About Us

At Thermal Press International we specialize in plastic assembly equipment used for heat staking, heat sealing, and film welding applications.  Our customer-oriented, consultative approach enables us to offer superior quality and manufacturing solutions that other suppliers cannot, resulting in more productivity, less downtime, and greater peace of mind.

Elevating Your Thermal Plastic Assembly Solutions with Thermal Press International

Since its inception in 1976, Thermal Press International (TPI) has consistently set the bar in the industry for cutting-edge heat sealing, heat staking and impulse sealing equipment and solutions.  Originally known as Young Technology, the company was a pioneer in the development of thermal presses used for heat sealing and heat staking.  Situated in Fremont, CA, in the heart of Silicon Valley, some of TPI’s early projects included designing machines for the manufacture of early cell phones, PC boards, and other critical components for both personal and mainframe computer systems.

In 2009, the company was acquired by Ian McLean and rebranded as Thermal Press International.  Since then, TPI has significantly expanded its operations to meet increasing demand, extending its expertise into various industries, including medical, automotive, electronics, and aerospace.

Recently, TPI relocated to a state-of-the art 18,000 square foot facility in Livermore, CA.  This new location houses all our manufacturing operations. It also features an in-house CNC machine shop not only allowing us to fully customize tooling for each machine to meet the most demanding requirements but to also offer contract CNC machining for businesses throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

At TPI, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional thermal plastic assembly solutions, underpinned by a commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.  Choose TPI for unparalleled expertise and precision in thermal assembly technology.

Our Mission

At Thermal Press International, our mission is to revolutionize plastic assembly with innovative, reliable, and adaptable thermal press solutions. We strive to be the go-to partner for your plastic assembly needs by providing advanced, customizable machines and dependable consulting services.

Who We Are

Ian McLean
President and CEO

Ian began his journey with Thermal Press International (TPI) in 1991, starting as a sales engineer.  Demonstrating exceptional skill and dedication, he quickly advanced to the position of sales manager.  Recognizing his technical prowess, Ian transitioned into the role of engineering manager, where he significantly contributed to TPI’s innovative advancements.  From 1996 to 2000, Ian broadened his expertise by serving as the engineering manager at an injection molding company.  In 2001, he made a strategic return to TPI, assuming the role of general manager.  Under his leadership, TPI continued to grow and evolve, setting new standards in the industry.

In 2009, Ian capitalized on an opportunity to acquire the company, becoming the president, CEO, and owner of TPI.  In his current role, Ian not only oversees the overall management of the organization but also engages deeply with various teams on numerous customer projects.  His profound knowledge of plastic welding and joining technologies enables him to offer invaluable guidance to both customers and internal teams.  Ian is passionately committed to solving the complex challenges presented by customer projects, particularly those that are exceptionally demanding.  His hands-on approach and unwavering dedication to finding innovative solutions helps set TPI apart from the competition.

Lance Crawford
VP of Sales

As one of the original members of the Thermal Press International (TPI) mechanical design and applications team, Lance now leverages his extensive experience in plastic assembly equipment, technologies, and processes as the Vice President of Sales. In this role, Lance collaborates with engineers, executives, and automators worldwide to deliver customized tooling and solutions that surpass clients’ production and manufacturing needs. He enjoys partnering with engineers and customers to identify manufacturing challenges and develop cost-effective, innovative assembly solutions using TPI’s extensive range of standard machines, products, and services. Since 1989, Lance has been instrumental in helping numerous manufacturing teams and factories overcome production limitations and maximize their ROI. As an engineer at heart, he is passionate about providing new, creative, and cost-effective solutions to ensure our customers benefit from reliable, robust, and low-maintenance systems with decades of production performance.

Tony Crabb
VP of Operations​

Tony brings over 30 years of expertise as a CNC machinist to Thermal Press International (TPI).  His extensive experience spans programming and setup, operation and monitoring, maintenance and repair, engineering and design, and process improvement.  Earlier in his career, Tony served as Director of Operations for a large automation company, where he managed extensive manufacturing and assembly operations.  In 2001, Tony launched his own machine shop, which successfully merged with TPI in 2009.  Currently, he not only runs the machine shop at TPI but also oversees the entire manufacturing operation, including cabinet and electronics assembly, thermal press tooling and fixturing, as well as testing and quality assurance.  Given that nearly every machine produced at TPI is unique, Tony thrives on the daily challenge of crafting the perfect machine, ensuring each product meets the highest standards of precision and quality.

Dan Pellow
Principal Design Engineer

Dan boasts over 40 years of experience in the mechanical engineering and design field.  Throughout his distinguished career, he has worked as an independent engineering consultant for numerous companies across the greater SF Bay Area.  Dan began consulting for Thermal Press International (TPI) in 1995 and transitioned to a full-time role in 2012, where he now manages the engineering team.  As Principal Design Engineer, Dan oversees machine and tooling design while also managing the engineering personnel.  He collaborates closely with our customers and plays an integral role in every project at TPI, whether he is directly designing or overseeing the team member assigned to the task.  Dan’s deep expertise and hands-on approach ensure that every project meets TPI’s high standards of innovation and quality.

Industries Served

Automotive
 
White goods
 
Contract Manufacturing
 
Medical
 
Electronics
 

Food

All Thermal Press machines and tooling packages are designed, manufactured, and assembled by our experienced team in the USA at our facility in Livermore, CA. 

Our services include contract CNC machining, R&D, prototyping, and process development. Our engineers will partner with your team for a comprehensive design experience to produce a robust, turnkey machine to exceed your manufacturing and assembly requirements.

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