Plastics/Performance Materials

Benesch is one of the only national law firms with a dedicated, full-service Plastics & Performance Materials Industry Group. We don’t just serve the industry; we’re embedded in it. From early-stage design and prototyping to manufacturing, packaging, regulatory compliance and distribution, our team understands the business, legal and operational pressures faced by plastics manufacturers and suppliers.

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Overview

With decades of experience, global reach and deep trade association involvement, we provide practical, comprehensive counsel to plastics businesses nationwide, helping clients monetize ideas and inventions, protect assets, plan for succession, manage human capital, navigate evolving legislation and improve cash flow.

At Benesch, we’re not simply great litigators, corporate lawyers or IP strategists–though we are that, too. What sets us apart is our vertical integration. We offer legal and business solutions aligned to every phase of the plastics product lifecycle:

  • Intellectual Property: Protecting innovation from concept to commercialization, including patents, trade secrets and manufacturing process improvements, including AI technologies
  • Corporate and Private Equity Transactions: Structuring M&A deals, advising on roll-ups and serving as retained counsel post-acquisition
  • Labor & Employment: OSHA compliance, workplace safety protocols, NDAs, handbook reviews and fixed-fee employment counseling
  • Environmental and Regulatory: Green marketing compliance, FTC Green Guide counseling, California/West Coast recyclability rules
  • Supply Chain & Tariff Strategy: Advising on tariff impacts, shipping and logistics agreements, and contract mitigation
  • Commercial Contracts: Drafting and negotiating supply agreements and OEM life-of-program contracts, often on a fixed-fee basis

Known across the industry as “The Plastics Lawyers,” we are trusted advisors to companies ranging from $5 million molders to multibillion-dollar manufacturers. We support clients across borders and supply chains, navigating complex regulatory landscapes and cross-jurisdictional deal structures.

Our team includes more than 25 attorneys who dedicate a significant portion of their practices to plastics industry clients. Many of our lawyers have served as in-house counsel for manufacturing companies or on the boards of plastics businesses. This real-world experience shapes the strategic and efficient advice we deliver every day.

Our attorneys hold leadership positions with the Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors (MAPP) and the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA). We regularly attend and speak at industry forums, and we host the annual Investing in the Performance Materials & Plastics Industry Conference, connecting manufacturers with strategic buyers and capital sources.

We help plastics companies protect their margins, reduce risk, navigate regulations and plan for growth. Whether you’re building prototypes, addressing OSHA compliance, implementing AI technology for process improvements, shipping parts across borders or preparing your company for sale, our team understands the challenges and delivers solutions that work in your world.

Experience

Represented Falcon Plastics in its acquisition of Avid International Molding Solutions, a stock purchase involving Avid’s U.S. and Mexico operations. Benesch advised on the U.S. acquisition and coordinated integration of the Mexico transaction.

Key Contacts: Nathan H. TrunnellRobert A. Ross

Represented leading plastics manufacturers in the acquisition and
sale of diversified lines of businesses.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Obtained patents for unique production processes used in the manufacturing of injection molded parts.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Successfully secured exits from OEM life-of-program contracts with no cost or liability to various Tier 1 and Tier 2 molders.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Provide regular guidance on the propriety of environmental marketing claims to a leading global plastics company promoting sustainability.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Represented a private equity-backed manufacturer of machine tools in its acquisition of a company specializing in plastic injection molding and precision machined components for telecom equipment.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Represented a global leader in the formulation, development, and manufacture of performance polymer solutions in its acquisition of a
developer of premium thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials for manufacturers across North America, Asia and Europe.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Represented a public, world-leading polymers group in its acquisition of a provider of high-quality thermoplastic elastomers serving clients across the United States.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Obtained a unanimous jury verdict in favor of a plastics manufacturer on claims of trade secret misappropriation and other business torts filed against the company.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Represented a global company in its acquisition of a provider of proprietary and custom mixed rubber compounding from a private equity group.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

Represented a portfolio company of a private equity firm and a
leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier in its acquisition of a competitor in the plastics marketplace.

Key Contacts: H. Alan Rothenbuecher

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