The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division has named Barry Shepherd as Thermoformer of the Year.
The award will be presented during SPE’s Thermoforming Awards Dinner on September 1st,
which is held in conjunction with the 24th SPE Thermoforming Conference on August 31st-September 2nd in Atlanta, Georgia.
Throughout the 1960s, Barry Shepherd worked for several different packaging companies in sample making and design. He joined Kodak Canada in 1970 and began designing packaging for cameras, film, and related products. While at Kodak he was involved in the development of packaging for Kodachrome slides, an early ground-breaking use of thin-wall injection moulding.
During the mid '70s and early '80s, Barry Shepherd worked for several corrugated packaging companies in positions ranging from sales to president of a small box company. He always stayed involved in his passion: design and development. In 1984, Barry was introduced to the Alloyd Company, which specialised in thermoforming medical, consumer packaging, and sealing equipment, and he was intrigued by plastics and blister packaging.
In 1985, Barry Shepherd launched Shepherd Packaging, selling plastic blisters, trays, clamshells, sealing equipment, and other packaging materials. Shepherd Packaging expanded its manufacturing business and in 1997 entered the heavy gauge thermoforming market by developing a custom thermoformed plastic pallet for Lear. Under Barry Shepherd’s leadership in 2006, Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging Inc. opened its 43,000 square foot custom thermoforming facility near Toronto, Canada, where the company operates seven thermoforming and two CNC milling machines.
Now retired, Barry Shepherd remains active on the Board of Advisors for the company he founded.
Barry Shepherd joined the SPE Thermoforming Division Board of Directors in 1997 and worked on several committees, including the Executive Committee, before retiring from the Board in 2010. During his tenure, Barry Shepherd also served as technical editor of the Thermoforming Division’s award-winning publication, SPE Thermoforming Quarterly magazine.
Past recipients of the Thermoformer of the Year Award may be found on the SPE Thermoforming Division website, http://thermoformingdivision.com/awards-recognitions/thermoformer-of-the-year/past-winners/.
