There's Bandera, Biesenberger and Brandenberger. There's Eichengrün, Gerber and Haag. And there's Kanagawa and Sammet.
All are names from the past that are being remembered in the modern day for their impact on plastics. Part of the 2024 class of the Plastics Hall of Fame is being inducted posthumously as the hall reaches into history as a reminder of eight people who made their mark on the industry. They are:
Luigi Bandera, founder of Costruzioni Meccaniche Luigi Bandera SpA, Italy, and a pioneer in extrusion equipment.
"In 1947, after the end of the Second World War, at 25 years old, he founded Costruzioni Meccaniche Luigi Bandera in Busto Arsizio, his hometown, located 30 kilometers north of Milan. Originally focused on PVC and rubber extrusion systems, thanks to [his] entrepreneurial spirit, through the years, the company has developed his activities in various extrusion fields, such as extrusion equipment for profiles, sheets, flexible film and other disciplines within the extrusion industry," the hall said.
"Nowadays, Bandera, with its worldwide business activity, is one of the most well-known realities in the manufacture of top-notch plastics extrusion machinery."
Joseph Biesenberger, co-founder of Polymer Processing Institute, U.S., an expert in devolatilization of polymers.
"Biesenberger was recognized as perhaps the top expert on devolatilization in the world and authored the last textbook on the subject, Devolatilization of Polymers, in 1983," the hall said. "Joseph was an outstanding educator, an accomplished research scientist and a pioneer in applying basic chemical engineering principles to large-scale industrial plastics processing.
"In 1982, he was one of the two founders of the Polymer Processing Institute, a joint creation of Stevens [Institute] and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. This group was an independent, nonprofit industrial consulting corporation with extensive laboratory facilities on both campuses," the hall said.
Jacques Brandenberger, of La Cellophane SA and DuPont, France, the inventor of cellophane. He is a historical figure selection.
"Made from wood cellulose, cellophane was originally intended as a coating to make cloth stain-resistant. Brandenberger wanted to develop a material that would repel liquid by spraying a waterproof viscose coating onto fabric. But the resulting fabric was too stiff, and the coating easily separated from the backing cloth, producing a thin, transparent film," the hall said. "Brandenberger abandoned his original idea when he realized the potential for the new material. He named his film cellophane, derived from cellulose and diaphane, the French word for translucent.
"Brandenberger sold the U.S. rights to DuPont in 1923. Cellophane became a world-famous brand, a landmark in the chemical industry. By 1938, cellophane accounted for 10 percent of DuPont's sales and 25 percent of its profits. It was an essential material during WWII, where it was used as rain capes for U.S. soldiers and packaged their rations," the hall said.
Arthur Eichengrün of Cellon-Werke, Germany, who developed the processes for manufacturing cellulose acetate. He is a historical figure selection.
"Arthur Eichengrün (1867–1949) was a chemist, materials scientist and inventor who began his career with Bayer & Co. in Germany in 1896. He is known for developing the highly successful anti-gonorrhea drug Protargol, for co-discovering aspirin and for his pioneering contributions in plastics. Eichengrün co-developed the first soluble cellulose acetate materials in 1903, called Cellit, and influenced the early development of plastic injection molding," the hall said.
"He contributed to photochemistry by inventing the first process for the production and development of cellulose acetate film, which he patented with Theodore Becker in 1903. It was used to manufacture cinematographic film, which Eastman Kodak and Pathé Frères began using in 1909. Cellulose acetate film became the standard, preferred over the highly flammable film produced from nitrocellulose," the hall said.
Eichengrün, who was Jewish, left Bayer in 1908 and started his own lab and manufacturing plant, Cellon-Werke, where he advanced the science of injection molding by developing an early injection molding press in 1919.
"In 1933, the Nazis forced Eichengrün to sell his company. Ten years later, he was imprisoned, and in 1944, was sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp. He was freed on May 8, 1945, when Soviet troops liberated the camp," the hall said.
Joseph Gerber, of Gerber Scientific Inc., U.S., who led the commercialization of automation systems, including eyeglass lens manufacturing.
More than a quarter century following his death, H. Joseph Gerber is being recognized for his contributions to the plastics industry.
Gerber was the founder and president of Gerber Scientific Inc. and was given the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 1994, the "nation's highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the president of the United States on America's leading inventors," according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Gerber held more than 600 patents as he worked on inventions across a wide swath of industries, including plastics. His work includes automation of plastic prescription lenses that allowed glasses to be quickly made on-site at optometrists' offices. He also created technology to produce specialty films from digital designs. Gerber also automated the making of billboards and signs, including the first digital systems to produce those products.
Arthur Haag, of PureChem and Neutrex, U.S., an innovator in the manufacture of purity titanium catalysts.
Haag was the "titanium man" of the plastics materials industry. His career of 70-plus years included leadership developing, producing and marketing specialty chemicals for the plastics manufacturing industry and later the plastics molding industry," the hall said.
"Haag developed, produced and commercialized titanium and organic catalysts for manufacturing plastics. Haag invented methods and equipment to manufacture high-purity titanium catalysts [four U.S. patents]," the hall said. Haag later invented the Purgex line of purging compounds.
"Haag loved the plastics business so much he never retired," the hall said.
Chihiro Kanagawa, of Shintech and Shin-Etsu, Japan, chairman of Shin-Etsu Chemical and the Vinyl Environment Council.
Kanagawa was the chairman of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. and chairman and founder of Shintech Inc. Shintech, which is one of Shin-Etsu Chemical's subsidiaries, is the world's largest manufacturer of PVC, according to information provided by the hall.
Kanagawa established Shintech in 1973. He introduced PVC production technology, including large-scale polymerizer developed by Shin-Etsu Chemical, to Shintech.
Kanagawa also was chairman of the Vinyl Environmental Council of Japan. During his tenure, he worked on enlightening the public about the value of PVC, which is superior in its physical properties and processability and economical as well as environmentally friendly, the hall said.
G. Victor Sammet Sr. of Extrusion Engineering Inc., U.S., funded the start of the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc., now known as Plastics Industry Association.
"[He] provided pioneering leadership and financial support to the plastics industry for decades. In 1937, he recommended and contributed the first substantial funding to establish the Society of the Plastics Industry, signed the SPI's original articles of incorporation, presided as the first SPI president (provisional) and served on the SPI's inaugural board," the hall said.
"Prior to the formation of the SPI, Sammet chaired the uniform cost accounting committee of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), molded division, a predecessor to the SPI. Later, Sammet and several of his employees helped charter the Plastic Pioneers Association (PPA), which documented and preserved the histories of people who contributed to the plastics industry," the hall said.
He co-founded Northern Industrial Chemical Co. in 1907, which grew to one of South Boston's largest employers. NIC's introductory oleo-coloring business self-funded plastics research and future molding capacity expansions, according to the hall.
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