Lifetime Achievement Award

The Blow Molding Division's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Division's highest award, is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated outstanding achievements and contributions to the business, science and technical engineering aspects in the field of blow molding.

The awardee is selected by the Blow Molding Division's Board of Directors from nominees sponsored by the members of the Society of Plastics Engineers and include a consideration of the candidate’s professional record inside and outside of the industry and the continuing effects the candidate’s work has had in the industry. The awardee is presented with an engraved plaque during the Awards Program and Reception at the Annual Blow Molding Conference and a donation in their name is made to the Division’s Grant Fund.

   2023 Honoree

Ferruccio Giacobbe 

Owner and General Manager

MAGIC SpA


(Click here for Mr. Giacobbe's biography)

Past Honorees

2022 — Mel O'Leary, Jr.., President and CEO, Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc.

2021 — Robert Schoeneck, Founder and Owner, Schoeneck Containers, Inc.

2019 — Lewis E. Ferguson, Founder and Owner, PARISONS

2018 — Thomas Pecorini,Technology Fellow and Dr. Emmett Crawford, Research Associate, Eastman

2017  — Marcel de Botton, President, Logoplaste ( click here for photos from ABC 2017 Awards Program )

2016 — Bob Jackson, Founder, Jackson Machinery, Inc.

2015 — Stephen Spence, Founder, Spentech Plastic Container, Inc.

2014 — Robert Kleckauskas, President , Arrow Plastic Manufacturing Company

2013 — Carl D. Ring, Chairman, Ring Container Technologies

2012 — Donald C. Graham, Founder, The Graham Group

2011 — Frank G. Hohmann, Founder, FGH Systems Inc.

2010 — Brooks Heise Sr., Founder, Heise Industries

2009 — Thomas E. Brady, Founder, Plastics Technologies, Inc.

2008 — Richard Smith, Founder and Owner, Agri-Industrial Plastics Company

2007 — William Gaiser, Founder and Owner, Broadway Companies Inc.

2006 — Martin Stark, President, Bekum America Corporation

2005 — Dr. Saleh Jabarin, Director, Polymer Institute - University of Toledo

2004 — Robert Delong, Solvay Polymers Corporation

2003 — Michael Gigliotti, Monsanto Plastics

2002 — Robert Slawska, Founder, Proven Technologies

2001 — Ralph Abramo, Founder and Owner, R. J. Abramo Associates

2000 — Willi Muller, Founder, W. Muller KG

1999 — Fred Biesecker, Founder and CEO, Drug Plastics

1998 — Cliff Baker, Uniloy

1997 — Mike Schmidt, CEO and Founder, ABC Group - Rexdale, Ontario

1996 — Jerome S. Heisler, President, Delaware Barrel & Drum and Container Corp. of America

1995 — Sam Belcher, Founder and President, Sabel Plastechs, Inc.

1994 — Yataro Yoshino, Founder and President, Yoshino Kogyosho - Tokyo

1993 — John W. Raymonds, Founder, Captive Plastics

1992 — John Szajna, Elmer Mills / Con Can

1991 — Dewey Rainville, Founder and President, Rainville Injection Blow Machines

1990 — Don Peters, Phillips Chemical Co.

1989 — Frank Wheaton, Wheaton Plastics

1988 — Katashi Aoki, Founder and CEO, Nissei Plastics/Aoki Technical Laboratories, Japan

1987 — Dennis Hunkar, Founder, Hunkar Company

1986 — Sam Rupert, Uniloy

1985 — Gottfried Mehnert, CEO and Founder, Bekum Machinery Co. - Berlin, Germany

1984 — Charles Sewell, CEO and Founder, Sewell Plastics and CKS Plastics