Toray Plastics (America), Inc. (www.TorayFilms.com), is pleased to announce that Kojiro Maeda has been named Chairman of the Board. Maeda will assume the responsibilities of a Chief Executive Officer in this newly created position. His appointment became effective June 26.

Maeda’s career with Toray Industries, Inc., and its subsidiary, Toray Plastics (America), Inc., spans 32 years. Toray Industries, Inc., headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, is the world leader in synthetic fibers and textiles, carbon fibers, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and high-performance films. Under Maeda’s stewardship, Toray Plastics (America), Inc., where he has served since 1998, grew to prominence as North America’s only manufacturer of precision-performance polypropylene and polyester films for packaging and industrial applications and solidified its reputation as a highly competitive industry innovator.

“Kojiro Maeda is an exemplary executive whose depth of knowledge of the company and the industry is extraordinary,” says Takeo Togano, Senior Vice President, Member of the Board of Directors at Toray Industries, Inc. “His proven leadership and trusted counsel will serve Toray Plastics (America), Inc., well in the North American and European markets for many years to come.”

“It’s an honor to be named the first Chairman of the Board of Toray Plastics (America), Inc.,” says Maeda. “I am privileged to work with an outstanding management team and among so many talented, committed people. We will continue to strive to serve our customers with nothing less than excellence.”

Maeda joined Toray Industries, Inc., in 1976 after earning an M.S. degree in chemistry from Osaka University. He has served the organization in a variety of roles, contributing first in film research and development and then advancing to management where he provided leadership to film manufacturing plants in Shiga and Gifu, Japan. In 1998 Maeda came to Toray Plastics (America), Inc., in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, to act as technical director for polypropylene and polyester film manufacturing. In 2003 he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Toray Plastics (America). In 2004 Maeda returned to Japan as General Manager of the company’s film products development center where he remained until 2006. Ultimately he came back to the United States and became president of Toray Plastics (America), Inc., a position he has held since 2006.

Toray Plastics (America), Inc., is a leading manufacturer of polyester and polypropylene films for flexible and rigid packaging, lidding, graphic, industrial, optical, and electronic applications. The company is a subsidiary of Toray Industries, Inc., the world leader in synthetic fibers and textiles, carbon fibers, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and high-performance films. Annual sales exceed US$12 billion. Visit the Toray Plastics (America), Inc., Web site at www.TorayFilms.com.

For more information about Toray Plastics (America), Inc.’s entire line of polyester and polypropylene films, contact Eric Bartholomay, Product Development Manager, at eric.bartholomay@toraytpa.com. Toray Plastics (America), Inc. is located at 50 Belver Avenue, North Kingstown, RI 02852-7500, telephone: 401-294-4511, fax 401-294-1480.