Robert Schad
Husky Injection Molding Systems
Inducted 2006
Robert Schad (1928 – 2024) is a Canadian businessman and founder of Husky Injection Molding Systems of Bolton, ON. Schad emigrated to Canada from Germany in 1951 after studying mechanical engineering. Shortly thereafter, he founded Husky in 1953, a snowmobile manufacturing company producing the Huskymobile. The commercial interest in this product was limited, causing the business focus to change from snowmobile manufacturing to toolmaking, making tools, dies, and fixtures for others.
He produced molds and dies of the highest quality for high-production applications. Schad felt that molding machines of the time, 1960, were “too slow” to run his molds at their full potential, so he designed and built his high-speed injection molding machine. The company had found its niche and grew rapidly, supplying high-speed molding machinery to customers in more than 100 countries, with one billion dollars in annual revenue, and employing 1000+ people. He also founded Husky’s hot runner division in Milton, VT, an industry leader in hot runners for high cavitation injection molds. As Husky’s former president and CEO, Schad was known for fostering a corporate culture that promoted excellence, innovation, leadership, teamwork, and environmental responsibility long before this was mainstream. Schad retired from Husky in 2005.
In 2008, Robert Schad founded Athena Automation, a manufacturer of injection molding machines. Athena has developed a rugged, accurate, and flexible two-platen machine platform with customers, suppliers, and mold makers that features energy efficiency, process repeatability, and reduced mold maintenance.
He has also created the Schad Foundation, which supports projects focused on solutions to environmental problems and is active in Earth Rangers, a wildlife, conservation, and education organization that helps young people nurture a lifelong commitment to the environment. He has received honorary doctorates from Carleton University and McMaster University and the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Plastics Academy in 2003.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastic processing, Plastics machinery, Management