Obituary: T. Peter Sullivan, longtime plastics publisher, dies at 81
T. Peter Sullivan, longtime publisher of trade magazines for the plastics industry, passed away May 27 at age 81.
Sullivan was a member of the team that founded Plastics Machinery Magazine in 2014. It later changed its name to Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing. He served as a partner and publishing adviser and steered the new publication to focus on machinery and equipment, which he saw as an underserved sector of the industry.
Sullivan, an Iowa native and graduate of the University of South Dakota with a degree in journalism, was a Vietnam veteran and afterwards worked at Plastics World magazine, then helped launch Plastics Design Forum magazine in 1975. It was acquired by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in 1983, and Sullivan became publisher of its plastics publications, which included Plastics Machinery & Equipment and Plastics Compounding.
Along with Peter Zacher and Suzy Witzler, Sullivan launched Abby Communications in 1993 to publish Injection Molding Magazine. It was sold to Canon Communications in 1998.
After selling Abby Communications, Sullivan volunteered in numerous community organizations, including Habitat for Humanity in Newark. He also traveled to Guatemala to help build homes.
He is survived by wife Suzi, daughter Molly Maurer and sons Tom and Patrick. A funeral service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 2 at St. Patrick Parish in Chatham, N.J.
Ron Shinn | Editor
Editor Ron Shinn is a co-founder of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and has been covering the plastics industry for more than 35 years. He leads the editorial team, directs coverage and sets the editorial calendar. He also writes features, including the Talking Points column and On the Factory Floor, and covers recycling and sustainability for PMM and Plastics Recycling.
