Thermoformer of the Year - 2008
George J. Lueken, Owner, Mullinix Packages, Inc.

Born April 2, 1929 in central Illinois, George Lueken served in the Marines during the Korean War and reached the rank of Buck Sergeant. After leaving the service, he received his business degree from the University of Illinois in 1957.

George joined Dow Chemical where he first developed an interest in plastics. In 1965, with three partners, he started a plastic extrusion company called ALCHEM. He eventually sold his interest to start Mullinix in the back of a small machine shop in Saginaw, MI. Mullinix was incorporated in 1970 and remains a closely-held manufacturer of custom thermoformed packages serving the disposable food packaging industry.

In 1976, Mullinix moved the company to Fort Wayne, IN to be closer to their primary customer, Peter Eckrich & Sons Meat Company supplying them a Barex luncheon meat package known as the “Meat Keeper”. Mullinix rapidly developed a reputation for identifying new applications for thermoformed packages, including the use of barrier films for the meat processing industry. Superior design and rapid development of new manufacturing technologies allowed Mullinix to capitalize on new business opportunities during the early stages of a product’s life cycle.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the company was recognized as a leader in crystallized PET (CPET) thermoforming for airline food service applications and dual-ovenable prepared foods packaging. Allegheny Airlines (later US Air) was an early customer. Mullinix worked with Lyle Machinery on this project and was the first to develop the two-stage CPET forming process. In 1982, Mullinix became the first company to conventionally form APET when they developed a rim rolled cup for creae cheese which by 1984 developed into a two layer coextruded silver/white PET container which was double-seamed. Clear containers followed including an ice-cream container for Breyer’s Ice Cream. In 1988, Mullinix developed the Impromptu Line with General Foods. It was the first retorted CPET shelf-stable package ever developed for dinner entrees. Mullinix was instrumental in forming the package with sealing techniques to stand the pressures of retorting. Mullinix continues to work with most of the major national food processing companies.

By 1995, the company had developed technology for wide-web inline forming of polypropylene giving Mullinix a significant strategic advantage over the competition. Gladware® was the breakthrough product line where the technology was applied and the company was awarded several patents for this development.

In 2000, Cryovac /Sealed Air chose Mullinix to be its exclusive supplier of barrier polypropylene trays for the case-ready meat market. The product is distributed throughout the US.

George has been a member of SPE since 1962 and in 1996 was awarded the Jack Barney Award for recognition of his contributions to the sheet extrusion industry. Specifically, Mullinix worked on the development of the gear pump (melt pump) with Eastman and Welex which greatly enhanced the ability to run PET quality sheet and subsequently the quality of thermoformed parts.

Mullinix Packages currently occupies 400,000 square feet in Fort Wayne, IN, employs over 450 dedicated people. George Lueken continues to play an active role in the company and is known for being one of the most progressive and respected business owners in the thermoforming industry.