New chair for National Skills Academy Process Industries
25 Oct 2010
London – The National Skills Academy for the Process Industries has appointed Allan Laing, chief executive of Pentagon Chemicals (Holdings) Ltd, as its new chair. He succeeds Chris Horton, vice president operations, Linpac Packaging Ltd in this role.
Laing graduated with an honours degree in chemical engineering from Strathclyde University in 1975. He joined ICI working in production management on the large petrochemical plants and then senior management roles in its chemical intermediates and polymers businesses.
He joined specialties company MTM in 1989 and later worked for two years in the food industry, before returning to chemicals in early 1995 as MD of Pentagon Chemicals.
Laing led Pentagon through strategic changes and a merger with Chemoxy International to form Haltermann UK within Ascot plc where he continued as MD.
Following the acquisition of Ascot in 2001 by Dow Chemical, he led the buy out of the Pentagon business in 2002 followed by the acquisition of the UK fine chemicals business from Great Lakes in December 2003.
Pentagon won the CIA Skills Award in June 2010 for its continuous commitment to skills and competence.
Laing has been chairman of the Academy’s North West Regional Skills Board for the last two years.He is also a member of the CEFIC European fine chemicals group board and is chairman of the Agrochemical & Intermediates Manufacturers Europe.
