September 21, 2021

Hansen Plastics Corporation Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence, 30 Years ESOP


2021 marks an important milestone in the history of Hansen Plastics Corporation, a custom injection molder located in Elgin, Illinois.  This year HPC is proud to celebrate 50 years in business, with the past 30 being an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan).

Hansen Plastics Corporation was founded in 1971 by Elmer Hansen.  In 1991, when he decided to retire, he sold the company to his employees, creating an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, and handed the reigns over to Dave Watermann, HPC’s 2nd CEO.  When Dave retired in 2008, Roy Lily, who began his career at HPC as a 2nd shift set-up tech under Elmer’s tutelage, became CEO.  Roy retired in 2020, and HPC’s current President and CEO, Tim Bayer, took over. 

Elmer,Dave,Roy
Previous CEOs Elmer Hansen, Dave Watermann and Roy Lily enjoy the speech given by Tim Bayer, current CEO of Hansen Plastics Corporation.

All four spoke, as well as well as David Kapitan, mayor of Elgin, Illinois, at the anniversary celebration which was held in HPC’s back parking lot this past August.  The weather was beautiful for the outdoor celebration, where HPC’s employee owners and their families were treated to food and music, with games for the kids and grandkids of HPC. 

In keeping with one of HPC’s founding principles of giving back to the community, HPC partnered with Kane Senior Council (https://www.kaneseniorcouncil.org/) to raise money for their various programs to help seniors in Kane County.  Donations were raised via a dunk tank, with CEO Tim Bayer and Value Stream Leaders Robert Sandeen and Glenn Whitecotton “taking the plunge” by agreeing to be dunked for a donation.  HPC employee owners and their families raised nearly $1,000 to help seniors in their community!!

HPC 50th Anniversary Committee members

Hansen Plastics Corporation would like to extend a huge Thank You to the 50th Anniversary Committee for organizing such a fun-filled event for all members of the Hansen Plastics family. The employee owners of HPC are looking forward to 50 more years of injection molding excellence and turning their success into opportunities to help others.