bake - November/December 2022 - 8

technical corner
A Beneficial TRANSITION
Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company, or MFG Tray, headquartered
in Linesville, Pa., is the leading manufacturer of high-strength,
glass-reinforced composite containers, trays, boxes, flats, and
totes. MFG Tray containers support businesses serious about
material handling in the metalworking, plastics, electronics, food
service, confectionery, farming, and pharmaceutical industries.
MFG Tray is one of the 10 entities within the Molded Fiber
Glass Companies (MFG). After 74 years of private ownership, the
Morrison family sold 100% of its shares to the MFG Employee
Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transitioning it to a 100% employee-owned
company - an exciting move for the employees and a
beneficial move for the local economy.
Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG) was founded in 1948 by
entrepreneur Robert S. Morrison (1909-2002) and has grown to
be one of the largest local employers in the area. MFG has prided
itself on being an innovative, family-owned enterprise spanning
four generations of the Morrison family for the past seven
decades. When they opened their doors, a small creative team
worked diligently to figure out the best way to mass-produce
the first polyester resin and fiberglass products.
In 1953 MFG was selected to manufacture fiberglass body
parts for the new Chevrolet Corvette.
This move put MFG on the map as a significant player in the
market and launched a sequence of other " firsts " - including
the creation of the first fiberglass boats, high-volume truck and
tractor parts, bakery trays, concrete forms, and satellite dishes,
to name a few. These early successes allowed MFG to spin off
specialized divisions, like MFG Tray, to support the ever-growing
popularity and demand for fiberglass.
" It's not common knowledge that fiberglass containers outperform
and outlast plastic, metal, and wood containers or that
fiberglass containers integrate seamlessly into existing mate08
< NOV-DEC 2022 | bakemag.com
rial handling operations, " says Celena Davis, MFG Tray's general
sales manager. " The material matters in material handling' isn't
just our tagline - it's an anthem. Our team takes great pride in
arming our clients with a new lineup of containers, knowing it
will immediately up their game and let them kick the competition
to the curb. "
More than 70 years after MFG Tray opened its doors, the enduring
entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to customer satisfaction,
and integrity in business that Robert Morrison reinforced in
the very fiber of the products he created lives on through MFG
Tray's dedicated employees.
The change in share ownership from Morrison family members
to the ESOP does not change contractual relationships or business
operations but rather benefits and rewards the entire team
directly dedicated to producing the highest quality fiberglass
products in the market. John Thompson, MFG Tray's president
and general manager, noted that any discussion on the transition
to an ESOP must first begin with a heartfelt expression of
gratitude:
" Our team is incredibly grateful for the Morrison, Warner, and
Raffa families' support over the past seven decades. Under their
ownership, MFG Tray teammates became a part of their extended
family - a rare thing in today's competitive business world.
We sincerely appreciate all they have done for our operation,
and we wish them a blessed future. Looking ahead, we are excited
to begin the transition to an ESOP and for its potential. Robert
Morrison wove spirit, commitment, and integrity into MFG
and now it is up to us to keep those principles in the forefront.
Fortunately, we have the best team in the industry. They are not
only ready for the challenge but talented enough to grow and
expand MFG Tray's operations and footprint for generations to
come. "
MFG TRAY
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bake - November/December 2022

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