H. Gunther Hoyt
Gunther Hoyt Associates
Inducted 2012
H. Gunther Hoyt (1948 – ) has played important roles in the internationalization of the plastics industry and the progress of SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association (now – PLASTICS). In addition, he has been a technological leader in machine components. His contributions to SPI’s NPE exposition extend well beyond his chairmanship of the 2003 show. Born in Germany, Mr. Hoyt came to the U.S. in 1959 and grew up in Newburgh, New York. He holds an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and has taught there and at New York University.
His association with screw and barrel manufacturer Xaloy Inc. extended from 1977 to 2009, when he was executive vice president. During this period, Xaloy grew from a one-factory operation focused on the U.S. market to a global corporation supplying plastification systems to leading machinery OEMs around the globe.
Mr. Hoyt spearheaded the establishment of distribution networks and direct sales operations in North America, Europe, China, Japan, and other Asian countries. He also played a key role in establishing Thailand’s manufacturing and customer service facilities. At Xaloy, Mr. Hoyt participated in developing and successfully introducing the first tungsten carbide-based bimetallic barrel alloy, now an industry standard; micro-alloy backing steels for bimetallic cylinders allowed increased processing pressures; and tungsten carbide-coated twin-screw barrel and screw sets, now the standard for processing lead-free PVC.
Mr. Hoyt left Xaloy to form Gunther Hoyt Associates, an international business consultancy specializing in plastics equipment and machine components. Currently, his company leads the exhibit sales program for the NPE2012 plastics exposition in Europe, Japan, and Korea. In 1985, he was a leader in establishing the SPI Components Division, bringing more than 50 new member companies into the organization. When the Division subsequently merged with SPI’s Machinery Division, Mr. Hoyt was chairman. He led the creation of the market statistics section for machine components, which was publicly cited as an excellent leading indicator for machinery sales in North America.
He was chairman of SPI’s Plastics USA show in 1998, chaired its Operations Committee for NPE2000, and served as chairman of the NPE2003 exposition. When the Great Recession caused many major Japanese machinery OEMs to cancel participation in NPE2009, Mr. Hoyt organized and led a delegation of SPI officials, including President William Carteaux, to meet with these companies in Japan. As a result, every one of the visited OEMs decided to exhibit in the show.
Areas of Expertise: Plastics processing, Plastics Machinery