MARTIN I. JACOBS

208 Fort Washington Avenue

Fort Washington, PA 19034-1436

(215) 540-9840

martin.jacobs@verizon.net

 

SUMMARY

More than 30 years of increasingly responsible experience in Research and Development, all involving polymers, and 25 in management. Extensive background in management of new product and process development projects, liaison between industry and universities and research institutes, international licensing, and obtaining patents.  Particular expertise in the successful integration of R&D with business strategy, marketing plans and manufacturing capability.  A results and bottom line oriented individual with strong managerial, interpersonal and team building skills.  Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry with 16 publications and 18 patents. 

 

EXPERIENCE

JACOBS CONSULTING (Fort Washington, PA)

CEO, Consultant                                                                                                        2001-present

·        Provides consulting and training services to industrial, research, and academic clients in the areas of project management, polymer technology, and patent system development.

 

DREXEL UNIVERSITY, Fibrous Materials Research Center (Philadelphia, PA)

Adjunct Research Professor                                                                                       2001-present

·        Manages development of new programs for anti-terrorist protective clothing (protection against chemical and biological warfare agents)

·        Provides polymer technical advice to graduate students on their PhD thesis research

 

VELCRO GROUP CORPORATION  (Manchester, NH)

Technical Director                                                                                                      1992-2001

·        Responsible for worldwide management of new product development for all VELCRO® fastener markets (Personal Care, Industrial, Consumer, and Automotive).

·        Included development of  processes for continuously molding plastics (polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, and nylons) and rubbers; adhesives and binder coatings development for woven & knit products; and research into replacement of woven fabrics with nonwovens. 

·        Coordinated outsourcing of R&D with universities, suppliers, consultants and research institutes. 

·        Chairman of Corporate New Products Committee and member of Global Corporate Planning Team. 

·        Originated use of cross-functional product development teams, and established New Products Committee to review project requests and monitor Project Team/customer interaction.

·        Increased sales due to new products from about 10% of total sales in 1992 to 30% in 2000.

·        Increased number of issued patents from 3-5/yr. prior to 1992 to 20/yr. by 2000.

 

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE (Durham, NH)                                              1999-2001

Guest Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering

·        Presented lecture on "New Product Development" as part of "Senior Design Project" course.

 

BENTLEY-HARRIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY  (Lionville, PA)

Manager, Technology & Product Development                                                         1990-92

·        Responsible for management of new product development for wiring harnesses in automotive, industrial and aerospace markets, using silicone, PVC, and acrylic coated fiberglass braid; also composites based on braided preforms (fiberglass, carbon fiber) and resin transfer molding, as well as compression molding of fiberglass/phenolic prepregs (automotive heat shields).

·        Served as liaison with French subsidiary and with Corporate R&D in the UK.

 

UNIROYAL, INC  (and subsidiaries)                                                                           1969-90

Uniroyal Engineered Products Co., Vice President - Research & Development           1982-90          

·        Provided technical direction and project management for all UEP divisions  (NAUGAHYDE® PVC coated fabrics, EPDM rubber coated fabrics, KOYLON® latex foam rubber and rubber auto mats). 

·        Responsible for product/process development, technology licensing, environmental regulation, and acquisitions/joint ventures.

·        Developed effective teamwork among Coated Fabrics R&D, Marketing, and Manufacturing Departments, leading to identification, development, and launch of 12 new products in automotive and contract upholstery markets (over $10M/yr. sales).

·        Became widely recognized expert in fire technology (smoke reduction and full-scale fire testing).

·        Major participant in three Japanese and two German technology licenses.

 

Uniroyal Chemical Co., Manager-TPR Development & Tech Service (Naugatuck, CT) 1978-82

·        Manager of department responsible for development of new thermoplastic rubber products and technical service to Sales and Manufacturing.

Sr. Group Leader, ABS/Polymer Research                                                                 1977-78

·        Supervised two groups: one responsible for long-term research for all Uniroyal Chemical Co. polymer products, and the second for development of new ABS polymers.

 

Uniroyal, Inc.

Sr. Research Scientist, Corporate R&D (Wayne, NJ/Middlebury, CT)                        1969-77

·        Developed smoke/flame retardant formulations for PVC coated fabrics and neoprene latex foam, and new low-temperature foaming agent for PVC plastisols (for crash-test dummies).

 

ALLIED CHEMICAL CORP., Chemist, Central Research Labs  (Morristown, NJ)  1968-69

·        Nylon and polyester fiber research, including melt spinning of experimental polymers.

 

EDUCATION

Ph.D. - Princeton University (Polymer Chemistry); Textile Research Institute Fellowship                        1969

B.S. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. (Chemistry); RPI Scholarship, Honors Section, Dean’s List  1964

 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

TRI-Princeton (formerly Textile Research Institute); Board of Directors (1994-2001; 2002-present),

            Chairman, Finance Committee (1996-1999), Chairman of the Board (1999-2001)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Key Executives Committee (1999-2001), Executive Committee

(2000-2001); Anderson Center for Innovation in Undergraduate Education - Executive Advisory Committee (1999-2001)

American Chemical Society (1965-present); Chairman, New Haven Section (1975-6), Executive          Committee (1975-82), Connecticut Rubber Group (1978-82)

Journal of Coated Fabrics, Editorial Advisory Board (1990-94)

National Electrical Manufacturers Association (1990-2); Vice-Chairman, Electrical Sleeving Technical

            Committee (1991-2)

Chemical Film & Fabrics Association (1986-90); Chairman, Technical Committee (1987-9)


PUBLICATIONS & PATENTS

Martin I. Jacobs

 

 

“Kinetics of Contraction of Drawn Nylon 66,” Proceedings: American Chemical Society - Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, February 2, 1968.

