Thompson + Gus = Thogus [ \’htō-gəs\ TO-GUS ]

Thogus-History-Building.jpgThogus-History.jpgThompson + Gus = Thogus   [ \’htō-gəs\   TOE-GUS ]

Founders Jack Thompson and Walter Gus began Master Mold & Die in 1950. The tool and die shop led Thompson and Gus into a whole new world of plastics. In 1958, the founders changed the name to Thogus Products Company, a combination of the last names Thompson and Gus, and molded their first nylon and polyethylene plastic tube and hose fittings. 

Now, under the leadership of Jack Thompson’s grandson, Matthew K. Hlavin, the family-owned business is thriving in an industry, location and time when most are not. We attribute this to the strength of our management team, the passion of our employees and suppliers and our general commitment to open innovation. We have become the go-to source among plastic injection molding manufacturers.

Thogus Timeline of Key Milestones

1950 – Master Mold & Die founded by Jack Thompson & Walter Gus
1958 – Name changed to Thogus Products Company, located at 3445 W. 88th St in Cleveland
1960 – Tube and hose fittings lines replace brass and stainless materials
1962 – Custom injection molding commences for automotive, appliance and other industries
1979 – Thogus builds a new plant in Avon Lake, Ohio – located just outside of Cleveland
1997 – Thogus awarded QS9000/ISO9000 certification
1997 – Kathleen Hlavin & Helen Thompson take 100% ownership of Thogus, which thus becomes a women-owned business
1997 – Thogus focuses on non-automotive customers in promising industries
1998 – Thogus reinvests in new technology and equipment
2000 – Eight new presses are purchased; Thogus awarded membership in National Minority Business Council
2001 – Thogus diversifies into metal-to-plastic replacement solutions
2006 – Thogus moves to new, larger facility in Avon Lake, Ohio
2008 – Forms Radiation Protection Technologies LLC, a company leading the industry in solutions for replacing lead
2009 – Grandson of founder, Matt Hlavin, takes over the president’s role from his mother
2009 – Thogus invests in new equipment and technology, such as the Nissei 720-ton injection molding press and two fused deposition modeling (FDM) machines for rapid prototyping
2010 – Formalizes an engineering department, with biomedical, industrial, mechanical, chemical and civil engineers
2011 – The rapid prototyping division becomes a separate company, Rapid Prototype + Manufacturing LLC (rp+m)