C. William Cleworth
Cleworth Publishing Company
Inducted 1979
William Cleworth (1895 – 1986), founder of the Cleworth Publishing Company, pioneered plastics communications, providing strong encouragement for plastics innovation and market development during World War II and afterward. Cleworth was an officer in the Tank Corps under Lt. Col. George S. Patton during World War I and earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1921.
In 1925, Cleworth worked for McGraw-McGraw-Hill’s Electrical World Magazine when radio began growing and was a primary market for plastics as electrical insulation components. Cleworth began to cover unusual applications for plastics and processing procedures in the magazine and was among the first to do so in any form of media. In 1937, he started Packaging Parade, a publication designed to extend the use of plastics in the packaging industry. This journal also illustrated the value of molded plastic products, which were helpful sales aids in merchandising and sales.
The early war years placed extraordinary demands upon the U.S. industry for metals and other raw materials. Because of these production needs, manufacturers demanded more technical information about the relatively new group of materials known as plastics. In response, Cleworth started the Cleworth Publishing Company in 1942 and founded Plastics World magazine, which focused on plastics processing, mold and die design, machinery, and processing methods. The magazine also featured innovative ideas for the largely untapped plastics market.
Cleworth personally identified and encouraged the engineers and experts willing to share plastic processing secrets with other industry professionals. Plastics World performed a unique service in educating production people during the critical war years. He later founded Reinforced Plastics magazine.
After World War II, Cleworth continued to identify new markets and more economical production methods for plastics, concentrating on publishing the essential “how-to” stories that were crucial when injection molding and blow molding were maturing.
The American Business Press commemorated Cleworth’s 50-year contribution to business publications. He was named “Man of the Year” in 1964 by the Reinforced Plastics Division of the Society of the Plastics Industry (now PLASTICS). In 1978, the Plastics Pioneers gave him their “Well Traveled Shirt” award.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastic machinery, Plastic management, Plastic sales