The final step in the wind down of Jackson Machinery Inc. has been taken with the sale of the industrial building and offices in Port Washington, Wis.
Founded in 1986 by Bob Jackson, who won a Lifetime Achievement Award at SPE's Annual Blow Molding Conference in 2016, the company first offered new and used blow molding equipment and accessories as well as refurbished used equipment starting with Hayssen machines.
Then, at NPE1994, Jackson Machinery introduced its first in-house designed and manufactured small bottle machine called the VersaMatic. The machine was designed for small to medium sized custom blow molders and entry level packagers.
Thirty years later, Jackson, 80, plans to attend NPE2024 looking for reasons to come out of retirement.
"I'm sitting here down in Florida enjoying the weather with a real conundrum. 'Good morning, Bob, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?'" Jackson said in a phone interview about the closing of his machinery business.
The company wound down with little fanfare after almost 40 years. A couple of employees also on the brink of retiring stepped up as the founder stepped aside.
"They were there for about a year after I decided to retire," Jackson said. "It worked out fairly well. We were telling people all along we'd close down and retire. It did and we did. All is well."
Well, that is, except for the fact Jackson would rather be mulling blow molding machinery issues than most retirement activities.
After the somewhat quiet quitting of his machinery business, Jackson is looking at the quiet start of a consulting service.
"I think I'll be at NPE and just walk around," he said. "Anybody can approach me and ask anything they want. Anytime I can help I'd like to."
Jackson has been in the plastics industry since 1968, starting out in sales of tools and plastics processing equipment at Peninsular Machinery Co. in Detroit. He also was employed at Davis-Standard Sterling and Hayssen Manufacturing.
Jackson then founded his own business to sell new and refurbished blow molding equipment.
The product offering expanded again at NPE1997. Jackson Machinery introduced its FlexiMatic accumulator head blow molding machine as part of an early automated work cell to produce trimmed complex parts.
Outside of the machinery company, Jackson served as president of SPE's Blow Molding division.
Jackson has a lot to reflect on in terms of machinery developments and plastics industry relationships.
"I've met wonderful people the whole time I've been at this," he said. "I've been a very lucky fellow and I'm thankful."
And, he's available, in case anyone needs to consult on industry topics, at the phone number he's had for about 30 years. Jackson can be reached at (414) 828-3830.