People in composites: October 2023

Lanxess introduces new leadership for Americas operations

Lanxess Corp. (Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.) has announced the retirement of president and chief executive officer (CEO) Antonis Papadourakis. Frederique van Baarle, member of the Board of Management and labor director of Lanxess AG, assumed the role of president and CEO for the company’s Americas region on Oct. 1, 2023.

“It has been an honor to have been a part of the world-class team at Lanxess, and having the opportunity to work alongside so many amazing colleagues,” says Papadourakis, who officially retired on Sept. 30, 2023 after more than eight years as president and CEO. “I’m eternally grateful for the experiences and the professional and personal relationships developed during my tenure here. The team, and future operations within the region, have a bright future with Frederique van Baarle at the helm.”

In April 2023, the Lanxess Board of Management welcomed van Baarle as board member with oversight of the company’s operations in the Americas region, as well as labor director. A native of the Netherlands, van Baarle recently relocated from global headquarters in Cologne, Germany, to the Americas region, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh — marking the first time in company history that a board member has been based outside of Germany.

Van Baarle has held various management and leadership roles with the company since joining in 2011, and brings more than 20 years of global chemical industry experience to her new role. She previously led the company’s High Performance Materials business unit, which spun off in a joint venture in April 2023, after heading a regional Engineering Plastics business line and serving in various management positions at Royal DSM before joining Lanxess.

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead the team here in the Americas, which is becoming an increasingly important region for our industry and for Lanxess,” says van Baarle. “I’m appreciative for the leadership Antonis has shown over the past few months during this transition, and I look forward to meeting so many colleagues and building upon the well-established safety and sustainability programs already in place.”

Papadourakis, who joined the company as CEO in 2015, retires after a 35+ year career in the chemical industry.

 

Aquapak appoints new COO to support global growth

Aquapak Polymers Ltd. (Birmingham, U.K.) which specializes in polymer-based material technologies, has announced the appointment of Tom Barrett as COO based at the firm’s main manufacturing site in Birmingham, U.K. He will be responsible for supporting the expansion of Aquapak as it develops its portfolio of products and their applications, which provide a planet-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.

Barrett has a successful track record in operations having worked for multisite businesses with international supply chains. He held the director of operations role at aerospace business, Sigma, for 15 years, and was at Rical Group for 6 years. He also has experience in the plastics sector as operations manager of WHS Plastics Ltd., also based in Birmingham.

“Aquapak has enjoyed rapid growth and as our product development continues, the complexity of our supply chains and the number of partners we work with will increase,” Mark Lapping, CEO of Aquapak, says. “Tom has a fantastic track record of managing multisite businesses and ensuring they operate efficiently and cost-effectively. We welcome him to the team.”

“Aquapak is an innovative business with an exciting proposition in Hydropol which has been developed as an alternative to conventional plastics,” Barrett adds. “I am pleased to be part of the growth journey and look forward to working with Mark and the team to help the business realize its full potential here in the U.K. and as it expands globally.”

 

Daher evolves executive committee

Daher (Nantes, France) has announced new appointments within its executive committee as the aircraft manufacturer, industrialist, industrial service provider and logistician renews its objectives for industrial excellence.

Alain-Jory Barthe joins Daher and took charge of the company’s Industry Division as of Oct. 1, 2023. As the senior vice president – industry, Barthe is responsible for deploying Daher’s “Take Off 2027” strategic plan for the company’s industrial business while continuing to develop partnership relationships with its major aeronautical clients. In his new role, he also becomes a member of Daher’s executive committee.

Barthe has solid industrial experience, particularly in the aeronautics sector. He began his career in 1995 at Labinal, which was part of the Safran group at the time. Barthe joined Manoir Industries in 2008 as director of operations, followed by his appointment as CEO of the company’s Aerospace Business Unit and subsequently as president of Manoir Aerospace. Following the company’s merger with LISI Aerospace, he became president of the Forging and Casting Division until 2018, when he took over as head of Thales Electrical Systems.

An engineer who graduated from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers, Barthe also holds an MBA from the HEC business school.

Julie de Cevins will become the Daher Group’s sustainable development director, effective Jan. 1, 2024, where she will be responsible for supporting the Group’s strategies in terms of decarbonization and corporate social responsibility. In her current role as the acting senior vice president – industry and a member of Daher’s executive committee, de Cevins will work in collaboration with Barthe through the end of 2023 in managing the company’s Industry Division.

She joined Daher in November 2018 and was the senior vice president of programs within the executive committee from March 2021, subsequently taking responsibility for the Nuclear and Projects Division of the Daher Group from July 2022, along with the interim role as the Industry Division’s senior vice president beginning in June 2023.

De Cevins has spent her entire career in the aeronautical environment with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, airlines and MROs for commercial and business jet clients. She has extensive experience in customer management. She followed a dual course in engineering (EPF/ISAE-Supaéro) and business (eMBA from the CPA in Toulouse) before successively joining Thales, Altran Technologies and Airbus as an engineer between 1988 and 1998. Until 2015, she held the sales and program functions at Honeywell Aerospace prior to joining Assystem Technologies as the vice president of aerospace.

 

Johns Manville welcomes back personnel to lead global fiberglass developments

Johns Manville (JM, Denver, Colo., U.S.), a Berkshire Hathaway company, welcomes back Tom Kendrick as the new global fiberglass commercial director. With an 11-year tenure at JM and extensive leadership roles in the fiberglass and roofing industries, Kendrick will drive excellence and innovation within the fiberglass sector.

“I am excited about Tom rejoining JM in this global role as his experiences and talents allow JM to continue its innovation and product leadership in our core markets of North America and Europe,” says John Vasuta, president of Johns Manville engineered products.

Kendrick notes that he is looking forward to using his experience in glass fiber and nonwovens, as well as in-depth knowledge and relationships to enhance and continue growing JM’s global presence. “JM’s unwavering commitment to advancing its global fiberglass operations is evident,” Kendrick says. “Notably, we’ve made substantial investments, including a recent furnace rebuild and restart in Trnava, Slovakia, coupled with significant automation enhancements. These investments empower us to not only sustain but also enhance our sales and operations in Europe.”

Kendrick’s return to JM aligns with the company’s global strategic focus on fortifying fiberglass manufacturing, serving the composite, construction and gypsum industries. He previously worked at JM from 2004 to 2015. 

Additionally, JM is pleased to announce that Jared Cox is now the global fiberglass commercial leader, driving sales and new business development efforts in all markets. Further, Darious Naylor, who formerly held the position of global fiberglass commercial director, is now the global nonwoven commercial director.