In the heart of Avon Lake, Ohio, Thogus Products, which celebrated 75 years in 2025, stands as a testament to American manufacturing, entrepreneurial grit and generational vision. Founded in 1950 by Jack Thompson, a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, Thogus began as a tool and die shop called Master Mold and Die.
“My grandfather risked it all,” says Matt Hlavin, CEO and third-generation owner. “He came home from the war, started making injection molding tools for Packard, and, in 1958, bought his first injection molding machine. That’s when he created Thogus, a name celebrating the two original business partners, Thompson and his toolmaker, Walter Gus.”
Together, Jack and Walter built a business that would pioneer the first plastic fittings for low-pressure applications with threads and barbs. “He was tired of spending money on metal fittings to plumb water lines for tools,” Hlavin explains. “So he made his own, and that product line is still alive today.”
Thogus grew steadily, with the automotive industry driving over half of its business through 1997. Then the company moved away from this market, and today it makes up 1% of the company. The second generation joined the company, including Hlavin’s mother and uncle. “My grandfather was my idol,” Hlavin says. “I felt I owed it to him to help carry on what he built.”
Hlavin returned in 1997, took over sales in 2003, and became president in 2008 just as the Great Recession hit. “It was a terrible time to buy a manufacturing company,” he recalls. “But we had already started to divest from automotive and pivot toward brands like Vitamix and Steris.”
Determined to transform Thogus into an engineering-driven company, Hlavin partnered with Penn State Behrend — the No. 1 plastics engineering school — hired interns and graduates and invested in 3D printing. “We help customers redesign parts to be manufacturable, print them in 24 hours, and show them what’s possible.”
Between 2009 and 2014, Thogus grew by 400%, driven by automation, diversification and a commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing. Today, the company operates two facilities with 140 employees and 60 molding machines.
“Our vision is simple,” Hlavin says. “If we’re not improving or increasing our offering, we’re dead. We play the long game — and we wake up every day thinking about how to bring more value to our customers.”
