Anthony Arthur Leonard Challis (1921-1996)

Tony Challis came from a family long established as boat and barge builders at Rotherhithe, Kent. His father was an engineer who joined the infant car making industry (Sunbeam Motor Car Co.).

Dr. Challis joined ICI Billingham Division in 1946 as a Chemical Engineer developing a process for making amines. In 1951, he joined the start-up team of the new technology cracker at Wilton, designed to produce what seemed then to be the huge quantities of ethylene needed for polyethylene. In 1966, Challis became Research Director of ICI's Mond Division and a year later he was appointed Head of the new Petrochemicals and Polymers Laboratory. In 1970, he headed up the Company Planning Department in London. From 1974 -76, he was Senior Vice President ICI Americas in Wilmington, Delaware, but wanting to be closer to his first love, research, in 1976 he was appointed Director of the newly formed Polymer Engineering Directorate of the Science and Engineering Research Council.

During this time he met Roy Manns then Development Director at Yarsley Polymer Engineering Center. He mentored Roy for many years until the end of his time.

In 1980, Dr. Challis became Chief Scientist in the Government's Department of Energy, with a budget of £45 million, half on offshore R & D. He retired from this position in 1983, having been awarded the CBE in 1981, and then devoted himself to numerous causes. He was Chairman of the Plastics and Rubber Institute in 1983 and President in 1985. He helped set up a project on behalf of the Worshipful Company of Horners for Polymer Study Tours for school teachers. He was active on the Watt Committee on Energy, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, the Wolfson Centre for Materials Processing at Brunel University, the Gauge and Toolmakers Association; and he played a key role in developing Pentamode, the product design and manufacturing code for plastics engineers. Tony Challis was also Chairman of Polyfiltronics Ltd. in U.K., a company co-founded by Roy Manns.

(Excerpted from, and with the kind permission of, the Plastics Historical Society. Visit www.plastiquarian.com for more information).