The Association for Roll-to-Roll Converters (ARC) inducted four industry icons into its Hall of Honor at the recent 2024 R2R USA Conference & Expo in Charlotte, NC, Members of the Hall of Honor have served both the industry and ARC by demonstrating strong leadership and commitment to the converting industry. Each inductee has been a long-time, dedicated supporter of ARC and its predecessor organization AIMCAL.

The latest inductees in the Hall of Honor include two past presidents of AIMCAL, Bob Burgess of DuPont Teijin and Bob Korowicki of Vacumet, plus John C. Fenn Jr., a vacuum-coating expert and long-time technical consultant for the association, and the late John Pasquale of New Era Converting Machinery, Inc. 

Burgess actively participated in the association for several decades, serving in a variety of roles including board member and president. During his time as a director and officer, the organization established a website, published its first SourceBook, named its first two technical consultants and held its first Summer School, achievements that helped accelerate the growth of AIMCAL. 

Another past president and board member, Korowicki was active in AIMCAL for the 36 years he was associated with Vacumet, a leader in paper and film metallizing. He authored numerous articles, chaired the Packaging Committee for several years, encouraged the development of Packaging Awards and was a major face in the industry in the 1980s and 1990s.

Fenn has been instrumental in growing the vacuum roll-to-roll industry as an active member of ARC, its predecessor AIMCAL, and the Society of Vacuum Coaters. A prolific author, he has served as an educator and mentor and organized technical conferences. He also was instrumental in cementing the relationship between KRICT (Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology) and AIMCAL.

Pasquale’s relationship with ARC also goes back decades to AIMCAL and the Converting Equipment Manufacturers Association, long before the latter became part of AIMCAL in 2003. He served on committees and helped select papers for AIMCAL’s technical conference. He also presented papers, authored chapters on embossing and laminating for technical reference books and pioneered innovations related to embossing, multicolor valley printing and the use of powdered hot-melt adhesives for laminating.