Robert Schad, the founder of Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. and a member of the Plastics Hall of Fame, died July 11 in Toronto. He was 95.
Schad was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. Following the war in 1945, he trained as a tool and die maker in a rigorous European apprentice program.
"He was at his best using his hands and his brilliant engineering mind, drafting and designing a better way of doing things. Even at a young age, he was all about solutions," the family wrote in an obituary.
He arrived in Canada in November 1951, making his way to Toronto with $25 in his pocket and a letter of reference from Albert Einstein.
In 1953, Schad founded Husky to produce a snowmobile called the Huskymobile, but the product was met with limited commercial interest.
Schad changed his focus to toolmaking and Husky made a name for itself producing molds and dies for high-production applications.
When the molding machines of the 1960s weren't capable of running Husky molds at their full potential, Schad responded by designing and building his own high-speed injection press.
When he sold Husky in 2007, the company had sales of $1 billion, 3,350 employees, customers in over 100 countries, a 75 percent global market share in PET systems and 1,600 patents.
His professional accolades included a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Plastics Academy in 2003 and induction into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2006.
Schad had a reputation for philanthropy, particularly for environmental causes.
Schad's personal beliefs on responsibility guided how he ran Husky. Sustainable operations, orderly and clean shops and employee health were priorities.
He supported many environmental causes, including Jane Goodall's chimpanzee research in Africa. Goodall attended Schad's 65th birthday party where she gave a talk on her work.
The family wrote: "For Robert, there was no such thing as dreaming too big. He was a whirlwind of ideas, his mind always churning, his hands always moving, and he expected the same level of commitment and excellence from all those around him. He unapologetically cut a wide swath through mediocrity and demanded only the best from people."
During his lifetime, Schad donated $200 million to various initiatives. He founded the Schad Foundation which supported the creation of nearly 75 percent of Canada's protected areas and established Earth Rangers, the world's largest youth conservation group.
His civic honors included the the title of Honorary Chief of Moose Deer Point First Nation; honorary degrees from McMaster University, Carleton University and Humber College; and he was named to the Order of Canada.
After selling Husky, Schad was not retired for long. In 2008 he founded Athena Automation Ltd. to manufacture injection molding machines. Athena changed its name to Niigon Machines Ltd. in 2018. But the company did not survive the COVID pandemic, and it closed in 2021.
Still, Schad is remembered for his mechanical savvy, focus on research and development focus and his leading-edge molding technology.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Elizabeth; his children Michael, Katherine and Mark and many grandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife, Herta; his daughter, Lili; his sister, Annina; his half-brother, Thomas and stepsiblings Marianne, Margrit and Wolfgang.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be directed to Earth Rangers at www.earthrangers.org.