May 23, 2007 — The Society of Manufacturing Engineers recently presented its Donald C. Burnham Manufacturing Management Award to FormTech Industries president and CEO Dr. Richard P. McDermott. McDermott was honored for “exceptional success in the integration of the infrastructure and processes of manufacturing through his innovative use of resources in founding and leading FormTech Industries LLC.”
McDermott is also the managing partner of GR Investment Group, which is a co-founder of FormTech — the former Metaldyne Inc. forging division spun off as an independent manufacturer in January 2006. He is also recognized for his technical and entrepreneurial accomplishments in metal forming, having earlier guided MSP Industries as president after the forged components producer spun off from W.R. Grace.
At W.R. Grace, McDermott developed the “Closed Die Flashless Warm Forming" process, and demonstrated it to be a commercial success. MSP revenues grew from $3 million to $55 million as a result of his emphasis on driving technological advantages, and after MSP was sold to American Axle & Manufacturing in 1999 McDermott remained with the group as a consultant until 2003.
McDermott began his career as a senior research engineer at Gulf & Western Energy Products Group, Oakbrook, IL.
He received a B.Sc. in mechanical engineering from England's Salford University, and later he earned a Ph. D. in mechanical engineering from Leeds University in England, with a thesis titled “The Analysis of Metal Forming Processes.”
McDermott is credited with 15 publications and three patents. With the American Society of Mechanical Engineers he has served as a division chairman. He has been a board member of the North American Research Assn., and on the Materials Board of the National Science Foundation.