Samuel L. Belcher
Sabel Plastics
Inducted 2003
Samuel L. Belcher (1933 – 2009) was a plastics packaging pioneer who made his mark in the field of blow molding, particularly stretch blow molding. Belcher began his career working for Rubbermaid, Corporation and moved to Product Manager of Container Machinery for the U.S. Plastics Machinery Division of Cincinnati Milicron. He then started his consulting firm, Sabel Plastics, in Moscow, OH, where he was president from 1987 to 2009. Belcher’s industry affiliations include Cincinnati Milacron, Batavia, OH; Wheaton Industries, Millville, NJ; Owens-Illinois, Toledo, OH; and Rubbermaid, Wooster, OH.
Belcher’s technical achievements include:
- Developing the first PET bottle with an integrated handle, which he patented and licensed to Mitsubishi of Japan.
- The first flip-top, living hinge closure for liquid detergent bottles, patented while at Owens-Illinois.
- The McDonald’s foam clamshell package, patented while at Ownes-Illinois in 1974. He then invented a process to add printing to the thermoformed container.
- The first injection blow molding machine for PET bottles, developed while Director of Research at Wheaton. This was used to blow mold the first automotive front-wheel-drive boots for GM and Ford.
- Rubbermaid’s plastic spice turntable has been the largest volume single item ever produced by Rubbermaid.
- Development of quartz and radio frequency ovens for reheating PET performs.
- Assistance in developing the first baby powder plastic package for Johnson & Johnson.
- Contribution to PET developments in beer containers, oval PET container production, and wide-mouth containers.
- 54 patents, including developments in twin-sheet thermoforming and structural foam plastic pallets.
These are a few notable contributions Samuel Belcher made to the plastics industry.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastics processing, Plastic machinery, Plastic materials, Business Management