 

“Kinetics of Nylon Contraction in Phenolic Solutions,” Proceedings: The Fiber Society - Fall Meeting, Washington, DC, October 3, 1968

 

“Influence of Phenol on the Molecular Structure of Drawn Nylon 66,” Ph. D. Thesis, Princeton Univ., November 1968.

 

“Kinetics of Contraction of Drawn Nylon 66 in Aqueous Phenol,” J. Appl. Polymer Sci. 13, 427 (1969), M.I. Jacobs, L. Rebenfeld and H.S. Taylor.

 

“Role of Hydrophobic Bonding in the Contraction of Nylon 66 in Phenolic Solutions,” J. Appl. Polymer Sci., 13, 1191 (1969).

 

“Factors Affecting the Measurement of Smoke Generation by Burning Polymers,” J. Fire & Flammability, 6, 347 (1975).

 

“The Effect of Flammability of Major Compounds in the Polyurethane Foam Formulation,” Fire Retardants:  Proceedings of 1975 International Symposium on Flammability and Fire Retardants, K.A. Hughes, W. Batorewicz and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Plasticized PVC with Low Smoke Production During Burning,” German Patent 2,654,666, December 8, 1975

 

“Substitute Foaming Agent for the Manufacture of Part 572 Dummy Flesh Components,” Report# FR-DOT-HS-6-01326, Part I - June 1976, W.P Whelan and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Low Smoke-Emitting Plasticized PVC,” Belgian Patent 855,452, February 25, 1977.

 

“Smoke-Retarding Plasticized Poly(vinylhalide) Materials,” German Patent 2,725,737, February 25, 1977.

 

 “Substitute Foaming Agent for the Manufacture of Part 572 Dummy Flesh Components,” Report# FR-DOT-HS-6-01326, Part II - March 1977, W.P Whelan and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Flame-Resistant Neoprene Foam with Low Smoke Development,” German Patent 2,812,398, March 23, 1977.

 

“Elastomeric Polymers Containing Inorganic Compounds for Reducing Smoke Generation under Burning Conditions,” Euro. Patent 4,175, March 13, 1978.

 

“Thermoplastic Elastomers,” Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, 1980-81.

 

“Thermoplastic Elastomers,” Proceedings: New York Rubber Group Meeting, Linden, NJ, June 1982.

 

“A New Coated Fabric with Reduced Smoke Emission,” Proceedings: Ninth International Conference on Fire Safety, Millbrae, CA, January 17, 1984.

 

“Low Smoke Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride,” U.S. Patent 4,464,502, August 7, 1984.

 

“Mechanism of Smoke Retardation in PVC Compounds,” Proceedings: Tenth International Conference on Fire Safety, Millbrae, CA, January 8, 1985.

 

“A Fire-Resistant Coated Fabric for Contract Furniture Applications,” Proceedings: Twelfth International Conference on Fire Safety, Millbrae, CA, January 14, 1987, M.I. Jacobs and F.L. Schrock.

 

“Performance of Vinyl-Covered Upholstery in Chair Burn Tests,” Proceedings: Thirteenth International Conference on Fire Safety, Millbrae, CA, January 12, 1988, M.I. Jacobs and F.L. Schrock.

 

“PVC Coated Fabrics” Products and Applications,” Proceedings: Conference on Coated Fabrics, Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC, May 3, 1988.

 

“A New Vinyl Upholstery Material for High Fire Risk Applications,” Proceedings: Fourteenth International Conference on Fire Safety, Millbrae, CA, January 11, 1989, M.I. Jacobs, F.L. Schrock and D.P. Derse.

 

 

“Flame Retardant Fabric Structure,” U.S. Patent 4,987,026, January 22, 1991, M.I. Jacobs, F.L. Schrock and D.P. Derse.

 

“Shaped Fabric Products and Methods of Making Same,” U.S. Patent 5,413,149, May 9, 1995, M.A. Ford, R.A. Barlow and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Unzipping VELCRO,” Scientific American, 274 (4), 96 (1996).

 

“Die-Cut Mold-In,” U.S. Patent 5,540,970, July 30, 1996, D.L. Banfield, G.E. Rocha, M.I. Jacobs and R.B. Kenney.

 

“Methods of Making Shaped Fabric Products,” U.S. Patent 5,556,495, September 17, 1996, M.A. Ford, R.A. Barlow and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Separable Fastener Having a Bald Perimeter Rib Bounded by Fastening Elements,” U.S. Patent 5,606,781, March 4, 1997, G.A. Provost, B.J. Routhier and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Shaped Fabric Products,” U.S. Patent 5,613,522, March 25, 1997, M.A. Ford, R.A. Barlow and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Touch fastener with magnetic attractant,” U.S. Patent 5,725,928, March 10, 1998, R.B. Kenney, B.J. Routhier and M.I. Jacobs.

 

“Die-Cut Mold-In,” U.S. Patent 5,922,436, July 13, 1999, D.L. Banfield, G.E. Rocha, M.I. Jacobs and R.B. Kenney.

 

“Method of making and using a touch fastener with magnetic attractant,” U.S. Patent 5,932,311, August 3, 1999, R.B. Kenney, B.J. Routhier and M.I. Jacobs.

 

"Touch fastener with magnetic attractant and molded article containing same," U.S. Patent 6,129,970, October 10, 2000, R.B. Kenney, B.J. Routhier and M.I. Jacobs.

 

" Forming mold cavities," U.S. Patent 6,258,311, July 10, 2001, S.C. Jens, M.I. Jacobs, et al.

 

“Touch fastener with magnetic attractant,” U.S. Patent 6,348,252, February 19, 2002, R.B. Kenney, B.J. Routhier and M.I. Jacobs.

 

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