A Trailblazer in Plastic Coloring and Compounding

Kasha Industries is a family-owned business founded in 1970 by Edwin E. Kasha Sr. Ed was well recognized as a pioneer in research and development in the coloring and compounding of plastic. Known as a ‘wizard’ in the world of plastics, Ed Sr. as he is affectionately known, assisted in making the tenting of the space shield for the Apollo space suit, and formulated the plastic body for the Famous Chapperel Formula Car.

Patented Excellence in Plastic Testing and Development

Ed won awards for his contributions to the plastic industry, including being awarded the highest honor by the Society of Plastics Engineers in 1976, and the Ralph J. Cordiner Award. He spearheaded the development and construction of the color lab during the initial building of the General Electric thermoplastics plant in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, now currently known as SABIC. It was during that time he developed and obtained a patent on the K.I. Indexer, which carries his name to this day. The K.I. Indexer is still considered a major index in the testing of plastics.

Ed Sr.’s Worldwide Journey with Plastic Technology

Ed traveled the world to help General Electric in other countries. He would introduce their subsidiaries to plastic because it was still at the inception of becoming a universal product. He was on the ground floor with Foster Grant and Polaroid and he taught how to manufacture plastic and design machinery for production down to the tiniest detail. He was in the research and development department at their very earliest beginnings.

Ed Sr.’s Visionary Approach to Recycling and Conservation

Ed Sr. could have finished his entire career out with General Electric, and could have followed many different paths with them. But he became motivated by a process that wasn’t well known at the time. He identified the fact that plastic could have a very long life. It could be used over and over again by re-melting, re-pelletizing, and recoloring it. He wanted to create something sustainable. Ed Kasha Sr was recycling plastic before the word ‘recycling’ became a household term. This desire led to other sustainability decisions, such as the entire plant running on the rainwater they collected. To this day, they have relied on collected rainwater in order to conserve our natural resources. This was all decided at a time before ‘Environmental sustainability’ and ‘recycling’ had become a common part of our language.

Transforming Industrial Waste into Valuable Resources

In those days, Mass Merchandisers would send in their broken totes to be ground or shredded, then melted and re-pelletized. The pellets would be sent back to the company to be made into new totes. They did this same recycling process for many companies and their broken heavy plastic packaging, such as bread trays, racks, crates, and bins. Trays from Toyota that had carried engines for vehicles, and money trays from the Federal Reserve all made their way to Kasha for recycling. For many of Kasha Industries employees, their first position at the company was working in the grinding operation.

Over Two Centuries of Combined Experience at Kasha Industries

Many of Kasha Industries team have been here for over 40 years. They may have begun by grinding and shredding, but it was only the beginning of their plastics education. They would move from there to other areas of production. Ed Sr. imparted his vast experience and knowledge into each person he worked with. By the time he was done, each person would have a thorough knowledge of all of the inner workings of every single step of the compounding process. His employees were well-trained and acquired a vast range of experience. This is still the foundation Kasha is based on today. With this knowledgeable team, Kasha offers the best in the business when it comes to processing and coloring, even the most complex of plastics.

Continued Expansion and Innovation at Kasha Industries

The Kasha facility continues to expand and update its technology and equipment in order to serve our customers. We boast a state-of-the-art testing laboratory and specialized product line. We have recently expanded to include a Kasha Warehouse Distribution Center, allowing easy and cost-effective processing of materials to our customers. The future is certain for a company that strives continuously to be a leader in technology and offers services that meet their customers’ needs daily.