Global Thermoplastics Supplier Names New President and CEO

Engineering thermoplastics supplier Plaskolite LLC has named Michael Gilbert president and CEO, effective April 1, 2024. Gilbert has more than 35 years of experience in the plastics and advanced materials industry, said the news release.

Headshot courtesy of Plaskolite. Design created in Canva.

Numerous leadership roles in plastics sector

Gilbert previously served as CEO of Aristech Surfaces, where he helped lead the company through its sale to Trinseo, and as Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering Thermoplastics business unit at Sabic Petrochemicals Inc. He has held various other leadership positions at LyondellBasell, Ashland, General Electric, and most recently at SK Capital, where he served as managing director and head of Portfolio Operations. Gilbert has also served on the boards of the Plastics Industry Association and the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division.

Noting that Plaskolite has a growing global footprint and significant value creation opportunities ahead, Plaskolite interim presidents John Szlag, CCO, and Peter Lynch, CFO, said that Gilbert’s “deep plastics industry experience and operational expertise [make him] well-equipped to lead our next chapter of growth, innovation, and service excellence.”

International growth targeted

“I have spent my career in the plastics industry and understand better than most just how special Plaskolite’s brand, culture, and products are,” said Gilbert in a prepared statement. “It is a privilege to lead this company and I’m excited to work with the Plaskolite team as we grow internationally, across industries and into new markets.”

Majority-owned by Pritzker Private Capital, along with the Dunn family, management, and other co-investors, since 2018, Plaskolite was founded by Donald G. Dunn in Columbus, OH, in 1950. Its portfolio of engineering thermoplastics includes acrylics, polycarbonate, ABS, PVC, high-density PE and PETG sheet, extruded profiles, and PMMA polymers.

Recent acquisitions

Plaskolite has made numerous acquisitions over the years, the most recent being Vycom at the end of last year. A subsidiary of Azek, Vycom manufactures engineered olefin and PVC thermoplastic sheet for the semiconductor and other markets. At the time, Plaskolite said the acquisition would allow it to expand into attractive new substrates and provide a broader range of products to a complementary customer base.

In April 2023, Plaskolite purchased a production facility in Matamoros, Mexico, from materials supplier Trinseo. This facility specializes in the production of cell cast acrylic sheet for applications in display, signage, construction, marine, and sanitary products. Shortly after making the acquisition, Plaskolite said it is the only stocking manufacturer in the North American market producing extruded, continuous cast, and cell cast acrylic sheet.

Prior to that, in June 2022, Plaskolite acquired MXL Industries. The Lancaster, PA–based company was specialized in the production of optical plastic products for a range of sectors, and billed itself as a one-stop shop for mold design and construction, injection molding, coating, routing, and assembly.