H. Gunther Hoyt has played an important role in internationalizing the plastics industry and in the progress of SPI. That included serving as chairman of the 2003 NPE.

A native of Germany, Hoyt came to the United States in 1959.

Hoyt He worked at screw and barrel manufacturer Xaloy Inc. from 1977 to 2009, becoming executive vice president. He spearheaded Xaloy’s expansion into Europe, China, Japan and other Asian countries, and setting up a plant in Thailand.

At Xaloy, he helped develop and commercialize the first tungsten carbide-based bimetallic barrel allow, micro-alloy backing steels for bimetallic cylinders and tungsten carbide-coated twin-screw barrel and screw sets.

Hoyt left Xaloy to form Gunther Hoyt Associates, an international business consultant firm in Salem, Va., in 2009. He specializes in plastics equipment and machine components.

Hoyt was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2012.