Thermoformer of the Year - 2006
Paul V. Alongi, CEO, MAAC Machinery Carol Stream, Illinois

Paul Alongi was born and raised in Chicago. His ffirst job out of college was to work for Power Transmission Equipment Co. (PTE), one of Chicago's largest and most prestigious power transmission engineering firms. There for 15 years, he honed his skills as a transmission specialist and also where, in 1970, he was introduced to the thermoforming industry. One of his assignments was to become account manager to Comet Industries, where he provided engineering and product selection to one of the largest manufacturers of thermoforming equipment in our industry. As the years progressed with the engineering firm, Paul was provided with an opportunity to become the engineering source with start-up companies named Kostur and CAM. These were short-lived arrangements, but whetted his appetite for manufacturing thermoforming equipment. In 1982, he created MAAC Machinery Co. He has managed his firm to become one of the largest cut-sheet thermoforming machinery manufacturers in the world. MAAC machines are located all across the world and are known for their performance, innovativeness, long life, and low maintenance.

In 1996, he purchased Comet Industries and had the pleasure, once again, of working with Bob Kostur during the final years of his career. In 1998, he purchased CAM and now all three companies are represented by MAAC. Paul has always been very supportive of the SPE Thermoforming Division and its mission to advance technology through education, application, promotion and research. MAAC is one of the senior sponsors of the conferences since 1993. Paul has orchestrated numerous fundraising events for the scholarship fund, donating all proceeds from these events to the Thermoforming Division's scholarship fund. The latest event at Milwaukee was the most successful ever and netted $30,000 to the scholarship fund. Beginning in 2001, Paul pledged to match the SPE Thermoforming Division's equipment grant of $10,000 per college. This program is ongoing today and has been very successful in providing many universities with brand new equipment. Paul has been an engineering force behind the technical development of the cut-sheet thermoforming machinery.

Many of the industries' standard machinery features today are the direct result of his creativity. Paul, along with his engineering department, has developed many of the innovations that have since become the benchmark for today's machinery standard. For example, high sheet line design, breathable ovens, color changing elements, finite element zoning, on voltage heating elements, oven energy saving software, standard non contact sheet temperature measurement, adjustable clamp frame, absolute encoder motorized platens, etc. During his career, Paul has taken on many difficult projects to assist thermoformers across the country and the world. Providing turn-key services which takes on full responsibility for the machine, mold, material, process, finished part and cycle time, which has eliminated the age old problem of split responsibilities. There are many people who are successful in the thermoforming business today because of Paul Alongi. Paul has always been a proponent of education. The training program at MAAC could have been limited to instructions on how to operate the machinery. Instead, it encompasses oven-zoning techniques and includes training on forming temperatures, materials, molds and forming sequencing.

Paul is a long-standing member of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and has been active and supportive towards the SPE Thermoforming Division. Many of our members will testify that Paul was responsible for their introduction to our division. MAAC has been a sponsor for the annual conference since 1993, a sponsor for the European Division since its inception, and has funded MAAC employees to be active members of the Thermoforming Division here and in Europe. Paul is CEO and Director of Engineering of MAAC Machinery and is continually driving the processes' capabilities to the next level. Paul's 25 years at the helm has produced a consistent direction of business development of new equipment for the thermoforming industry. His most recent new product line was the Royce Router, which was introduced last September. Paul is very active in the business and also has the pleasure of working with three of his four sons and his brother who have joined him in his pursuit of making the best thermoforming equipment.