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November 12, 2019 07:56 AM

Kickstart: Processor of the Year winner is the comeback kid

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    Sunview Patio Doors

    Vic De Zen, right, with Tony Margiotta, president of Vision Extrusions' Sunview Patio Doors.

    Welcome to Kickstart!

    This new email arrives in your mailboxes as you start each business day to give you a quick, lighthearted snapshot about what's happening in the plastics industry, so you'll be ready to hit the ground running.

    To opt out of the emails, go to the newsletters tab to unsubscribe.

    Last week I saw that Vic De Zen had been awarded a Life Time Achievement Award from the Vinyl Institute. VI described De Zen as a “Canadian vinyl industry pioneer, thought leader and philanthropist.”

    Let’s add “comeback kid” to that list.

    I first ran across De Zen in 1991, when my colleague Bart Greer was compiling Plastics News first-ever ranking of North American extruders. De Zen’s company, Royal Group Technologies Ltd. in Woodbridge, Ontario, was the unexpected No. 1.

    When Royal went public in 1994 and had to release its financials, our rankings data was confirmed. Five years later, De Zen was in the spotlight when Royal won our prestigious Processor of the Year award.

    But, like I said, this is a comeback story. First De Zen retired from the company in 2003, under some pressure from unhappy shareholders. Investigations followed. While De Zen and other managers were eventually acquitted in a criminal trial, he lost control of Royal.

    Then De Zen started over again, founding Vision Extrusions Ltd. — currently No. 29 in our ranking of pipe, profile and tubing extruders. And he’s earned a reputation for good works in the community. Congratulations to Vic De Zen, you’ve had a great second act.

    An original 1959 LEGO BILOfix construction set.

    Lego’s legacy in wood

    Did you know that long before Lego A/S was known for making plastic bricks, the company got its start making wooden toys?

    The Brothers Brick, a website for adult builders and fans of Lego, featured the company’s history and photos of some of the early wooden toys.

    Founder of Niigon Machines Ltd. and member of Plastics Hall of Fame Robert Schad. 

    One more second act

    I have one more second act to highlight today: Plastics Hall of Famer Robert Schad.

    Schad just celebrated his 90th birthday. While the man founded one of the best known brands in injection molding machinery, but he clearly isn’t ready to retire. Last month we published his column surveying the current global equipment market.

     

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