Plastipak Packaging Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Plastipak Holdings Inc., today announced that its founder, chairman, president, and CEO William C. Young will transition out of his role in favor of Edward V. Morgan this month.
Plastipak has been a world leader in the design, manufacturing, and recycling of rigid plastic containers for the food, beverage, industrial, aerosol, and consumer cleaning products industries since its inception in 1967.
Young will continue to serve as chairman of the board. The Young family will retain ownership of Plastipak, and the organization will remain a privately held family business.
Morgan, Young’s son-in-law, will assume the role of president and CEO of Plastipak.
“Having worked very closely with Bill over the years, I have had the opportunity to work for an iconic entrepreneur whose passion for our customers and product innovation has driven our success,” Morgan says. “Working directly with Bill, a serial entrepreneur, you gain an intangible edge, another level of thinking that is unconventional at times and beyond the traditional management approach.
“His passion for the business is contagious and has guided Plastipak for nearly 60 years, solidifying our position as an industry leader. It’s a great honor to carry on his legacy and Plastipak’s guiding principles. We will continue innovating and building upon our sustainability efforts to create groundbreaking packaging and recycling solutions for our customers around the globe.”
Morgan has more than 25 packaging-related patents and has been with Plastipak for over 20 years, serving in various management and executive roles, including senior vice president of operations, extrusion development, global manufacturing processes, and intellectual property.
He also served as director of transportation for Whiteline Express, and most recently as an executive advisor at Plastipak. Before joining Plastipak, he worked at Deloitte Consulting and Ford Motor Co. He has an MBA from the University of Michigan and a bachelor of science in business administration from Ohio State University.
Young founded Plastipak alongside his parents, Mary and William P. Young, in Jackson Center, Ohio. Starting in a small building with a few machines, he is a pioneer in the industry and has led Plastipak to what it is today — a global leader in the packaging industry with more than 40 sites worldwide providing packaging solutions, recycled materials, and transportation services.
“As a family-owned and operated business, my goal has always been to make Plastipak a company that positively impacts the lives of its associates, customers, and the community,” says Young. “Our passion and commitment to our associates, packaging innovation, and sustainability has positioned us for continued success. I am excited for Plastipak’s future, and I know that Ed understands that focusing on long-term customer relationships and innovation is a differentiator.
“It has been one of the great honors of my life to lead Plastipak and work alongside some of the most engaged hearts and minds in the business over the past 56 years,” he says. “I am so fortunate to have crossed paths and collaborated with many outstanding customers, partners and suppliers, and I thank them for trusting our company to help them achieve their goals.”
In addition to his leadership at Plastipak, Young has been dedicated to giving back to the community. In 1990, he founded Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars, a nonprofit scholarship and college access program empowering and supporting local students to achieve post-secondary success. He has also served on the Board of Trustees of Scholarship America and as a Board member for the University of Detroit-Mercy.
For more information, visit plastipak.com.
