TerraSafe appoints Julie Crowe Willoughby as CEO 

USA – TerraSafe Holdings, a developer of bio-based barrier packaging solutions, has appointed Julie Crowe Willoughby as its chief executive officer. 

The move comes as the company pushes to expand its plastic-free materials into global markets.

Willoughby, who joined TerraSafe in early 2024 as chief technology officer, now takes the helm to guide the scaling of the firm’s polysaccharide film technology. 

Her responsibilities include directing the commercialization of products such as high-performance coatings, films, containers, and surface treatments that deliver barrier protection through renewable feedstocks and clean chemistry processes.

A chemical and biomolecular engineer with expertise in polymer science, Willoughby carries over 30 years of hands-on experience in sectors like chemicals, coatings, pulp and paper, packaging, textiles, life sciences, and fashion. 

Before TerraSafe, she served as chief scientific and commercialization officer at Circ, advancing a textile-to-textile recycling method from lab prototypes to semi-commercial output. 

Earlier, she directed materials and manufacturing innovation at Nike, held a faculty role at North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, and occupied senior R&D positions at Dow Silicones and Smurfit-WestRock.

Founded in 2023 through Big Idea Ventures’ Generation Food Rural Partners Fund, TerraSafe operates an R&D and manufacturing site in Youngsville, North Carolina. 

The company holds a patent portfolio spanning more than 10 families for its bio-based materials. It has introduced two commercial products and secured US$13.3 million in funding, with a US$2 million Series A round led by the fund.

Thomas Mastrobuoni, board chair and chief investment officer at Generation Food Rural Partners Fund, welcomed the appointment. 

“Julie has a unique combination of deep technical mastery, entrepreneurial vision and creative leadership that this industry needs,” he said. 

He added that her leadership represents a key step in advancing TerraSafe’s efforts to eliminate plastic pollution.

In related developments, TIPA Compostable Packaging expanded its lineup with four new high-barrier film and laminate products, designed for machine compatibility and compostability to meet rising needs in flexible packaging. 

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