Thermoformer of the Year - 2011
Stephen R. Murrill, Owner and President of Profile Plastics, Inc. of Lake Bluff, Illinois

Stephen R. Murrill is a heavy gauge thermoformer specializing in vacuum, pressure and twinsheet processes. Steve Has a BSChE from Purdue University and a MBA from the University of Chicago. Prior to his Purchasing Profile in 1987, Steve worked for Signode Corporation in Glenview, IL. As a New Ventures Manager in their New Business Development and Acquisitions Department. Prior to Signode, he held several positions at Exxon Chemical Co. USA, Houston, Tx.

Steve was exposed to plastics at an early age. Steve’s father Randy Murrill worked at Dupont For 39 years. They lived in Orange, Texas; Parkersburg, West Virginia; and Wilmington, Delaware. Randy was involved making Teflon, Delrin, and Lucite which went into such products as fishing Line, brushy fibers, and glazing.

In high school Steve belonged to Junior Achievement and was president of a company called JASAP which was sponsored by Marbon Chemical. Named the 1967 JA Company of the Year, Produced and sold a unique playing card holder and score card keeper made out of what else, but Plastic.

Steve earned his BS ChE from Purdue University where he was the editor of the Purdue Engineer. During college he was a summer intern with Kodak and the Exxon.

Out of college Steve went to work for Exxon spending time in Houston and then ending up in Chicago marketing polypropylent. He then went to work for Signode Corporation originally in Their Palode Division (plastic pallet strapping). Steve moved into Signode’s New Venture Group where he became aware of Profile Plastics.

In 1987 Steve purchased Profile Plastics from John Grundy. Profilde Plastics was started in 1960 in a garage in 1960 by John Grundy and grew to be one of the leaders in the industry especially with the development of pressure forming. During Steve’s ownership and directiohn Profile Plastics continues to be at the forefront of thermoforming in both technology and business operations. He has been a long time proponent of molded in color and texture and has led many of Profile’s customers away from injections molding or painted structural foam especially for those products requiring large, highly cosmetic covers in low to medium volumes. In 1995 Profile Plastics moved to a new 100,000 square ft. facility. In 2003 Steve bought the assets of cross-town competitor Arrem Plastics in Addison, IL and actively oversaw the transition of hundreds of molds in the Lake Bluff Facility. Again in 2008 Steve purchased Pullman Industries out of Rochester, NY further expanding Profile’s customer base and sales volume. Twenty-four years since his purchase of Profile Plastics, Steve is still deeply involved in every facet of the business – even running the weekly Production Meetings. Currently using 13 state-of-the-art formers and 15 state-of-the-art 5 and 6 axis CNC Routers and robots Profile continues its record sales growth through Steve’s leadership.

He has been a member of SPE since 1976, served on the Thermoforming Division Board of Director’s since 1987, and served as its Chairman for two years. He has been active in every annual SPE Thermoforming Conference since its inception and was the Chairman for the 1992 Thermoforming Conference held in Midland, Michaigan. Steve has also been in the SPE/SPI Thermoforming Conference held at the NPE. He has been a speaker, moderator and program chairman for the Thermoforming Conference and many other SPE Conferences and RETEC’s, held by other Divisions and Sections. He received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Thermoforming Division in 2001.

He has held strongly to the late John Griep’s vision that the thermoforming industry to grow it must have a vehicle for the free discourse of those who work in the business. To that end Steve has put much of his energy into the SPE Thermoforming Division. People who have met Steve will attest to his openness in discussing what many consider to be “secrets” of our business. It is that willingness to share knowledge of the business which has helped us all to grow thermoforming into the acceptable plastic process that is is today.