November 13, 2007

Monarch Plastics Completes Expansion

Monarch Plastics, Inc.(MPI) recently completed a 39,000 SF expansion to its facility; 35,000 to its production space and 4,000 SF of office space. The addition will allow them the space to introduce new technologies and reallocate equipment as well as house additional decoration machinery. The addition, built by Bukacek Construction and designed by Partners in Design, brings the total square footage of its building to over 169,000 SF. KABA participated in the construction loan, lending the company $800,000 in 2006. They held a reception to celebrate its completion on November 15, 2007 (pictured is KABA President Todd Battle at the reception).

MPI is primarily a 'custom' blow molder catering to the personal care, home care, automotive, food and the pharmaceutical industries. Their recently completed expansion will allow it to diversify its capabilities even further.

MPI is part of a privately-held family owned and managed organization called The Mehta Group. After being "expelled" from Uganda in 1972 by the dictator Idi Amin when the majority of the Group's assets were confiscated, the Group bought a small blow molding operation in Ontario, Canada by the name of Monarch Plastics Limited. MPI developed a key customer base that included S.C. Johnson & Sons Inc. in Racine.

To be closer in proximity to its key customer, in 1982 MPI moved to its current location on 65th Street in Kenosha, purchasing a 65,000 SF building from the Brass Company. MPI has since expanded the facility three times, increasing employment from 12 people in 1983 to over 100 employees today.

MPI, a certified minority business enterprise, has won numerous quality and service recognition awards from customers including the 12th "Partners in Quality" award from Johnson Wax. The company also received the Kenosha Area Business Alliance/Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Impact Award at the Annual Business Awards Dinner on November 8, 2007. The combined program recognizes companies and individuals that have had a positive impact on Kenosha County and its economic development.