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Archive entry · Jul 17, 2026
Historical content; not current machine specifications or a production guarantee.
Plastic Components, Inc. — a heavy-gauge thermoformer since 1972 — acquired a Machinecraft PF1-series closed-chamber machine on the secondary market. Machinecraft is now providing full OEM support from India. The first Machinecraft machine running on US soil.
A Machinecraft PF1-series closed-chamber thermoformer is now running on American soil — and we didn't sell it. Plastic Components, Inc. (PCI), a heavy-gauge thermoforming specialist in Elkhart, Indiana, acquired the machine on the secondary market. By the time we found out, it was already in production on their floor.
We have since connected directly with PCI's team and are now providing full OEM support: spare parts, service documentation, recipe optimisation, and remote diagnostics. This is the first Machinecraft machine running in the United States and our fifth in North America.
The Machinecraft PF1-series closed-chamber thermoformer running at Plastic Components, Inc., Elkhart, Indiana.
PCI has been thermoforming large and heavy-duty custom plastic parts since 1972 — over 50 years of experience. Located in Elkhart County, Indiana — a region responsible for more than 80% of all recreational vehicles manufactured in the United States — they operate 6 forming machines and 3 five-axis CNC trimming machines, producing finished parts from 6” × 6” up to 6 ft × 10 ft.
PCI serves customers across mass transit, medical equipment, agricultural machinery, specialty vehicles, HVAC, marine, and automotive aftermarket industries. They provide full in-house design, engineering, and tooling services — a complete concept-to-production partner for custom thermoformed components.
In January 2024, PCI broke ground on a 37,000 sqft expansion at their Elkhart facility, adding new forming and CNC capacity. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Khorporate Holdings, Inc., a family-owned corporation established in 1950 that employs 355 people across its plastics division.
Barry Pippin, PCI's General Manager, leads the operation. Connect with Barry on LinkedIn.
For nearly five decades, North American heavy-gauge thermoformers have relied almost exclusively on open-chamber machines. The sheet sags during heating, forcing operators to compensate with thicker material, slower cycles, and multi-person changeovers. Machinecraft's closed-chamber design eliminates that compromise.
The PF1 uses controlled pre-blow air to hold the sheet perfectly flat while it heats — a technique called zero-sag forming. The result: uniform wall thickness across the entire part, the ability to downgauge material without sacrificing structural integrity, and faster cycles because both top and bottom heaters can sit close to the sheet.
For a region built on thermoformed parts — RV interiors, sidewall panels, shower surrounds, dashboard components — the technology represents a step-change in what a single machine and a single operator can produce.
Unlike open-chamber machines where the sheet hangs freely and sags under its own weight during heating, the PF1's sealed chamber maintains positive air pressure beneath the sheet. This keeps it flat — regardless of gauge, material type, or sheet size.
Practical impact on the shop floor:
For PCI, adding closed-chamber capability to their existing 6-machine lineup opens new possibilities for their customers — particularly on deep-draw parts where wall distribution matters most.
For Machinecraft, this marks our entry into the United States and our fifth machine in North America, joining installations in New Brunswick and Ontario (Canada). With more than 500 machines delivered to over 40 countries since 1976, we bring a proven platform to a market that has long been underserved by closed-chamber technology.
The fact that a US manufacturer with 50+ years of thermoforming experience chose our machine — without us ever making a sales call — says something about where the industry is heading.
"When we learned that PCI was already running one of our machines, we reached out immediately. Barry and his team are exactly the kind of operation we want to support — experienced, technically capable, and pushing for better results. We are now their official OEM support partner, and this is the beginning of our US presence."— Rushabh Doshi, Sales Director, Machinecraft
"When we learned that PCI was already running one of our machines, we reached out immediately. Barry and his team are exactly the kind of operation we want to support — experienced, technically capable, and pushing for better results. We are now their official OEM support partner, and this is the beginning of our US presence."
— Rushabh Doshi, Sales Director, Machinecraft
Founded in 1976 by polymer chemist B.P. Doshi, Machinecraft built one of India's first vacuum forming machines and has since grown into a 50-person, third-generation manufacturer delivering 20 machines per year from its purpose-built 40,000 sqft factory in Umargam, Gujarat. The PF1 series of single-station, fully automatic heavy-gauge thermoformers is fully electric and uses exclusively international components (Mitsubishi, Festo, Busch, SEW, Siemens) for worldwide serviceability.
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