From making molds to providing leadership over one of the largest corporations in the sector, Hans Hagelstein has seen a lot. As president of Mold-Masters, he’s committed to continuing to guide innovation that addresses real-world injection molding needs, like reducing scrap and incorporating post-consumer recyclate.

As he said in a press release announcing Mold-Masters' new Integra production cell, “At Mold-Masters, we are committed to pioneering innovative technologies that deliver value and transform the market. Our focus is on continuously shaping our services and support to meet the unique regional needs of our customers, ensuring tailored solutions that drive success globally.”

And he’s already prepared for any adventure that might await, with a pair of running shoes already packed, as he told Karen Hanna, senior staff writer for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, in a series of emails.

How did you become interested and involved in the plastics industry? 

Hagelstein: I began my professional career as a toolmaker specializing in the design and production of injection and extrusion molds for the plastics industry. This role gave me a strong practical foundation and direct involvement in production, where I gained a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, quality requirements and technical problem-solving.

At that time, plastics represented a fast-growing industry with significant technological advancement, where I felt my skills and leadership potential could be best applied. This has accompanied me throughout my entire career, as plastics remains a fast-evolving industry characterized by rapid innovation and a comparatively young technological landscape in all kinds of industries.

Can you tell me about your experiences at Mold-Masters? 

Hagelstein: Reflecting on my time at Mold-Masters, I gained the opportunity to experience nearly every aspect of the plastics industry — from processing and molding to commercial and trading activities covering the full injection-molding value chain. My career at Mold-Masters has spanned multiple phases of the company, including transitions from private ownership to private equity and ultimately to a publicly traded organization.

During this time, I led engineering teams, developed product-centric system solutions for injection molding, managed Mold-Masters and DME as global businesses across diverse markets and regions, and played a key role in establishing and expanding the company’s footprint in India. These experiences not only deepened my technical and commercial understanding of the industry but also strengthened my ability to lead and grow organizations in a dynamic, global environment.

What trends are you seeing in molds/molding? What are customers seeking from Mold-Masters? 

Hagelstein: Looking ahead over the next five years, we see several key trends shaping the industry. Mold-Masters is recognized as a leading global hot-runner supplier that is experienced in delivering solutions for almost any application. Our engineering teams offer our customers the flexibility to develop solutions that overcome application-specific challenges, regardless of how simple or complex, to improve molding results.

Customers come to Mold-Masters because they value our capabilities to mitigate risk. We are not a commodity supplier. Our technologies drive results in their various applications through enhancing part quality, reducing scrap, increasing productivity and/or minimizing downtime.

Mold-Masters pushes the bar for what is considered possible by continuing to develop solutions for specific technical problems. For example, our innovations like Symfill enhance the straightness of parts with high L/D ratios; Apex improves ESCR [environmental stress crack resistance] performance of CSD [carbonated soft drinks] caps and reduces flow-line appearance on decorative caps while eliminating wear items to reduce maintenance costs; co-injection allows for higher PCR content, reducing the need for expensive resins and additives; DeXa side gate offers improved processing capabilities through more precise thermal control and the ability to shut off cavities from the controller; and our E-mini expands our product line to open the door to smaller, precision multi-shot applications.

Our goal is to sustain technological leadership, improve our agility and strengthen customer support, ensuring we continue to be a trusted partner both locally and globally in this evolving and growing industry.

What are the biggest challenges your customers are facing? How do you help them overcome those challenges? 

Hagelstein: The biggest challenges our customers face often revolve around staying ahead in a rapidly evolving and price-driven industry, managing complex technical requirements, and maintaining efficiency in competitive markets, locally and globally. At Mold-Masters, we address these challenges by fostering strong, partnership-based relationships built on active listening and collaboration. We prioritize understanding each customer's specific needs and work closely with them to develop effective solutions. With our broad product portfolio, we are able to meet the needs of our customers who operate in a wide range of industries and markets.

Our approach embodies the principle of one of our core values, “Win as one,” ensuring that we deliver innovative, high-quality products that drive industry-leading results and add real value. Additionally, our rapid response times and dedicated support teams — both locally and globally — allow us to offer prompt assistance whenever needed, helping our customers overcome obstacles confidently and efficiently. Through this integrated, customer-centric approach, we aim to build lasting relationships rooted in mutual growth and shared success, and we actively participate in regional events to stay connected and responsive to our customers’ evolving needs.

What is the future for innovation in molds and molding? What technologies do you see as the most important to support future trends?

Hagelstein: I am very optimistic about the future of innovation in molds and molding, especially as we continue to expand our product portfolio with advanced technologies. Our developments in system solutions such as Integra, hot-runner systems, auxiliary injection units and controller technology are at the forefront of this evolution. We have a broad portfolio of system solutions optimized to address applications and market-specific processing challenges and preferences.

Our new Integra production cell redefines injection molding for small part production by eliminating the need for conventional injection molding machines. It enhances part quality, increases productivity (faster cycle time, reduced scrap and lower material usage, and increases output vs. semi-cold runner systems) and has a compact footprint, up to 80 percent smaller than conventional injection molding machines.

Our Master-Series hot-runner system will continue to be at the core of our technical solutions. It features Iflow manifold and brazed heater technology. Iflow allows for extensive optimization to enable high-performance results across a broad range of applications. Iflow manifolds allow for extensive optimization to enhance molding performance by leveraging proprietary runner paths and geometries that just are not possible with conventional gun-drilled manifolds. [This enables] exceptional mold fill balance, faster color changes and more. They are also available with our industry-leading 10-year warranty. Master-Series and the technologies it contains are widely used in markets such as packaging, consumer goods, medical, technical and automotive, demonstrating their versatility and effectiveness.

Additionally, our proven all-electric, E-Multi auxiliary injection units allow for an economical and simple solution that converts conventional single-shot injection machines to enable precision multi-shot applications. Our new E-multi Mini expands our product line to enable multi-shot molding of smaller parts, meeting the increasing demand for accuracy in multi-shot and multi-material applications.

Looking ahead, we will continue to develop new technologies that will further optimize processing solutions [and] will overcome challenges with existing applications, and further the synergies between Mold-Masters and DME.

What advice would you give to younger or less-experienced people or leaders in the profession? Are there mistakes that you've made that you've learned from?

Hagelstein: My advice is to build a strong technical foundation while remaining open to continuous learning. The plastics industry evolves quickly, and long-term success depends on the ability to adapt, listen and grow with new technologies and market demands.

Early in my career, I sometimes focused too heavily on technical perfection rather than on collaboration and communication. Over time, I learned that strong leadership is not about having all the answers, but about empowering teams, learning from mistakes and making well-informed decisions together. Staying curious, seeking diverse perspectives and maintaining a hands-on connection to the business have been key lessons that continue to guide me today.

What do you like to do outside work?

Hagelstein: Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and staying active. Whether it’s skiing down a snowy slope, cycling through the countryside or riding my motorcycle on an open road, I enjoy the feeling of being fully present and in motion. Running has become a constant in my life — no matter where my work takes me around the world, my running shoes are always packed. These activities give me energy, clear my mind and remind me of the importance of balance, both personally and professionally.

What would you like to be your legacy?

Hagelstein: I hope my legacy will be more than just a successful business — it’s about creating a culture where people feel inspired, empowered and valued. I want to be remembered for building teams that collaborate, innovate and grow together, and for a company known not only for technical excellence but also for genuinely supporting its employees and customers. If the people I’ve worked with feel that I helped them reach their potential and that we consistently delivered solutions that made a real difference, that is the legacy I would be most proud of.