Martin Automatic founder passes away

John R. Martin, a pioneer in the development of web-handling and automatic roll-changing technology who founded Martin Automatic in 1968, passed away on February 27, 2011, after a brief illness. An entrepreneur known for his irreverent sense of humor as well as his engineering acumen, Martin was 74.  

His many patents and technological advancements include: inertia-compensated tension control, web guiding systems, automatic zero-speed splicers and non-stop rewinders. In 2002 John Martin passed control of the company to Roger Cederholm, naming him president of Martin Automatic after Cederholm’s 18 years with the company.  

Cederholm said: ‘John was a rare individual: a talented engineer with a great business sense and the foresight to set up a culture, which fosters creativity in all areas. He disliked “me too” products and favored solutions that give real, long-term value to printers and converters. His legacy continues with Martin Automatic’s innovative work in splicing, rewinding and web handling systems.’ 

Click here for more stories about Martin Automatic on L&L.com.