DETROIT, Sept. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — William E. Kozyra II, President of WILKO Plastics has been named a 2023 Automotive News Rising Star. Kozyra, 38, who runs the automotive Tier 1-2 plastic injection molding company, is featured in a special section in the September 11th issue of Automotive News.
The Rising Stars program honors U.S.-based automotive executives, under the age of 45, on the manufacturing, supply, mobility and service side of the auto industry who have the talent and dedication necessary to become industry leaders of tomorrow. Automotive News has published the list of the industry’s up and comers annually since 2014.
This year’s honorees come from 24 companies and a variety of disciplines — from executive management to purchasing, engineering, mobility and design.
Bill brings 20 years of automotive experience to his leadership role at Wilko Plastics, a global supplier of Custom Injection Molded components. Bill began his automotive career at ThyssenKrupp Budd Company as a Purchasing Agent. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit (coaching Michigan’s only NCAA Division 1 Men’s Lacrosse team at the time). He joined TI Fluid Systems, a global Tier 1 supplier, after earning his MBA degree. There he served in various manufacturing and operational roles and rose through key positions such as Production Manager, Plant Manager to Director of Purchasing for North America for TI Fluid Systems.
Kozyra left TI Fluid Systems in 2022 when he and father, William L. Kozyra, acquired Alco Plastics, founded in 1976. The leading Plastic Injection Molding business is growing under William E. Kozyra II and is positioned to be an automotive innovator into the future.
“I am honored to be recognized as a Rising Star by Automotive News for 2023,” said Kozyra. “The automotive industry is a challenging business and I am thankful for the many lessons I’ve learned in my career. I am also grateful for the mentoring from my father, William L. Kozyra, who has been a consummate industry leader and role model.”
“The Rising Stars program recognizes automotive executives in middle and upper management who are destined to be industry superstars,” said KC Crain, publisher of Automotive News. “The best predictor of big personal success is enormous responsibility at a young age. When great potential is identified and rewarded early, the organization wins.”
The 2023 class of Automotive News Rising Stars emerged from a nomination and selection process. Complete profiles of all 24 Rising Stars are available at www.autonews.com/risingstars.
WILKO has an extensive product line of injection plastic molding products and customizes multi-material products of plastic and metal for interior automotive components such as sealants and plastic sleeves for seat belts and multiple components used by Tier One and OEM automotive customers. WILKO employs 130 people and operates three shifts at three production facilities in Romeo, Michigan. WILKO produces some 75 million molded parts per year for customers in the USA and 15 countries. WILKO is also unique among plastic injection companies by making its own molds and tooling.
SOURCE WILKO Plastics, Inc.
