After 6 years as SIMONA AMERICA Group chief executive officer, Larry Schorr has announced that he will retire on December 31, 2020.
Mr. Schorr has served as CEO of SIMONA’s North American subsidiaries since selling his Ohio based company, then known as Boltaron Performance Products, to SIMONA AG in 2014.
Following taking over as president of Boltaron’s predecessor Empire Plastics in 1996 and then purchasing its assets with Dean Li in 2004, Mr. Schorr helped lead the company to impressive profitability, which has continued past its acquisition by SIMONA.
Under Mr. Schorr’s leadership, SIMONA merged the assets of Laminations, Inc. with SIMONA AMERICA Industries, as well as acquired a third manufacturer, Premier Material Concepts, LLC in 2018 and established a single management structure and operating team for all North American Operations – the SIMONA AMERICA Group.
“It has been a wonderful experience to help lead the SIMONA AMERICA team these past six plus years. I am most proud of the team we have assembled and the resiliency we have demonstrated in good and more difficult times,” said Mr. Schorr.
The company has elected Adam Mellen, current chief sales officer for SIMONA AMERICA Group, as CEO effective January 1, 2021.
“I want to especially thank Wolfgang Moyses and his successor, Matthias Schoenberg and Michael Schmitz for their support and confidence in me and our team these past years. I am also excited about the leadership that Adam Mellen will bring to his new responsibilities and the creative technical leadership that Dr. Dean Li has always brought to his responsibilities. I wish everyone great success and good health in the future,” said Mr. Schorr.
“Larry’s leadership brought the SIMONA AMERICA Group to a new level – we have enjoyed years of profitably growing our plastics business in North America and years of global growth in our aviation business. Larry built up a highly motivated and successful team and as a great leader he also prepared his succession by grooming Adam to become the new CEO of SIMONA AMERICA Group. I sincerely thank Larry for being an inspiring leader within our global organization and wish him all the best for the future,” said Matthias Schoenberg, CEO of SIMONA AG.
With more than 20 years in thermoplastic sales and management, Adam served as former director of outside sales at Boltaron Performance Products until being appointed vice president of sales and marketing of SIMONA’s North American operations following the uniting of its subsidiaries in 2014.
“I believe Adam’s strong sales background, knowledge of the business, our customers, our associates, as well as his empathy and management style will serve the company well in the years ahead,” said Mr. Schorr.
“Larry has been an incredible mentor and has taught me the importance of patience, humility and generosity in leadership. I’m excited to follow in Larry’s footsteps and lead this excellent team at SIMONA AMERICA Group,” said Mr. Mellen. “My mother used to say that you should always leave something in better shape than how you found it, and Larry has done that for all aspects of our businesses, as well as through his encouragement of personal growth for our entire team.”
About SIMONA AMERICA Group
SIMONA AMERICA Group is part of SIMONA AG, one of the leading producers and development partners in the field of thermoplastic products with production sites and sales offices around the globe. The SIMONA AMERICA Group is comprised of the companies SIMONA AMERICA Industries LLC., SIMONA Boltaron Inc and SIMONA PMC LLC. SIMONA AMERICA Industries, Archbald, PA which produces thermoplastic sheet, solid rod and welding rod made of PE, PP, rigid and expanded PVC as well as fluoropolymers including PVDF, E-CTFE and PFA. The product range provides consistently high quality solutions for the chemical process and semiconductor industries, orthopedic and prosthetic device market, as well as for applications in outdoor playground structures, signage, furniture and the marine industry. SIMONA PMC, Findlay, OH is an extrusion company specializing primarily in the manufacture of plastic sheet products including TPO, Naugahyde and Vinyl ABS used in recreational vehicles, agricultural, and industrial applications.
The SIMONA AMERICA Group is managed by one management and technical leadership group and is poised to streamline and improve its North American operations and position itself for future growth, including by further acquisitions. SIMONA AMERICA Group employs more than 130 people.
About SIMONA AG – Global Thermoplastic Solutions
SIMONA AG is one of the leading manufacturers of thermoplastic products, with production facilities and sales offices around the globe, as well as an acknowledged development partner within this field. The company’s portfolio includes semi-finished products (sheets, rods, profiles, welding rods), pipes and fittings. SIMONA employs approx. 1,450 people worldwide. The Group manufactures 35,000 products in Germany and abroad, offering best-in-class solutions tailored to a wide range of applications: in the chemical processing industry, in the water, energy and commodities supply sector as well as in the field of mobility, construction and environmental technology. Annual production exceeds 120,000 tonnes. SIMONA AG is a stock corporation listed in the General Standard. The company’s registered office is in Kirn, Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany).
