Lehigh appoints two for MRP market growth

Sustainable materials company, Lehigh Technologies has appointed a former Bridgestone and a Reko International executive to drive the adoption of its micronized rubber powder (MSP) material across target markets. The addition of two tyre and plastics industry executives, Greg Henwood and Michael Kruzynski respectively, to the company’s business development team is aimed at expanding the company’s reach in the tyre, plastics and polyurethane markets. Henwood is a new sales director for Plastics and Polyurethanes, and Kruzynski has been appointed to the position of major account manager for Tire and Industrial Rubber.

Henwood will be responsible for building Lehigh’s plastics and polyurethane foam divisions through increasing the use of MRP in these sectors. Kruzynski will work to accelerate adoption of MRP among existing customers and to develop new customers in the tyre market and industrial rubber segments. Lehigh started the process of expanding its distribution of MRP last month, when it was brought to Europe. The company says its use can help to lower costs, increase the sustainability profile of end products and deliver performance without sacrificing reliability offered by traditional raw materials.

“As evidenced by last month’s entry into the European market, Lehigh is focused on driving adoption of micronized rubber powder across a range of market segments and geographies,” said Henwood. “I am excited by the cost savings and performance benefits that MRP offers polyurethane foam applications, and I look forward to working at Lehigh to drive further adoption of the product in the industry.”

Prior to joining Lehigh Technologies, Henwood was president and chief operating officer of Reko International, one of the top ten custom tool manufacturers in North America for plastics molding, providing him with a deep knowledge of the plastics and automotive plastics markets. Henwood also served as chief operations officer of Rieter Automotive, a manufacturer of noise and heat management systems for automobiles.

“Lehigh’s MRP provides a compelling value proposition to the tyre and industrial rubber markets, from a cost, performance and sustainability perspective,” said Kruzynski. “I look forward to building on Lehigh’s impressive customer base and making MRP a standard material in tyre and industrial rubber applications.”

Kruzynski, who has over two decades of experience in the tyre and rubber industries, joins Lehigh from Bridgestone, where he served as an account executive in the Firestone Polymers division and was responsible for the development of new markets and customers in the tyre, adhesive, agricultural, rubber and plastics industries. Kruzynski has also worked as an account manager at Teknor Apex Company, a rubber compound manufacturer.

“We were impressed with Greg and Michael’s track records on identifying and developing new markets and industries,” said Alan Barton, CEO of Lehigh Technologies. “Following our latest $16 million financing round, we are pursuing commercialization of new applications for our micronized rubber powder, and I am confident that Greg and Michael will play a core role in achieving that goal.”