEO since 2021. The move took effect April 17.
In a news release, Herres said, "I am very excited to take the leadership role in a business I love, and in an organization made up of incredibly dedicated and talented team members."
"Having been [sales and marketing VP] at Chroma for the past 15 months, I see great opportunities to continue our journey with our customers in helping them grow their business," he added.
Chroma Chairman George Abd said that Herres's "deep experience in the plastics industry … and his passion for the customer make him uniquely qualified to lead Chroma to the next level."
Herres has more than 20 years of industry experience, including previous positions with sheet and materials maker Spartech LLC and compounder/concentrates maker PolyOne Corp., now named Avient Corp.
Abd also is operating partner with Chroma owner Arsenal Capital Partners of New York. He said that Chroma and Arsenal "want to thank Shruti Singhal for his dedication in leading the organization over the past two and a half years and wish him the best in what we are sure will be a successful next step in his career."
Arsenal formed Chroma in 2018 when it combined the business with materials firms Carolina Color, Breen Color Concentrates and Breen's Hudson Color unit. Chroma supplies specialty color and additive concentrates. Its markets include health care, consumer products, packaging and pharmaceuticals.
Since 2018, Chroma has made nine acquisitions, most recently acquiring color concentrates maker J. Meyer & Sons Inc. of West Point, Pa., in late 2021.
In 2022, Chroma closed a materials plant in Delaware, Ohio. Production from the site was moved to other Chroma locations. The Delaware plant made color concentrates for a variety of industries. The site employed less than 50, some of whom transferred to other Chroma sites.
Chroma in 2020 became a leader in near infrared (NIR) absorptive dyes when it acquired Epolin Chemicals LLC of Newark, N.J. Epolin develops and makes NIR-absorbing dyes and thermoplastic compounds, as well as ready-to-mold compounded pellets in a range of materials. Chroma added to that business in 2021 when it acquired dyemaker Adam, Gates & Co. LLC of Hillsborough, N.J.