Buffalo, N.Y. — Hyman "Hy" Shuman, the co-founder of material supplier Shuman Plastics Inc., died March 25. He was 94.
After being wounded in Okinawa during World War II, Shuman returned to Buffalo and joined his father, Philip, in a scrap business in 1947. Shortly thereafter, he was joined by his brother, Charles, and in 1962 the two men led the transition of the business from a recycler of paper, metal and glass into Shuman Plastics, one of the early North American companies to focus exclusively on recycling and trading of plastics.
Over the years, the company expanded its operations to include Canada, Europe and Asia. Hy Shuman retired in 1995 and the business continues to be owned and managed by his nephews, Ken and Dan Shuman.
Today the company is a supplier of virgin and recycled resins, provides toll processing and compounding services. In 1982 it launched the Dyna-Purge brand of plastic purging compounds.
In a news release, the company said: "Hy's legacy lives on today in the values of the company he co-founded with his father and brother, an organization of which he was immensely proud and served for almost 50 years."
Services were held at the convenience of family due to COVID-19 health regulations. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in his memory to the charity of your choice.