Explore frequently asked questions about thermoformed packaging, packaging design and manufacturing, ISO Class 8 cleanroom thermoforming, popular materials for thermoforming and more.

As a family-owned thermoforming company with over 62 years of experience, Dordan is a trusted partner for medical, consumer, and industrial packaging.

What Is Plastics Thermoforming?

Plastics thermoforming is a process where roll-fed thin-gauge plastic sheet is heated to a forming temperature, shaped in a mold using vacuum, air pressure, or both, and then trimmed to create rigid packaging. This method is used to produce:

Parts are stripped from the web, automatically stacked, inspected, and packed for delivery.

What Is Thermoformed Packaging?

Thermoformed packaging includes a wide range of plastic packaging solutions:

Clamshells, blisters, and insert trays for consumer packaging
Dunnage and shipping trays for industrial applications
Sterile barrier trays and kits for medical device packaging

Thermoformed packaging protects, organizes, and enhances product handling across industries.

What Materials Are Used in Thermoforming?

Dordan thermoforms a broad selection of plastic materials, including:

Post-consumer & post-industrial RPET
PETG, APET, PVC, PS, HIPS, ABS, HDPE, LDPE
FDA-approved and medical-grade plastics
Anti-static / ESD materials
Bio-based and compostable materials
Freezer-grade and flocked plastics
Custom color-matched materials

All materials are sourced to meet your performance, regulatory, and sustainability goals. Learn more about our sustainable packaging options.

What Is Thermoform Design?

Dordan uses Siemens NX Solid Modeling to create detailed thermoform packaging designs, optimized for manufacturability and end-use performance.

Our engineers can:

Reverse-engineer physical products
Import customer CAD files
Provide photorealistic renderings and drawings
Deliver functional prototypes and first article validation

All designs are managed under our ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016 certified quality system, ensuring traceability, revision control, and design retention.

What Is Thermoform Tooling?

Dordan’s NX CAM/CNC-machined thermoform tooling is developed in-house by the same team that designs the tray. This includes:

Prototype and production aluminum tooling
Assist plugs, die build-ups, and trim headers
End-of-arm tooling for robotic automation

All tools are maintained in a temperature-controlled warehouse and remain proprietary, customer-owned assets.

What Are Dordan’s Thermoforming Capabilities?

13 inline thin-gauge plastic thermoforming machines
Interchangeable tooling for scheduling flexibility
Robotic part stripping, stacking, and inspection
SOP-based production workflows and quality control
Real-time job analysis to support continuous improvement

We design and produce medical, industrial, and consumer packaging like trays, clamshells, blisters, and dunnage trays in high volume, with short lead times and competitive pricing.

What Is ISO Class 8 Cleanroom Thermoforming?

Dordan's ISO Class 8 cleanroom is a fully enclosed, hardwall facility used to manufacture sterile and non-sterile medical packaging. Features include:

Advanced Keifel thermoformers for forming, cutting, and stacking
Real-time particulate monitoring per ISO 14644 standards
Controlled airflow, gowning protocols, and material staging rooms

This environment ensures compliance with regulatory and sterility requirements for medical trays, procedure kits, and device packaging.

What Is Thermoform Quality Control?

Our quality management system (QMS) is certified to:

ISO 9001:2015 – Total quality control across all packaging types
ISO 13485:2016 – Specialized QMS for medical packaging design and production

Every job includes:

SOP-driven inspections
Material verification and traceability
Optical inspection and CPK reporting
Continuous process improvement

Where Is Dordan Located?

Dordan is located in Woodstock, Illinois, just outside Chicago. All packaging design, tooling, manufacturing, and cleanroom production take place in-house, under one roof. This vertical integration ensures consistent quality, fast turnaround, and responsive customer service.