Not many women run a color concentrates business, so Primary Colors Inc. President Judy Mickelson is emphasizing that fact to try to gain more business as a minority-owned supplier.
The company gained certification from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council last month and is looking to tell large companies that certification can help diversify its supplier base. Primary Colors has added a person to work on research and development and is looking to showcase its new building.
WBENC is a nonprofit organization that is an advocate of women-owned business. It offers a national certification program that Mickelson said looked over its finances and made an on-site visit.
``I'm hoping it might open some doors,'' said Mickelson, who started Primary Colors 11 years ago. The company does a lot of work for packaging and cosmetics customers.
Primary Colors moved from Westborough, Mass., to a 32,000-square-foot facility in North Grafton, Mass., in July 2004. In the spring, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The company has 20 employees.
``We had rented space, but now we have been able to set up things so that it flows and it's been much more efficient. It's been a big morale booster for our employees,'' she said.
The company does color and color matching, concentrates and masterbatches, as well flame-retardant compounds. It works with a variety of plastics, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane and ABS.
``I think that we are unique. I don't think there are too many other women-owned color concentrate companies around,'' she said.
Primary Colors had about $4.5 million in sales last year and is looking to top that this year.
