The new organizational structure in manufacturing along with the recently announced additions in the sales area of Portola enhances the commercialization process.  John Murkin, senior vice president of manufacturing for the Americas, Portola says, “Our new structure is unique in the industry and pulls closures, bottles, equipment and related services, and expertise into one very powerful offering.  Portola is positioned to provide our beverage customers with a complete packaging solution!”

Effective immediately:

Tim Tyler, currently general manager of Portola’s Tolleson Arizona plant, will serve in the newly created roll of director of manufacturing operations U.S. and Mexico.  Reporting to Tyler are the five general managers of the Tennessee, New York, Illinois, Arizona, and Guadalajara Mexico manufacturing plants.  Ken Winger, an 11 year veteran at Portola, will replace Tyler in his general manager responsibilities in Arizona.

Kelly Rosvold, director of operations Canada, has relocated to our Canadian headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia.  Rosvold will continue to have responsibility for our Canadian operations in Montreal, Edmonton and Richmond with the three respective plant managers reporting directly to him.

Tom Blaszkow joins Portola as director of business development equipment and blow molding, a newly created position to optimize our strategic efforts in these two areas.  His experience in the packaging industry includes tenures with Mead Westvaco and Astra Zeneca.  Reporting to Blaszkow are: John Pitzer, general manager of our New Castle facility; and Adam Brunke, equipment sales manager.

Joe Benacquista continues as vice president of quality and engineering services.  Increased responsibility, assignment and reporting changes pull all of quality and engineering services under one umbrella to optimize these resources.  The following cross-functional teams report to Benacquista: Technical Service, Manufacturing Planning, Project Management and Corporate Quality.

“These changes result in increased responsibility for all involved in these mission critical roles within Portola.  This is another step we are taking to bring more value to customers”, says Murkin.

For more information about the subject of this release, contact Beth Cozza or visit www.portpack.com. 

ABOUT PORTOLA PACKAGING, INC:
Portola Packaging is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of tamper evident plastic closures used in dairy, fruit juice, bottled water, sports drinks, institutional food products and other non-carbonated beverage products. The Company also produces a wide variety of plastic bottles for use in the dairy, water and juice industries, including various high density bottles, as well as five-gallon polycarbonate water bottles. In addition, the Company designs, manufactures and markets capping equipment for use in high speed bottling, filling and packaging production lines. The Company is also engaged in the manufacture and sale of tooling and molds used in the blow molding industry. For more information about Portola Packaging, visit the Company’s web site at www.portpack.com.