Dr. Frank S. Marra
D-M-E Company
Inducted 1997
Frank Marra (1927 – 1999) played an important role in the worldwide expansion of the injection molding industry. He was a leader in plastics industry causes such as expansion of plastics education.
Frank Marra was born in Clarksburg, WV, the son of immigrants from Italy, in 1927. He began work as an apprentice toolmaker at the young age of 15. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI.
Marra joined the D-M-E Company as a sales engineer in 1949 to commercialize the then-revolutionary concept of pre-engineered or “standard” mold bases. He became president in 1965 and served as chief executive officer until 1983. During his tenure, he expanded the company’s product line to include many more standardized mold components and accessories, dramatically reducing the time and cost of tool design and construction. Under his direction, the company devised standard systems for pre-engineered runnerless molds. At the same time, Marra developed the firm into an international organization with operations on four continents.
In 1982, he was named president of the VSI Corporation, D-M-E’s parent company, and in 1983, was named senior Vice-president of Fairchild Industries, which had acquired VSI. After retiring from Fairchild in 1985, Marra operated a consultancy specializing in international technology exchange related to the injection molding industry.
Marra was instrumental in establishing the Plastics Engineering Technology Center at Ferris State University, from which he received an Honorary Doctorate in 1986. He also established and chaired the I.T. Quarnstrom Foundation, which raised funds for moldmaker training.
In 1986, Marra assisted in the establishment of the Plastics Academy, which administers the Plastics Hall of Fame. He was also active in the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) starting in 1950, where Marra was elected a Distinguished Member in 1979 and received SPE’s International Award for Business Management in 1988. The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI, now PLASTICS) honored him with a Distinguished Service Award in 1986 for his significant efforts on behalf of the moldmaking industry.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastics machinery