NATION

Tupperware International, the plastic storage-ware company whose trademark “home party” sales approach has built it into a $640-million enterprise, has named K. Douglas Martin president of Tupperware U.S., a newly created position.

Martin, 44, was with the Orlando, Fla.-based company as executive vice president for marketing for only three months before being promoted. Before joining Tupperware, he was president and chief executive of Atlanta-based Scripto Inc.

Martin said he left Scripto to join Tupperware because “it was a tremendous opportunity to get back to working with (William L.) Jackson,” chairman of Tupperware. The two worked together five years ago in turning around Scripto, which was then owned by Wilkinson Sword Inc. Its North American operations were headed by Jackson.

“Our focus is to drive Tupperware in a more balanced way,” Martin said in a telephone interview from Orlando. He said the company plans “an infusion of new products” and more national advertising in both TV and magazines to support its home-distribution sales system.

“Prior to that we had heavy sales emphasis with little on advertising,” he explained, adding there would be no change in Tupperware’s basic sales system.

Tupperware, which is a division of Dart & Kraft Inc. of Northbrook, Ill., has suffered two down years in sales and profits, which Martin said was typical of the home selling business. Martin assumes responsibilities previously held by Phil Grasso, who has left Tupperware.