Fabri-Kal
Fabri-Kal is a United States company. It is the sixth largest thermoformer in North America and is a provider of plastic foodservice and custom thermoformed packaging. Products include consumer and foodservice products including plastic cups, containers and lids. It is privately owned. It is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Fabri-Kal specializes in materials including PP, PET, PCR-PET, HDPE, PLA, renewable agricultural pulp and HIPS.
 Fabri-Kal logo | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Plastics |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founder | Robert P. Kittredge |
| Headquarters | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
Number of locations | 4 production facilities |
| Products | Plastic cups & containers |
Number of employees | 800 |
| Website | http://www.fabri-kal.com |
Fabri-Kal employs more than 900 people in five manufacturing, printing and warehousing facilities throughout the United States.
Company history
Fabri-Kal Corporation was founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1950 when seven investors purchased the plastic segment of the Kalamazoo Paper Box Company. The owners decided to call the new business Fabri-Kal, a portmanteau of "fabricated in Kalamazoo".
Located in downtown Kalamazoo, their initial 5,000 square foot operation began in a former A&P grocery store. The company built a 25,000 square foot manufacturing facility on East Cork Street in Kalamazoo, which was followed in 1961 by a second manufacturing facility in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
As the company continued to grow, the Fabri-Kal Foundation was established in 1969 to provide higher-education tuition assistance to young-adult children of all employees. In 1981 a new headquarters building was constructed in Kalamazoo and a third manufacturing facility opened in Piedmont, South Carolina.
In 1991 the Kalamazoo manufacturing facility closed its doors, leaving all manufacturing capacity outside of Michigan.[1] The company was able to overcome its hardships and purchased a 400,000 square foot building in 2008 and after a two year renovation once again opened their doors. In 2010 the Kalamazoo manufacturing facility was awarded the LEED® Silver certification.
On October 15, 2015, Fabri-Kal held the grand opening for their new 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Burley, Idaho employing approximately 50 people with an additional 100 people planned in the next five years.
Product lines
- Greenware cold drink cups and portion cups
- Kal-Clear PET drink cups
- Nexclear polypropylene drink cups
- RK translucent drink cups
- Kids cups
- Juice cups
- Portion cups
- Alur round containers
- Indulge dessert containers
- Pro-Kal deli containers
- Microwavable bowls
- Mushroom tills[2]
- Produce clamshells
- Lids
Greenware
Fabri-Kal produces sustainable Greenware cold drink cups, lids and portion cups made entirely from plants, not petroleum.[3][4] All Greenware products are 100% made in the U.S.A.
Misleading compostability claims lawsuit
Fabri-Kal settled a lawsuit brought by Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell that the company had violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act by advertising as “compostable” its Greenware line of products, including “bioplastic” drinking cups, without disclosing the limited availability of local composting options. The settlement requires Fabri-Kal to pay $80,000 to the State of Vermont in penalties and costs, and another $20,000 to the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District in Montpelier to develop a residential composting pilot project.[5]
References
- Bregar, Bill (11 Apr 2012). "Kittredge's Fabri-Kal more than family biz". Plastics News. Akron, OH. Retrieved 29 Jul 2016.
- Bregar, Bill (16 Jul 2014). "Fabri-Kal introduces new HDPE packaging for mushrooms". Plastics News. Kalamazoo, MI. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Lauzon, Michael (20 Mar 2015). "Fabri-Kal to expand its sustainable packaging with new Idaho plant". Plastics News. Burley, ID. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- Jones, Al (17 Oct 2010). "Food industry packaging supplier, turning 60 this week, is growing in Michigan". mlive.com. Kalamazoo, MI. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- The Office of the Attorney General of Vermont (2012-06-28). Seller Of "Compostable" Products Settles Deceptive Packaging Claims. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08. Retrieved 2012-10-18.