Jacob Fry, 28
Business Development Manager, Currier Plastics Inc.
Jacob Fry's first plastics job was working for the Plastics Innovation and Resource Center at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, where he was studying for a bachelor's degree in plastics and polymers engineering technology. The center specializes in plastics workshops and training, research and development, product development and prototyping on various plastic processes, including extrusion blow molding, thermoforming, injection molding, rotational modeling and more.
"My first interest in the plastics industry was in high school," he said. "At Hughesville (Pa.) High School, I was given the opportunity to take an elective course in plastics that would later give me college credits. The course had many experiments, demos and labs. I loved the class, and that is the reason why I am in the industry today."
Fry was hired by Currier Plastics, an injection molding and blow molding company in Auburn, N.Y., as a process engineer before university graduation and started working there in July 2016, then he was promoted to quotation and program manager in November 2016 and took on account management responsibilities.
In June 2018, he was promoted to business development manager, which Fry calls his greatest achievement.
"I'm sure I will sound like a broken record here, but battling the COVID pandemic [has been a major challenge]," he said. "As a business development manager, getting out and in front of customers/prospects is a big part of my job. As we are approaching two years of this pandemic, there is now experience and history to look back and reference upon. At the start of the pandemic, everything was 'a first.'"
Fry said he is most interested in "green" or bio-derived plastics and said the plastics industry can have a "huge" impact on sustainability.
"At Currier Plastics, we are utilizing PIR [post-industrial recycled] and PCR [post-consumer recycled] during processing when possible along with our corrugated packaging materials being 100 percent recycled corrugate," he said. "All new machine purchases are 100 percent electric, and we are phasing out our older, less efficient machines. We are continuing to improve and push sustainable efforts at Currier."
The thing that surprises him most about the plastics industry is its ability to adapt and overcome challenges.
"As the world changes," he said, "the plastic industry continues to push ahead and be on the cutting edge of technology."
Q: What should the plastics industry do to expand its efforts in diversity and inclusion?
Fry: The plastics industry is constantly changing and evolving. Though I've only been in the industry [for about] five and a half years, the changes I have seen are amazing. There is a spot for everyone in this industry regardless of their background. I think promoting the industry starting at the middle school level focusing on the different areas of the industry and how there is something for everyone.
Q: If you were CEO of a company, what would you do first?
Fry: Get to know the employees. Listen to their wants and needs, then take action on them. Create a company/culture that people want to work for as their voice matters. Without your employees, you are managing brick and mortar.
Q: Who is your mentor or someone you look up to?
Fry: My dad. As I get older, I realize how much we are alike. He pushed me in various aspects of life, and he is the reason I am where I am today.