Fineline Settings Inc. a provider of food service packaging for catering, is adding U.S. manufacturing with the acquisition of Leominster, Mass.-based injection molder and thermoformer Innovative Designs.
Fineline announced July 14 that it has a definitive agreement to buy Innovative Designs, effective Aug. 1. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Middletown, N.Y.-based Fineline has been importing product, but was looking to add domestic production.
“They have an extensive line of green products that use 40 percent recycled plastics, which is great for the environment. Until now we didn't have a green line, so we are excited about that product line,” said Abraham Feig, CEO of Fineline Settings.
He said Fineline, which started in January 2010, has been successful in providing a full line of upscale disposable tableware and cater-ware, while Innovative Designs has concentrated on the catering industry. ID makes platters, trays, bowls, lids and utensils.
“Hopefully, this will take us to another level,” said Feig, noting that Fineline hopes to take advantage of ID's manufacturing expertise.
Leonard Tocci, who is 74 and founder of Innovative Designs, has 53 years of experience in the plastics housewares industry. He is excited about the new combination, which he said puts together companies that “fit like a glove.”
“I didn't have an exit strategy. My children didn't want to get involved. So, if something happened, I wanted to give the company legs to stand on,” he said.
Tocci said that this will allow him to stay on a few years and continue to deal with the Leominster and Fitchburg subcontractors that he's dealt with over the years. He will serve as liaison to the U.S. manufacturing, as well as an adviser.
He got his start in 1963, working for his father Felo Tocci who owned Tucker Housewares. He also worked with family members at American Hanger and Tamor Plastics Corp., both of which they sold. He had been the president and CEO at Tamor.
“I was retired for all of two or three months, but then I came out of the bullpen,” he said.
He started Innovative Designs in October 1998. In 2008 he started its Green Line products, made from up to 40 recycled polystyrene and polypropylene.
Fineline, according to Director of Marketing Sol Kornfeld, has 130,000 square feet of warehousing, plus office space, at its headquarters in Middletown. It also has about 100,000 square feet of warehouse space in Ontario, Calif.
Kornfeld said Fineline currently offers about 1,000 products and it creates about 70 new items per year.
