Dordan exhibited at Fontana Elementary School's Science fair for STEM week! Our exhibit featured a visual representation of a closed loop recycling system, with material from each stage of the conversion process on display for the kids to interact with. Plastic pellets, flake, extruded sheet, water bottles and thermoforms demonstrated the different stages PET can go through during its use and recovery journey. The plastic pellets were definitely the crowd favorite!

RPET and PET is used in water bottles and thermoforms, and they can be recycled together where facilities exist. Dordan's PET and RPET flake is sent back to the extruder, which then re-extrudes into a recycled sheet and the process continues until more virgin plastic is needed to meet the performance specs of the buyer. 

Dordan also had bioplastics PLA, PHA, BioPET, and algae plastic on display. Students were asked if plastic came from dinosaurs or plants and were shown examples of each. They liked the way PHA felt slippery and weren't fond of the algae plastic; they said it was, "funky." 

The parents were also very interested and did not know how plastic is recycled, nor were they aware of the sustainable plastics that exist on the market. It was a really fun event and Dordan can't wait to exhibit again next year. Thank you, Fontana Elementary School!

📹 Check out the science fair in this video! 

Dordan is featured in a Plastics Today article and interview filmed at MD&M West! 

Executive Vice President, Aric Slavin, stands beside his son and Account Executive, Julian, discussing the addition of a new thermoforming machine inside its ISO Class 8 cleanroom. This equipment doubles Dordan's cleanroom production capacity to meet the demands of its growing medical customer base. 

The article paints a picture of Dordan's thermoforming capabilities in the medical packaging space, noting how it is positioned as an ideal supplier with domestic supply chains, precision manufacturing, and family-owned values.

📹 See the father-and-son duo represent Dordan at MD&M West in this video interview.

📖 Read the full article here!

Our cleanroom is now in full production with the new machine producing medical trays, blisters, and surgical kits. Constructed in 2018, Dordan's cleanroom is a controlled environment ideal for manufacturing medical packaging for sterile applications. Certified ISO 13485:2016 in 2024, Dordan offers packaging solutions for medical device safety and efficacy, material handling, and the user experience.

We have completed the installation of our new Kiefel thermoforming machine in our ISO Class 8 cleanroom! Watch the entire process-- from machine staging to full production-- in this video documenting a week's worth of labor in 45 seconds. This machine doubles our cleanroom capacity, which manufactures packaging like medical device trays, blisters, and surgical kits in a controlled environment.

Enjoy, and sound on!

Anaheim, CA | Feb. 3–5 | MD&M West | Booth #1082

At MD&M West, Dordan Manufacturing will debut a new behind-the-scenes video that follows the installation, assembly, and first production run of a Kiefel thermoforming machine inside its ISO Class 8 cleanroom manufacturing environment.

Featured at booth #1082, the video takes viewers inside the real process of adding cleanroom thermoforming capacity—showing what it looks like to move from equipment delivery to live production in a regulated manufacturing space.

From Delivery to Production

The footage captures the complete journey of the new thermoforming machine, beginning with delivery and positioning and continuing through mechanical assembly, setup, and its first cleanroom production run.

What It Takes to Add Cleanroom Capacity

Bringing a new thermoforming machine online in a cleanroom is a coordinated effort that extends beyond assembly alone. Layout planning, material flow, utilities, and environmental controls must come together so production can restart smoothly and reliably. The video highlights this transition from installation to production, offering insight into the practical steps involved in expanding cleanroom manufacturing capability.

Supporting Medical Packaging Production

The newly added thermoforming machine supports cleanroom production of medical trays, blisters, and surgical kit packaging—applications where environmental control, consistency, and quality system compliance are essential. The footage provides a grounded, behind-the-scenes look at how that production capability is established on the manufacturing floor.

Experience It at MD&M West

Attendees are invited to visit Dordan Manufacturing at booth #1082to watch the video and learn more about the company’s cleanroom thermoforming capabilities.

Register for free & 20% off conference pass with Dordan’s comp code:INVITE23102.

MD&M West is one of the most valuable events of the year for medical device professionals. With comp code INVITE23102, attendees can register for free to the expo and receive 20% off conference passes.

The MD&M West conference brings together leaders and problem-solvers across engineering, supply chain, automation, manufacturing, product development, and quality control, making it a must-attend event for anyone involved in the medical device lifecycle. From emerging technologies and regulatory insights to manufacturing optimization and automation strategies, the event offers actionable takeaways for teams building and scaling medical devices.

