John F. Poccia III
Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
2021
Johnson & Johnson (retired) and Poccia Consulting LLC
(L to R): Dave Rousse, President, INDA, presents John F. Poccia III, Poccia Consulting LLC with INDA’s Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
EDUCATION
BS Degree in Chemistry, Rutgers University 1982
PROFESSIONAL
- INDA
- 2015-2018 INDA Board of Directors
- WOW and Hygienix Conference Committees
- Technical Advisory Board
- Advisory Board Member Nonwovens Institute, North Carolina State University and served as technical advisor for many sponsored projects
- 2017 – The Fiber Society – Created the Johnson & Johnson Graduate Student Award for outstanding work in the area of fiber science
- Over 30 patents in fields ranging from hygiene, medical devices, skincare, wound management, and baby/adult wipes
BIOGRAPHY
I started working at Johnson & Johnson Baby Products Company in 1982 as a Coop student working in the polymer synthesis and characterization laboratory synthesizing superabsorbent polymers through e-beam polymerizations. My first work with nonwovens was to integrate superabsorbent monomers/polymers into a through air-bonded nonwoven with pulp fibers for use in a novel super thin diaper absorbent core. After working on baby diapers, I moved on to Personal Products Company in 1986 the feminine hygiene division of Johnson & Johnson.
I worked in the new and growing segment of adult incontinence. I was responsible for the new material development for Serenity guards. The new product design utilized thermoformed foam cup that contained a pleated through air bonded nonwoven made of acrylic and PET fibers that contained a superabsorbent powdered embedded into the pleats the result a novel “pulpless core” in 1986. The absorbent system caught the eye of NASA scientists and contacted me to help them develop an absorbent product for use when astronauts were wearing their space suits for long periods of time such as prior to launch and space walks. The product was used by NASA until the space shuttle missions ended in 2011.
I continued my work with Stayfree, Carefree, and the o.b. brands developing many patented product upgrades for novel topsheets and super thin absorbent cores.
In 2000, I moved on to a newly created role Associate Director of External Alliances and Innovation and led a global team charged with developing a new way of bringing in innovation from outside of Johnson & Johnson vs. relying solely on internal development. I built the strategy for scouting and outside development programs with suppliers, universities, and private research bringing in a pipeline of material and product innovation that many found their way into Johnson & Johnson branded product lines. The innovations provided multiple new products and product upgrades for Stayfree, Carefree, and ob. brands, Johnson & Johnsons Band-Aids, gauze, first-aid pads, Johnson’s and Aveeno baby wipes, Neutrogena Make up remover wipes and Clean & Clear acne wipes.
My recognized expertise in fibers and nonwovens were utilized outside of the consumer sector of JNJ and into the medical device divisions of JNJ. I helped to develop new x-ray detectable sponges for brain and spine surgeries, tissue scaffolding, and other absorbent products used in various surgical procedures.
After retiring from JNJ in 2018 I received many calls for consulting I decided to enter the consulting part time. Since then, I have continued to provide develop support new materials and products utilizing fibers and nonwovens for many companies. Recent launches since 2018 include an upgrade to the InvisAlgin brand of teeth aligners, PlaneAire and Yipes (for kids) hygienic cleaning wipes based on their proprietary essential oil formula blends to add to their successful portfolio of disinfecting sprays, and helping to develop new plant based materials including a 100% cotton topsheet for the My Kudos baby diaper brand. The brand has the highest % plant-based product on the market as of today. For this year and 2022 four additional products in final phases of development. With more in early stages of development.
