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SHUMAN PLASTICS COMPLETES LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AS 3RD GENERATION OF FAMILY CONTINUES TRADITION OF SERVICE

Company Chairman Charles E. Shuman officially retires as sons carry on his legacy of success in roles as president and executive vice president.

(June 2009) — Shuman Plastics, Inc., Depew (Buffalo), NY, announces that the company has completed a leadership transition that places responsibilities formerly held by Chairman, Charles E. Shuman, with his sons, Ken Shuman as President, and Dan Shuman as Executive Vice President. Charles Shuman's retirement comes after 60 years of tireless and dedicated service to the company and its customers, a career that parallels the growth of the plastics industry itself.

"I am extremely proud of the staying power of Shuman Plastics, a family business built on a reputation of honesty and integrity over nearly six decades," Charles said in discussing the transition. "I am even more proud that I can confidently turn to my sons to lead the company into a bright future with those same guiding principles."

Shuman Plastics was founded in 1947 by Charles' father, Philip, and brother, Hyman, and the company's early roots are traced to a scrap operation in Buffalo, NY. Charles joined the operation in 1949 and after serving his country in the U.S. Army during the early 1950s, he returned to help his father and brother run the business. In 1955, the company purchased its first truckload of plastic material to resell, the start of what is known today as Shuman Plastics.

Recognizing the impact plastics were having on the emerging technologies of the 1960s and '70s, the company began to make these materials its core focus. As the use of plastics grew and began to affect nearly every type of product around the world, the need for supply alternatives for raw materials became greater than ever. With Charles and Hyman now heading the company by this time, Shuman Plastics was at the forefront as a supplier and reseller in the burgeoning global plastics processing trade.

"Our father was really one of the founders of the business movement that introduced plastics reselling and alternative supply sourcing of raw materials," noted Ken Shuman. "He has known all the big names in the plastics industry over the years, back to when there were fewer than ten companies in all of North America that were reprocessing plastics scrap and surplus."

Today, Shuman Plastics is a leading supplier of raw materials and provider of specialized services to the thermoplastics industry worldwide. Among his many career accomplishments along the way, Charles Shuman takes special pride in the company's pioneering of high performance purging products more than 25 years ago. The Dyna-Purge® Division of Shuman Plastics produces thermoplastic purging compounds to clean injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, compounding, and blown film production equipment. The company's purging compounds are used for resin, color and formulation changes, routine and preventive maintenance, and prior to machine shutdown and start-up. Dyna-Purge® is the original non-chemical, non-abrasive purging compound and the product line currently includes nearly a dozen different formulations with sales around the world.

Ken Shuman's role as President of Shuman Plastics is supported by nearly 22 years of experience with the company. He has held numerous positions including sales, marketing and executive management. Executive Vice President Dan Shuman has been with the family business for over 12 years and has worked in sales and sales management, as well as roles in plant operations and customer service.

Both sons describe their father as a tremendous role model with a remarkable work ethic. "He always counseled that what is important is not the purchase or the sale, but the relationship you build with the customer," Dan recalled. "The best business seminar I ever attended in my career was simply watching my father work."

"Always do the right thing -- that was his most inspiring advice, because he not only said it, he lived it," added Ken. "We learned how important it is to respect and take care of people in business. A great example is the team we have assembled. We are extremely proud of the people at Shuman Plastics, a terrific group of professionals who we respect for their knowledge, skills and commitment to the business."

Charles Shuman has always been known to give back to the community, sharing his time, talent and resources with numerous charitable organizations in the Buffalo, NY area. He taught his sons that same spirit of giving back and both Ken and Dan are involved with a number of local charitable and non-profit groups.

The retiring chairman said his plans including spending more time with his family, including eight grandchildren. When asked what advice he gave his sons upon the transition of leadership, Charles Shuman replied, "I told them to keep with the same program that got us here and build on our good name in the business. I am very optimistic that the plastics industry will continue to get bigger and better and Shuman Plastics will grow right along with it."

For additional information, contact Shuman Plastics, Inc., 35 Neoga Street, Depew (Buffalo), NY 14043; Phone: (716) 685-2121; Fax: (716) 685-3236; E-mail: kshuman@shuman-plastics.com; Website: www.shuman-plastics.com

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