While attending MD&M West, be sure to visit Dordan Manufacturing at Booth #1082. This year, Dordan will be showcasing two new visual experiences from inside its ISO Class 8 cleanroom, each offering a different perspective on medical thermoforming operations.

One video was captured during active manufacturing and provides a real-time look at how thermoformed medical packaging is produced within a controlled cleanroom environment. The other documents the assembly and installation of Dordan’s newest thermoforming machine inside the cleanroom, offering a behind-the-scenes view of equipment integration and process expansion when manufacturing is not underway. Together, these visuals give attendees a more complete understanding of Dordan’s cleanroom operations, from day-to-day production to ongoing investment in advanced manufacturing capabilities.

Register for free and save 20% on conference passes using comp code INVITE23102, and stop by Booth #1082 to see how Dordan supports medical device manufacturers with reliable, cleanroom-produced thermoformed packaging solutions. We look forward to seeing you in Anaheim.

Dordan Manufacturing is seeking an early-to-mid career Thermoforming Design & Tooling Engineer to support the design and development of thermoformed packaging and associated tooling for medical, industrial, and consumer applications.

This role is well-suited for an engineer with strong fundamentals, advanced 3D CAD skills, and prior manufacturing or tooling exposure who is ready to grow into specialized thermoforming and cleanroom packaging responsibilities. The position offers hands-on involvement across design, tooling, and production, with mentorship and training provided.

Key Responsibilities

• Create detailed 3D CAD models, components, and assemblies for thermoformed packaging and tooling (NX preferred)

• Support design projects from concept through tooling release, with increasing independence over time

• Review and interpret customer drawings, specifications, and functional requirements

• Apply established engineering standards, documentation practices, and change controls

• Collaborate closely with tooling, engineering, and production teams during prototyping and production

• Support design-for-manufacturing improvements and troubleshooting

• Gain exposure to CNC programming and manufacturing interfaces (training provided)

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Plastics Engineering, or equivalent experience

• 3–5 years of relevant engineering, tooling, or manufacturing design experience

• Advanced 3D CAD capability (NX or similar)

• Strong attention to detail, documentation discipline, and engineering process adherence

• Interest in long-term growth within a manufacturing environment

Preferred

• Experience in plastics processing, packaging, or thermoforming environments

• Exposure to production tooling or manufacturing equipment

• Familiarity with cleanroom or regulated manufacturing environments

• Basic understanding of CNC machining or tooling workflows

Compensation

$70,000 – $85,000, commensurate with experience, with opportunity for growth as responsibilities and technical independence increase.

Benefits

• Health insurance

• 401(k) retirement plan

• Paid time off and holidays

• Long-term career development in a stable, family-owned manufacturing environment

  Why Dordan

• ---

  
  

  Dordan Manufacturing is a family-owned custom thermoformer specializing in medical, industrial, and consumer packaging. We offer a collaborative, hands-on engineering environment where designers work closely with tooling and production teams to bring concepts to life. This role is ideal for engineers seeking stability, technical growth, and long-term career development within manufacturing.

  To Apply

• ---

• Apply on LinkedIn or Email resume to cslavinbond@dordan.com. 

Anaheim, CA -- Feb. 3-5 -- At MD&M West, Dordan Manufacturing will debut a new behind-the-scenes video featuring the installation and assembly of a Kiefel thermoforming machine within its ISO Class 8 cleanroom manufacturing environment. The video will be featured at the company’s booth #1082 as a visual look into cleanroom equipment integration for medical packaging manufacturing.

The footage documents the full installation process, from delivery and positioning through mechanical assembly and setup, offering rare visibility into the controlled steps required to bring new thermoforming equipment online in a regulated cleanroom setting.

Installing equipment intended for cleanroom operation extends beyond mechanical assembly. Layout planning, material flow, utilities, and contamination control must be carefully coordinated to ensure seamless integration with existing cleanroom processes. Each phase of the installation—from positioning and assembly to final setup—supports repeatability, process control, and long-term production reliability in medical applications.

By sharing this behind-the-scenes installation process at MD&M West, Dordan is providing insight into how cleanroom thermoforming capacity is added in practice. The newly installed equipment is intended to support cleanroom production of medical trays, blisters, and kit packaging, where environmental control, consistency, and quality system compliance are critical.

Attendees are invited to visit Dordan Manufacturing at booth #1082 to view the installation video and learn more about the company’s medical packaging capabilities.

