2021 Best Places to Work: ePlastics

ePlastics, a Ridout Plastics Co., was founded in 1914 as Rench Co. and originally sold plastic numbers and letters from cellulose plastic and white plastic numbers used in grocery store queues.

The Ridout family purchased and renamed the company in the 1950s, then the Rabins purchased it in 1967. In 2015, it was named ePlastics as it expanded into new territories.

"ePlastics is a full-service plastic distributor and fabrication company serving customers throughout the United States and around the world," said the company, with 49 employees. "With over 100 years of experience in the plastics industry, ePlastics is a one-of-a-kind plastic supply store for businesses of any size."

San Diego-based ePlastics lands at No. 7 on Plastics News' Best Places to Work 2021 list for suppliers.

ePlastics has a display called the Wall of Fame, where employee plaques are highlighted signifying years with the company. Team members who go above and beyond their regular job duties are presented with gift certificates for a job well done.

In terms of advancing career paths at ePlastics, it offers employee mentoring, job shadowing and cross-training. Employee performance reviews are conducted once per year.

Employees are allotted 10 vacation days and five sick days after one year with the company, and they can trade time off for pay. ePlastics offers seven paid holidays per year.

Employees can begin contributing to the retirement plan after 90 days of employment, and ePlastics matches employee contributions. There are annual bonuses and profit-sharing as well.

To promote a healthy work-life balance, ePlastics keeps meetings and staff events during work hours only, incentives and paid time off when overnight travel is required, and no/minimum overtime.

Activities to spread joy and relieve stress include a Halloween costume contest, annual Christmas party with bonuses and ugly sweater contest, and company-sponsored food trucks for lunch.

When the pandemic hit, ePlastics got to work to ensure the health and safety of its employees. It provided personal protective equipment to employees and customers, added plastic barriers in the showroom and office areas and required social distancing between employees and customers. The showroom and will-call area was closed at some points last year. Some employees were able to work from home, and others could adjust their schedules.

Scott Davis, warehouse manager, said he's most proud of the company's "resiliency."

Rolando Walker, industrial sales representative, said the company pulled itself together thanks to its employees.

"ePlastics is a best place to work in the industry because we value our employees and work together as a team," the company said. "Employees are given autonomy in decision-making and the freedom to do their jobs with minimal interference. We provide incentives in the form of commissions, profit-sharing bonuses and fun events for employees to participate."

ePlastics has made the PN Best Places to Work list since 2016.