About Hawkeye Molding
Hawkeye Molding operates in Roland, Iowa — our primary facility at 109 Progressive Ave. in Roland, Iowa (54,000 sq. ft.) Our mold building facility is on the same site in a separate building (6,400 sq. ft.) Our Iowa-based facilities give us the capacity to serve customers across the Midwest and nationwide. We also have tool building partners that we use frequently in Asia on customer projects.
We manufacture custom injection molded parts and components for six primary industries: appliance, agriculture, furniture, industrial, lighting, and manufacturing. Lighting manufacturing is a particular area of deep expertise — we produce nearly every component type used in lighting assemblies. Our Iowa roots also give us a strong foundation in agricultural equipment and accessories.
We operate 25 horizontal injection molding machines ranging from 22 to 1,375 tons of clamping force. This wide tonnage range allows us to mold parts of vastly different sizes and complexities — from small precision components to large structural parts — all under one roof.
Several things set us apart: our parts are Iowa-made by American workers, we operate two large facilities with 60,000+ total sq. ft. of capacity, our 25-machine fleet covers 22 to 1,375 tons, and we provide comprehensive support services from resin selection through full assembly. We have in-house mold building capabilities, but we also regularly work with other toolmakers in the Midwest including a specialized quick turn-around aluminum tool builder who can often build molds in 3-6 weeks as well as our mold building partners in China. We’re also uniquely positioned to serve the agriculture, appliance, point of purchase display, industrial and lighting industries with deep hands-on experience. When you work with Hawkeye Molding, you deal directly with our team, no handoffs.
Capabilities & Service
We offer a full range of injection molding processes including standard custom injection molding, insert molding, and TPE over-molding. Secondary services include sonic welding, pad printing, hot stamping, assembly, and sub-assembly. We also provide complete tool project management, so you have a single point of contact from tooling through finished parts.
Insert molding is a process where metal components (such as threaded inserts, pins, or contacts) are placed into the mold before injection, so the plastic encapsulates them during molding — creating a single, strong part. Yes, Hawkeye Molding offers insert molding as a standard capability. It’s commonly used in appliance components, industrial assemblies, and electrical housings.
TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) over-molding is a process where a soft, rubber-like TPE material is molded over a rigid plastic substrate in a single part. This creates components with both hard and soft zones — ideal for grip handles, seals, protective bumpers, and ergonomic consumer products. Hawkeye Molding offers TPE over-molding as part of our standard capabilities.
Yes. Our engineering team can evaluate existing metal parts and determine whether converting to engineered plastic is a practical option. Steel-to-plastic conversion often reduces part weight, lowers per-unit cost, eliminates secondary finishing operations, and improves design flexibility. We support this process from initial resin selection through first-article production.
Yes. Beyond molding individual parts, Hawkeye Molding offers assembly and sub-assembly services to deliver more complete, ready-to-use components to your production line. This reduces your supplier count and simplifies your supply chain.
Yes. We provide product development support that includes prototyping services to validate part design before committing to full production tooling. This helps identify design issues early, saving significant cost downstream. Contact us to discuss your project timeline and prototyping needs.
Materials & Resins
We process a wide range of thermoplastic resins including Polycarbonate (PC), Acrylic (PMMA), Nylon 6/6, Glass-Filled Nylons, PC/ABS blends, Polypropylene (PP), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Acetal (POM), and Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE). If your application requires a resin not listed here, contact our team to discuss your requirements.
Resin selection depends on your part’s functional requirements: operating temperature, chemical exposure, structural load, impact resistance, UV stability, regulatory requirements, and surface finish. Our team provides resin selection support as part of our product development services. We’ll review your application requirements and recommend the best material for performance and cost.
Yes. We regularly process glass-filled nylons and other engineered resins that require precise temperature control and specialized tooling. These materials are commonly used in structural agricultural components, industrial machine parts, and high-heat appliance applications where standard resins wouldn’t perform.
Quality & Certifications
Quality is built into every step of our process. Our quality management system covers incoming material verification, in-process inspection, and final part measurement. We offer PPAP (Production Part Approval Process), capability studies, CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) measurement services, and metrology to verify that parts meet your specifications — every run.
PPAP stands for Production Part Approval Process — a standardized documentation package that confirms your supplier’s manufacturing process consistently produces parts to your design specifications. It’s widely required in automotive, appliance, and industrial manufacturing. Yes, Hawkeye Molding provides PPAP documentation as part of our quality services.
CMM stands for Coordinate Measuring Machine — a high-precision instrument used to measure the exact dimensions of a molded part and verify it against your CAD tolerances. We use CMM measurement and metrology services to provide documented dimensional reports, giving you traceable proof that parts are within spec. This is especially important for critical-fit components in appliance, lighting, and industrial applications.
Yes. We work with customers to develop customized quality plans that define inspection points, acceptance criteria, documentation requirements, and measurement frequency specific to your part and industry requirements. This is particularly useful for customers with strict supplier quality requirements or those in regulated industries.
Getting Started & The Process
Getting a quote is straightforward. Submit your quote request through our website and our Director of Molding will be in touch. For the most accurate quote, it’s helpful to provide: your part CAD file or drawing, the plastic resin you prefer (or a description of your performance requirements), your estimated annual volume, and any quality or delivery requirements. There’s no obligation to request a quote.
At minimum, we need a part drawing or CAD file, your preferred resin or material requirements, expected production volume, and any industry-specific quality documentation requirements (such as PPAP). If you’re early in the design process, our team can work with you on design for manufacturability (DFM) recommendations before tooling is finalized.
Tooling lead times vary depending on mold complexity, number of cavities, and current capacity. Simple single-cavity tools can often be completed in 3–10 weeks. More complex multi-cavity or family tools may take 12–16 weeks or longer. Contact us with your project details and we’ll provide a realistic timeline based on your specific requirements.
Minimum order quantities vary by part, tooling type, and material. Injection molding is most cost-effective at medium to high production volumes, but we work with customers across a range of volumes. Contact our team to discuss your project — we’ll help you understand the cost structure at your expected volumes.
In most cases, the customer owns the mold tooling after it is paid for in full. Hawkeye Molding stores and maintains your tooling at our facility while it is in active production. We manage the tooling as part of our complete tool project management services.
Yes. We regularly assist customers who are transitioning molding programs from another supplier. We can review existing tooling, assess its condition, and determine whether it can be transferred to our facility or whether new tooling is recommended. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Geography & Logistics
Yes. While we are proudly Iowa-based, we serve customers throughout the Midwest and across the United States. Our facility in Roland, Iowa provides strong logistics access to customers in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and beyond.
Working with an Iowa-based molder like Hawkeye Molding gives you direct access to your manufacturing team, faster communication, shorter supply chain, and the accountability of a company that takes its reputation in the region seriously. You’re not a small account at a large national firm — you’re a priority.
U.S.-based injection molding offers shorter lead times, easier communication, lower shipping costs, no import duties, faster design iteration, and full intellectual property protection. With ongoing supply chain uncertainty globally, domestic manufacturing also reduces your risk of production disruptions. Hawkeye Molding provides all of these advantages as an Iowa-made manufacturer.
We work with both. Whether you’re an established OEM looking for a reliable long-term molding partner or a company launching a new product that needs design support and prototyping, our team can help. Contact us to discuss where you are in your product development process.
Call us at 515.598.7499 or submit a quote request through our website. Our Director of Molding will personally follow up. Our facilities are located at 109 Progressive Ave., Roland, Iowa 50236.