Noel Tessier, a founding director of CMT Materials Inc., has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Plastics Engineers' (SPE) Thermoforming Division. The industry award was presented to Tessier during SPE's recent Thermoforming Awards Dinner in Schaumburg, Ill.Tessier is a materials scientist with over 35 years of experience in research and development of composite materials. He is one of three founding directors of CMT Materials, Inc., the first company dedicated to tooling materials for thermoforming. Tessier has been an innovator, leading CMT in the design and development of syntactic foams for use as plug-assist materials. He is currently responsible for the development of new materials, including epoxy- and thermoplastic-based syntactics for thermoforming, composites, and buoyancy applications.
"Noel Tessier is a true trailblazer in the thermoforming industry," said Bret Joslyn, SPE Thermoforming Division Chair. "His vast experience and remarkable accomplishments are inspirational to us all."
Tessier is the author and co-author of five patents and has presented numerous technical articles and presentations in the U.S and throughout the world. "Amongst the international scientific community, Noel is highly respected and regarded as one of a handful of leading figures in his field," said Dr. Peter Martin of Queen's University, Belfast.
Peter Jasinksi, Director of Operations at TEQ, said "Noel's work has helped the thermoforming process become more stable and predictable." Low thermal conductivity, dimensional stability, and ease of machining are the primary attributes of CMT's HYTAC syntactic foams which allow for more consistent wall thickness in the final part, improving project economics for converters.
Early in his career, Tessier focused on materials research and the manufacture of glass microspheres that became an integral component of syntactic foam structures.
Tessier holds a MSc degree in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and a BSc degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University. Prior to starting CMT Materials, Inc., Tessier worked for Quadrax Corp., where he was responsible for production, development, and quality improvement for all thermoplastic matrix continuous fiber tape products. He has extensive experience in composite materials, including syntactic foams, fiber-reinforced materials, and highly-filled plastics. Tessier previously held research and development positions at W.R. Grace and Co. and the Army Materials & Mechanics Research Center.
