An early pioneer in the development of equipment and process technology for the extrusion of plastics pipe, tubing, and profiles.

Gatto's career in the extrusion field began in 1943 while he was employed by Anchor Plastics and then as a partner in Arcadia Plastics. He formed his own company, Gatto Machinery Development Corporation, in 1962, and devoted his time to the invention, engineering, and development of unique and efficient methods for processing plastics.

He holds 15 patents issued in the U.S. and foreign countries related to extrusion equipment, including:

• Cat-A-Pullers and Cat-A-Cutters
• Differential Pressure Calibrator
• Rotary Forming Equipment
• Tubing and Profile Extruder Tooling
• Specialized equipment for: Drinking Straws, Tampon Plungers, Pen Barrels and Refill Tubing, Medical Tubing and Catheters, Adding Machine and Cash Register Core Tubing applications

His development of special cutters to hold close tolerances on lengths of polypropylene tubing for ball pen tubes led to the creation of a major industry. These developments were then applied to a variety of medical tubing applications.

He pioneered "jam-free pullers" to insure positive traction even with irregularities in the shape of the extrodate. Working with Eastman, he developed a new method of high speed, close tolerance extrusion with a differential pressure tank, leading to the extrusion of plastic drinking straws.

To meet the growing demand for plastic pipe in the U.S., Gatto expanded vacuum calibrators to 6", then further to 36", and eventually to 48" in diameter. He was the first in extrusion down-stream equipment to use direct current motor systems as well as several motors coupled with computer controls.

Other ancillary equipment developed by Gatto to meet unique applications includes: floating heads, long puller pipes, planetary saw, vacuum calibrator, and quick change die heads.

Charles Gatto was born in New York in 1922. He lives in Farmingdale, New York, with his wife Rose. They have two children and two grandchildren.