Sunday, March 29, 2015

Soest, Holland Our European film plant

Steve Gallo who was one of the key R&D member at our Clark film plant unearthed photos from Soest.         "Sorest" was Chemco's European plant till it ran into financial difficulty due to unsuccessful currency exchange hedge  and needed financial help from outside.        Soon after the asset transfer around 1996, their plate plant was closed and the production equipment was moved to our Sofia, Romania plant to strengthen our production within the old iron curtain region.     Film production was continued supplementing Clark production so that Polychrome became one of the very few companies offering both lithfilm and PS plate.      

Here is Steve's comment and photos from Soest.      Thank you Steve for the rare photos.

I have unearthed 2 pictures of the Soest, Holland Photo Plant from February 1996. These were taken in the library of the R&D section. You will remember Pat Friedman from the Clark, NJ  R & D staff and perhaps the tall fellow with the tie and sport jacket. He was the last R & D Director of the Soest Labs. One of the first, or the first R & D Director, of Soest was our old friend Dr. Max Van Dam (Yonkers and Clark labs) and in 1996 his 1958 photo was still hanging in the Soest offices.
 
Here is the first 2/1996  color photo of Soest/Chemco. This is the main entrance to the Marketing building. Jack Wiethoff (Yonkers) was based in this building in Holland.
 



Here is the second photo of Soest personnel from our Holland plant. This was a dinner in Soest in 2/1996. The top left was two Soest R & D Chemists, myself, and Dr. Henk Van Peski (Director of Environmental Affairs). The bottom was Soest Chemist Dr. Marja Kops Werkhoven and Pat Friedman Clark Chemist.



Here is the 3rd Soest, Holland photo from 2/1996. 
This was taken in the R & D Library and has left to right: Pat Friedman (Clark Chemist), Dr. Eric Rappel (newly appointed by Dr. Burt Waxman Director of R & D), Martha Krul (R & D Secretary), and Dr. Marja Kops Werkhoven (Soest Chemist).