Hagan Named SPE Thermoformer of the Year

The Society of Plastics Engineers Thermoforming Division has named Dennis Hagan as Thermoformer of the Year. 
 
The award will be presented during SPE’s Thermoforming Conference Awards Gala, held on Oct. 25 in conjunction with the 29th SPE Thermoforming Conference.  The conference will take place Oct. 24-26, 2023 in Cleveland at the Huntington Convention Center. 

Hagan began working in thermoforming in 1973, when his father opened Hagans Plastics.   When Hagans Plastics earned a contract to produce the interiors of the command-and-control aircraft, he got his first shot at thermoforming aerospace parts.  Unbeknownst to him, this cold war era point of entry would later become an integral part of his future. 

Hagan constantly sought opportunities to produce the best parts possible.  Recognizing that CNC machines produced more consistently cut parts more quickly and efficiently, he spearheaded Hagans Plastics’ first CNC machine purchase in 1990.  The machine would increase efficiency and accuracy when trimming parts.  Since no one was trained to do the programming, he took the initiative to learn what he needed to know, and off Hagans went.

Hagan became the owner and president of Hagans Plastics in 1996.  In the mid-90s, the company expanded its plant to keep up with increased business volume.  Additional thermoforming and CNC machines were purchased to meet the increased demand for high-quality parts.  While the business grew across all sectors, the aerospace industry took notice of the company’s capabilities.

In 2011, Recaro Seating, a long-time customer and German company, presented Dennis and Hagans Plastics with its first-ever American Supplier of the Year Award.  Hagans Plastics was selected for this prestigious award based on the quality of the parts, its exceptional customer service, and the can-do attitude that Hagans Plastics demonstrates with each project.

As the business grew and evolved, Hagens added a state-of-the-art quality room and department to the plant.  He also knew, however, that he could do more to improve part quality, especially with higher precision.  With the purchase of a FARO laser, the level of quality increased— not just for the aerospace industry, but for every market he served. A second FARO laser was added in 2022 to further enhance tool production, trim fixtures, and reverse engineering.

Hagans is also well-respected in the extrusion industry.  Numerous extrusion companies have contacted Hagans to test their products and the company is known for providing accurate and unbiased results.  In 2016, Dennis was approached by National Non-Woven, a company that had a new type of composite material that might be suitable for thermoforming.  He invested time and money to test and experiment with this new material, and Hagans Plastics successfully formed complex parts from this innovative material. 

Because of these favorable test results, Hagans Plastics was awarded the exclusive right to process this new material.  A military project was evaluating and considering this material, and after additional testing, Hagans Plastics was awarded the contract. This material and part for a Chinook helicopter won Gold in the 2021 SPE Thermoforming Parts Competition, for parts produced with automation and new technology.