SPE Unveils 2023 Thermoformer of the Year

Dennis Hagan, owner and president of Hagans Plastics, has been named Thermoformer of the Year by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division. He will officially receive the award during the Thermoforming Conference Awards Gala on Oct. 25, held in conjunction with the SPE Thermoforming Conference in Cleveland on Oct. 24 to 26, 2023.

Hagan boasts a half-century of experience in the thermoforming industry, starting in 1973 when his father founded Hagans Plastics in Grand Prairie, TX. As he gained experience, he took on greater responsibility. When Hagans Plastics earned a contract to produce the interiors of the command-and-control aircraft, the younger Hagan got his first shot at thermoforming aerospace parts, which would become a key part of the business.

Recognizing that CNC machines quickly and efficiently produced more consistently cut parts, Hagan spearheaded the company's 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 the technology.

He became the owner and president of Hagans Plastics in 1996.  

In the mid-1990s, Hagans Plastics underwent an expansion and purchased additional thermoforming and CNC machines to meet increased demand for high-quality parts. While the business grew across all sectors, the aerospace industry took especially keen notice of the company’s capabilities. In 2011, Germany-based customer Recaro Seating presented Hagans Plastics with the Supplier of the Year Award, its first-ever given to a US company.  

As the business grew, Hagan added a state-of-the-art quality department and purchased a Faro laser. A second Faro laser was added in 2022 to further enhance tool production, trim fixtures, and reverse engineering.

Hagans Plastics’ output runs the gamut from parts for the space shuttle to the costume head of Chuck E. Cheese. A notable business opportunity materialized in 2016, when Hagan was approached by National Non-Woven, a company that had a new type of composite material that might be suitable for thermoforming. After a number of tests, Hagans Plastics successfully formed complex parts from the material and was awarded exclusive processing rights. This ultimately led to the production of a part for a Chinook helicopter, which took home gold in the 2021 SPE Thermoforming Parts Competition.  

Hagan is devoted to his workforce — some employees have been with the company for more than 45 years — and is active in the local community, offering internships to area high-school students and donating equipment to the local high school training program.  

In honor of its 50 years in business, the mayor of Grand Prairie recently presented Hagan with a proclamation recognizing the company.  

Past recipients of the Thermoformer of the Year Award may be found on the SPE Thermoforming Division website.