Marc Verbruggen has been named the new president and chief executive officer of NatureWorks LLC. Verbruggen replaces Dennis McGrew, who had held the post since Jan. 1, 2006. McGrew will remain with the company in an advisory capacity.
NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer commercially available low carbon footprint polymers derived from 100-percent annually renewable resources. Since 2007 it has been a joint venture of Cargill, a U.S.-based provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services; and Teijin, a Japan-based provider of synthetic fibers; films and plastics; pharmaceuticals and home health care; trading and retail; and IT products.
Verbruggen comes to NatureWorks from Teijin subsidiary Toho Tenax America, where he served as president since 2004. Based in Rockwood, Tenn., the subsidiary makes carbon fiber for the industrial, automotive, aerospace and sporting goods markets. Prior to Toho Tenax America, he served as business manager, rubber goods, in Teijin Aramid in the Netherlands. Verbruggen, 48, holds masters and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering and brings 20 years of marketing, sales and business leadership experience.
“Marc Verbruggen’s insights into the technical and commercial aspects of performance materials will be critical to elevating NatureWorks to the next level of business performance while also continuing to drive environmental progress through real solutions that offer better sustainable choices for today and the future,” said NatureWorks board member and Teijin Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Yosh Karasawa. “We also believe that Marc can increase leverage points with Teijin’s corporate capabilities to help the joint venture, deriving synergies from both parents to accelerate market development.”
In recent years, NatureWorks has grown rapidly, with more than 100 leading brands now using Ingeo™ biopolymer in products available through more than 70,000 retail outlets worldwide. Its manufacturing plant in Blair, Neb., USA, is undergoing a capital expansion. The company just completed its fourth annual Ingeo™ Earth Month, a global celebration of responsible innovation, with high-profile events in venues from New York to Paris to Tokyo. This September, NatureWorks will be bringing technical experts from around the globe together for its first innovation summit, “Innovations Take Root,” exploring the wide range of technical and applications innovations available in the market today.
“NatureWorks experienced unprecedented growth during Dennis McGrew’s tenure,” said NatureWorks board member and retired Cargill Europe Executive Vice President Henk Mathot. “He launched our capital expansion and oversaw the successful on-boarding of Teijin as our joint venture partner. We thank him for his leadership and for his willingness to remain with the company as it takes the next step in its development.”
| Mary Rosenthal Phone: +1 952 742 0571 mary_rosenthal@natureworksllc.com |
