By Bill Bregar
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: December 4, 2013 2:47 pm ET
Updated: December 4, 2013 2:50 pm ET
Image By: Brampton Engineering Inc.
Gary Hughes
Brampton Engineering Inc., a Canada-based maker of blown film machinery, has a new top executive: Gary Hughes, who has years of packaging-related experience as a former employee of injection press maker Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. and printing equipment suppler Muller Martini Canada Inc.
Hughes, 51, joined Brampton Engineering Nov. 18 as president and CEO, leading the company's worldwide operations.
Hughes worked at Husky from 1983 through 2001, with one break to run a venture capital firm. He worked on the PET development team, and then when he rejoined the machinery maker he helped start Husky's Advanced Manufacturing Center in 1993 at the headquarters in Bolton, Ontario. The AMC acted as a model injection molding factory, proving out equipment for customers.
In 2002, he left Husky to join Miller Martini Canada, part of a Swiss printing equipment company. Most recently, he was president and CEO of the Canadian operation. He helped lead the business into equipment to print onto flexible packaging and labels.
He left Muller Martini to join Brampton Engineering, in the city of Brampton, Ontario.
Brampton Engineering makes lines to produce blown film up to 11 layers. It pioneered the Aqua¬frost system, which uses a water-quenched process instead of air to cool the film quickly. The firm also designs and builds monolayer and three-layer dies for running specialized film.
Board member Barrie Laver had been interim CEO during the past several months while Brampton Engineering conducted a search for a new top executive.
"I am excited to join Brampton Engineering at this time in its history," Hughes said. "As a leader in the multilayer barrier film market, the company is seeing growth in sales to both existing and new customers."
Brampton Engineering's chairman, David Sutin, said Hughes has "superior leadership skills and the right mix of experience." | 
