Thermoformer of the Year - 2004
Stephen D. Hasselbach, CMI Plastics www.cmiplastics.com

Steve started on his thermoforming career at age 15 in his dad’s model airplane kit factory forming cockpit canopies and managing the thermoforming plant in 1962. He purchased the operation in 1980. During this period, he became friends with many of the pioneers of the industry (Boyd Stratton, Gaylord Brown, Bill Obeiloeir, Bob Butsko and Joe Ligget). Currently, he operates his firm with a 50+ employee team (CMI Plastics, Cranbury, New Jersey, a fully vertical integrated thermoforming operation) with the aid of his three sons. All work – design, development, tooling, testing and production – is done under one roof and Steve has personally physically executed all of the above tasks as well as educating his customers.

Many of his clientele in the pharmaceutical industry who use thermoformed packaging have strict quality standards for the trimmed edges of a part. Steve has developed a systematic knife-like die trimming program using a unique makeready procedure which produces a relatively angel hair and loose particle-free trimmed edge. He has disseminated these techniques of trim die setup at various SPE thermoforming conferences.

Because the medical industry cannot tolerate plastic sheet which contains dirt or burnt particles, Steve developed in-plant internal inspection systems for all sheet entering his plant. He has described at SPE forums some simple tests to inspect incoming sheet to later avoid plastic material problems at the thermoformer.

With a lifetime of experience operating and constantly upgrading thermoforming technology, he has a demanding schedule helping others in our industry.
1. Member of board of directors SPE Thermoforming Division for 20 years – Chairman of Board – presently Councilor representing Division on the SPE council.
2. Working with SPE Europe and John Griep, Steve helped establish the European Thermoforming Division.
3. While Chairman of Board of this Division, he set up an executive committee to promote efficient use of the board’s meeting time. He developed a structure of technical committees to increase meeting effectiveness.
4. Steve is presently starting a project to help schools and universities make productive use of their thermoforming machines by donating molds and formed parts for student forming demonstrations.
5. Steve acts as a technical consultant to many consumer product manufacturers that have in-plant thermoforming packaging operations.
6. He lectured on thermoforming to Rutgers University, New Jersey package engineering classes.
7. His open-book manner to provide detailed thermoforming techniques contrasts with the often foxhole mentality of some in this industry.

Awards and Achievements:
1. Several “Packager of the Year” titles and awards from Food and Drug Packaging Magazine.
2. Named on two patents for food and drug packaging.
3. Received numerous awards for cosmetic packaging and point of purchase (POP) thermoformed products.
4. Supplied components to the lunar landing module for NASA which to this day is still on the moon.

Affiliated with following technical groups:
1. Society of the Plastics Industry Thermoforming Institute
2. Packaging Institute
3. New Jersey Packaging Club