Kickstart: A career spanning from space to Chuck E. Cheese

I suspect that most people want a career that's going to give them opportunities to explore a wide range of what's possible. Consider this as a prime example: Over his 50 years in the plastics industry, Dennis Hagan has made parts that went to space and parts that went into the head of a Chuck E. Cheese costume.

Hagan was named Thermoformer of the Year by the Society of Plastics Engineers' thermoforming division on July 20. He will receive the award at the SPE Thermoforming Conference Oct. 24-26 in Cleveland.

Hagan began in the industry in 1973 when his father founded Hagans Plastics Co. in Grand Prairie, Texas. He helped the company win business creating interior parts for space vehicles and in 1990 spearheaded its move into using computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines and recently has been involved in adding laser technology to the company.

"While Dennis has demonstrated great business acumen, he must also be recognized for his commitment and devotion to his workforce," SPE said in announcing the award. "Dennis has always considered the people who work for Hagans Plastics as the lifeblood of the business. He believes in promoting from within and regularly acknowledges the successes of his people."

Some Hagans Plastics employees have been with the company for more than 45 years, SPE noted.

A chemical plant in Georgia badly damaged in a fire in April is now shutting down.

As PN Editor Don Loepp pointed out at the time, Pinova Inc. in Brunswick doesn't produce plastics, but in the rush of news related to burning plastics and materials — the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that led to burning off a PVC feedstock material and a big fire in Richmond, Ind., involving plastics that had been stored there for future recycling — Pinova was lumped in with them.

Pinova uses pine tree waste to make chemicals and additives used in a wide variety of applications, including adhesives, tires, chewing gum — and plastics, Don noted.

Now the company is closing permanently, The Brunswick News reports, due to severe damage to production equipment and infrastructure.

Swiss cement and building products giant Holcim, which spent nearly $1.3 million to buy PVC roofing membrane maker Duro-Last Inc. in April, isn't done buying yet.

It has bid to buy Cooper Standard Technical Rubber GmbH, a maker of road marking tapes, film products, rubber compounds, aviation floors and other items.

Holcim had made four acquisitions since 2021 as of its purchase of Duro-Last. Jamie Gentoso, president of Holcim Building Envelope and global head of Holcim Solutions & Products, told PN's Catherine Kavanaugh in an email at the time that it was continuing to look for other companies to fold into its portfolio.

"We are growing quickly, but we only invest in businesses committed to innovative and sustainable solutions that can improve the built environment," Gentoso said. "In short, no, we are not done investing."