The Titanium Man: Arthur P. Haag's Legacy in Plastics Innovation

Arthur P. Haag, affectionately dubbed the "titanium man" of the plastics materials industry, carved a path spanning nearly seven decades. His journey began in 1957, marked by groundbreaking contributions to the development and commercialization of titanium and organic catalysts, which revolutionized plastics manufacturing.

Throughout this path, Haag's entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to found PureChem in 1966, a venture that emerged as a manufacturer of Titanium (III) Chloride, a pivotal catalyst in polyolefin production. Following the sale of PureChem to Dart Industries in 1970, Haag continued to elevate the catalyst businesses of Dart-Kraft and Aztec Chemicals, and spearheaded groundbreaking research at a New Jersey R&D laboratory.

Under Haag's stewardship, Phillips Petroleum’s acquisition of Dart Industries in 1982 solidified his status with his leadership instrumental in strategic decision-making and business expansion. Retiring from Phillips in 1986, he worked on ventures in advanced temperature instruments, biomedical diagnostics and energy research.

Yet, it was his transformative invention of the Purgex line of purging compounds in 1992 that heralded Haag’s resurgence in the plastics industry. As the founder and head of Neutrex, he championed the widespread adoption of purging compounds to enhance quality and efficiency in plastics molding, garnering global recognition and twice earning Presidential awards for excellence.