The International Association of Plastics Distribution (IAPD), the international trade association comprised of companies engaged in the distribution and manufacture of plastic stock shapes and pipe, valves and fittings, has named Nick Kraguljac as its 2014 Paul Davis Award of Merit recipient. Kraguljac is the first European recipient of this annual award.

On behalf of IAPD and the plastics distribution industry, Kraguljac received the prestigious Paul Davis Award of Merit for 2014 at IAPD’s Annual Convention in Chicago, IL, USA. Presented by Howard Natal of Atlas Fibre Company, the 2014 Paul Davis Award of Merit recipient, Kraguljac was honored for his many years of outstanding personal and professional contributions to the association and the plastics industry.

Through his leadership and support of the association, Kraguljac has made immeasurable contributions to IAPD as well as the European Plastics Distributors Association (EPDA). He has served on the Membership Committee, Manufacturers Council, Education Committee, Manufacturer/Distributor Relations Committee, the Change Committee and the IAPD as well as the EPDA Board of Directors. He currently serves on the IAPD International Strategy Task Force and is an excellent resource to the IAPD Environmental Committee, which he updates with information about regulations and issues facing the plastics industry in Europe.

Kraguljac is director of sales and marketing of Zell-Metall GmbH based in Kaprun, Austria and on the Board of Directors of the Klepsche Group. He joined the company in 1978. Kraguljac has held numerous political appointments since he was a student and most recently received the title “Kommerzialrat” from the President of the Republic of Austria, which is an honor bestowed to people who have had an outstanding record of economic influence on the Republic, professional skills, exemplary personal integrity and have served actively over a long period of time in the Austrian Economic Federation.