Lehigh Technologies Inc. announced that Jim MacMaster, former executive vice president and chief operating officer at Yokohama Tire Corp. North America, has joined its board of directors. Lehigh also appointed Adel Halasa, a polymer scientist formerly with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., to its advisory board.

According to the company, the appointments come at an important time in Lehigh’s growth – it has been continuing to drive adoption of its micronized rubber powder (MRP) material in high-value applications, and the company is now expanding its presence in Asia and Europe.

”We are very fortunate to have an executive with Jim’s level of experience in one of our key market segments join the board,” said Alan Barton, CEO. “His knowledge of the markets and his relationships across the global tire industry will help deliver the compelling value proposition of MRP to this industry.”

MacMaster began his career with Yokohama in 1981 in sales and rose through multiple commercial roles to become vice president of the company’s North American Commercial Tire Division. In 2001, he was named executive vice president.

As a new Advisory Board member, Halasa will provide guidance to Lehigh’s technical team. Halasa was a research and development fellow at Goodyear from 1983 to 2009, and has since served as an adjunct professor at the University of Akron. He has been listed on more than 300 patents and was recognized in 1997 with the Charles Goodyear Medal for his work developing anionic solution polymerization of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).

“Our technology roadmap for the tire industry is based upon driving higher loading levels of MRP, as well as developing MRPs that have chemical reactivity,” said Tom Rosenmayer, vice president of technology at Lehigh Technologies. “Dr. Halasa’s depth of experience and his knowledge of polymers and their structure-property relationships will help us develop new products faster, which is a key part of our company’s growth strategy.”