Get 20% off MD&M registration with Dordan's comp. code, INVITE23102

Below: Video snap shot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dordan Debuts New Tooling and Thermoforming Investments for Medical Packaging at MD&M West 

Anaheim, CA. -- February 3-5, 2026 -- Custom thermoforming company Dordan Manufacturing will exhibit at MD&M West at the Anaheim Convention Center. MD&M West is the largest domestic trade show and expo for the medical device industry, bringing together stakeholders from across the supply chain to share innovations in medtech.

Dordan will showcase its thermoformed medical packaging solutions—including device trays and blisters, procedural and surgical kits, and sub-component assembly trays—at booth #1082. The company is a full-service medical packaging thermoformer offering in-house design, tooling, thermoforming, and ISO Class 8 cleanroom manufacturing. Dordan is ISO 13485:2016 certified for medical packaging design, manufacturing, and distribution.

This year, Dordan purchased a new Formetec prototyping press and a Kiefel thermoforming machine for its cleanroom. These investments support the growing demand for high-quality, precision-formed medical packaging.

“Our investment in new equipment directly supports operational efficiency, scalability, and quality,” said Daniel Slavin, President & CEO of Dordan Manufacturing. “We’re excited to highlight both our packaging solutions and the manufacturing technologies that help us deliver consistent, high-performance results for our medical customers at MD&M West.”

Dordan’s packaging showcase—paired with information about the company’s recent technology investments—will provide attendees with insight into design-for-manufacturing principles, the relationship between tooling and part quality, and how medical packaging performance is directly influenced by the equipment it is formed on. Visitors are encouraged to stop by Dordan’s booth to learn how the company selects machinery and tooling to meet the unique needs of medical device manufacturers seeking high-quality, reliable packaging.

Register with Dordan's complimentary code INVITE23102 for 20% off registration and visit Dordan at booth #1082.

About Dordan Manufacturing

Dordan Manufacturing is a fourth-generation, family-owned custom thermoforming company specializing in high-quality medical, pharmaceutical, industrial, and consumer packaging solutions. Located in Woodstock, Illinois, Dordan offers in-house design, rapid prototyping, tooling, ISO Class 8 cleanroom thermoforming, and certified quality management systems (ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015). With more than 63 years of experience, Dordan partners with OEMs to deliver precision-engineered packaging that drives product protection, performance, and manufacturability. 

About MD&M West

MD&M West is the largest medical design and manufacturing event in North America, bringing together engineers, buyers, executives, and innovators from across the medtech supply chain. The annual event features educational sessions, product launches, networking, and technology demonstrations spanning medical devices, packaging, automation, materials, and manufacturing solutions. MD&M West is produced by Informa Markets and held at the Anaheim Convention Center.

As packaging requirements across medical device, industrial, and consumer markets continue to change and intensify, access to clear, concise technical information is needed. Customers consistently request greater visibility into thermoforming workflows, materials performance, cleanroom operations, and quality systems.

Historically, our social media channels have highlighted company culture, corporate milestones, and behind-the-scenes snapshots of life at Dordan. To build on that foundation, we areexpanding our content approach to include short-form, engineering-focused educational videos on Instagram and TikTok. This new stream of technical micro-videos will give packaging teams quick, accessible views into packaging design, prototyping, thermoforming, materials, and quality controls.

Followers can expect:

• Faster access to technical information

• Clearer visibility into manufacturing workflows

• Better understanding of material behavior and process capability

• More transparency into quality and regulatory controls

Followers will have access to:

• Cleanroom Thermoforming Walkthroughs: Step-by-step overviews of ISO Class 8 thermoforming, from material conditioning to forming, trimming, and in-process inspection.

• Material Comparisons & Performance Insights: Draw ratios, heat-related distortion, clarity considerations, and forming behavior.

• Toooling & Prototyping Processes: CAD modeling, CAM programming, CNC machining, sample forming, and design-for-manufacturing best practices.

• Quality & Regulatory Topics: ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 13485:2016 certified controls, IQ/OQ/PQ fundamentals, traceability, sampling plans, and process capability discussions.

• Sustainability & Circularity: Recyclability of common thermoformed materials, strategies to reduce SKU complexity, and design impacts on material efficiency.

• Behind-the-Scenes Videos: Real-time looks at tooling, thermoforming, trimming robotics, QC inspection, and workflow optimization.

Where to Find Us

Instagram: @dordan_manufacturing
TikTok: @dordanmfg

New video coming soon: A day in the life of a Quality Control Manager!