“We’re thrilled to have Shankar join us in the Technical Director capacity,” said NAPCOR’s Executive Director Laura Stewart. “Shankar will lead NAPCOR’s PET Thermoform Committee and manage our technical platform, which identifies and prioritizes key technical initiatives for NAPCOR. He will also play a vital role in monitoring and tracking emerging issues affecting our industry, ensuring we remain proactive and informed.”
Shankar’s distinguished career began with Futura Polyester, where he spent nine years gaining experience in research and development, manufacturing, and projects related to polyester fiber, yarn, and PET resin. He then spent five years with the Texmaco Group in Indonesia, overseeing the construction of four polyester plants. Following a year with Reliance Industries in India, Shankar relocated to the United States in 1999 to join TiePet in North Carolina.
At TiePet, Shankar played a key role in converting the plant from fiber-grade to packaging-grade PET and streamlining manufacturing processes. He rose to the position of Plant Manager in 2005, having previously served as Technical Manager. During this time, TiePet was acquired by Indorama Ventures and renamed StarPet Inc. In 2011, Shankar became head of PET operations in North America for Indorama after the company acquired Invista’s PET assets in the US and Mexico. He relocated to Alabama in 2016 to lead Indorama’s PTA, PX, and NDC business following their acquisition of those assets from BP. In 2020, Shankar was appointed CEO of Indorama’s global PET recycling business, successfully expanding the company’s mechanical PET recycling capacity four-fold by 2025.