Canadian Plastics Pioneers merging with CPIA

The Canadian Plastics Pioneers (CPP) association – an organization made up of plastic industry veterans with at least 25 years of experience – will be merging with the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) effective Jan.1, 2019.

The CPP has approximately 160 members, and is dedicated to preserving the history of plastics manufacturing in Canada. In September 2017, as follow up to the book “Pioneering in Plastics – Canadian Inventors and Innovators 1885 to 1950”, the CPP published a sequel entitled “Plastics Pioneers 1950-2000”, which chronicles the people, places, and plastic products that helped shaped Canada’s legacy as a plastic manufacturing stronghold.

“The CPP Board is pleased that a path to continue its mission to ensure Canadian plastics history is in place has been achieved” CPP chairman Ralph Zarboni said in a statement. “As part of CPIA, the future for CPP is now clear with additional benefits for members as part of the much larger plastics industry association.”

CPP chairman Ralph Zarboni with a copy of the “Plastics Pioneers 1950-2000” book in 2017.

According to the terms of the merger, a new category of membership – called the Canadian Plastic Pioneers – will be created in the CPIA. Additionally, CPIA will set up their own qualifications and scan their membership for potential pioneers to add to the group, and CPIA will also hold an annual Pioneers category meeting in June to which all members will be invited. CPP members will also be invited to attend other CPIA functions such as golf outings, and CPIA have also agreed to take on the mandate of compiling and maintaining historic records for a projected third book that will cover plastics in Canada from 2000 to 2050.

“The depth and breadth of history and expertise that the CPP members bring to CPIA will be invaluable in continuing to build our association and industry,” said Carol Hochu, CPIA’s president and CEO.