Composites One names new CEO, COO

Composites One, a major composites supplier, has made changes to its management ranks.

Leon Garoufalis has been named CEO of the Schaumburg, Ill., firm. Garoufalis has been with Composites One and its predecessor firm, GLS Composites Distribution, since 1988. As CEO, he's following Steve Dehmlow, who will serve as chairman.

Garoufalis has been Composites One's president and chief operating officer since the business was formed in 1999. During his career, he's held several leadership roles in sales, marketing and operations.

"Composites One has seen tremendous growth over the last 23 years," Garoufalis said in a news release. "With every challenge, the company has stayed true to its core values of acting with integrity, operating safely, and taking care of our customers and each other."

"It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead all our team members at Composites One," he added.

Composites One also has promoted Al Dobbeck to executive vice president and COO. Dobbeck has been with the firm since 2011, most recently serving as chief financial officer.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to support our team members at Composites One in helping our customers grow their businesses," Dobbeck said in a news release. Officials added that Dobbeck will work closely with Garoufalis as he transitions to his new role.

Steve Dehmlow has been with Composites One, which is owned by his family, since 1984. The firm has been solely owned by the Dehmlow family since 2012, when they bought out joint venture partner CCP Composites.

Composites One's history dates to 1940, when Louis Dehmlow, Steve's father , and two business partners founded Great Lakes Solvents in Chicago. Its current distribution mix includes resins, reinforcements, gelcoats, pigments and related products from more than 600 suppliers.

Composites One distributes materials to fabricators and molders from more than 40 locations in North America. The firm, with annual sales of more than $1 billion, also offers value-added services, including closed mold technologies, technical application reviews and regulatory compliance assistance.

In early 2021, Composites One acquired the process materials business of Solvay Group. That deal included five manufacturing sites in the U.S. and Europe. Composites One has renamed that business as Aerovac, a brand it had been using since the 1970s. The Aerovac line includes various vacuum bagging materials, such as bagging films, breather fabrics, sealant tapes, valves and hoses.