Passing of Lothar Zillian

ARM is saddened to share the news that Lothar Zillian, a member of the Rotational Molding Hall of Fame and the founding president of ARM Australasia, has passed away.

Below is the speech from Lothar’s 2002 induction in the Hall of Fame:

As a manufacturing engineer, Lothar Zillan had a very diverse background. He worked in precision engineering in the fields of telecommunications equipment, instrument making and powder metallurgy. In 1965, he sought a career change to injection molding. However, after several years he realized he was too late to have any great impact on the cutting edge technology of injection molding.

As a man who strives for challenges, he found his way to rotomolding. He felt rotomolding offered an exciting new frontier. Lothar first served as Assistant General Manager of Barron and Rawson. He left after two years to lead a newly formed company called Rotadyne Plastics. At Rotadyne, Lothar served as General Manager and later as Managing Director. He presently serves as Rotadyne’s Chairman.

Over the years, Lothar applied himself to many facets of the industry to problem solve and improve production. In 1978, he used his engineering skills to build one of the first 4- arm machines. He went on to use the same skills to design and install a 3D laser-cutting machine to improve secondary operations. He also built a rotomolding machine that used microwave technology in 1990.

Throughout his career, Lothar enhanced the process through design solutions. He designed shrinkage compensators to facilitate molding of metal inserts to very close tolerances. He modified thermal conductivity in a mold by employing vacuum evaporation. He also created secondary airflow inside deep cavity molds without the use of external gases. Lothar also devised a method for mold clamping using non-fatiguing thermal springs.

All of his contributions have been shared with enthusiasm. Since 1976, Lothar has been making presentations around the globe.

In 1978 ARM Australasia was formed and Lothar served as its founding president. He also served as a member of the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program in 1983. As a member of this program, Lothar spent four weeks touring China to speak to universities about rotomolding and quality Control. He is also a lifetime member of SME.

Lothar can be described as a man who sought and conquered the challenges of a new industry. And he has shared his knowledge and enthusiasm with all those he has come in contact with.