Bags Inc. celebrates 60 years, prepares for the next generation

Bags Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality polyethylene bags located in Oklahoma City, is celebrating 60 years of business. The company makes products for consumables like ice, bread, tortillas, potatoes and organic materials like potting soil and mulch.

"We are thankful to be in business for 60 years and certainly thankful for a steady customer base," said Scott Currie, vice president of Bags. "It shows our commitment to service, quality and response to our customers."

Over the years, Bags has been experiencing a steady growth, the company started in a garage and now employs 90 people and three eight color machines. The company is also registered with the Safe Quality Food initiative.

The company has also expanded into integrated system with extruding, printing and converting all in one facility.

The customer base has been ever changing since the beginning of the company, in the early stages or the company it primary focused on supplying to several local meat companies. While the business has continued to focus on food related products, they have expanded into other products.

"You have to be consistent," said Harry Currie, owner of Bags. "The more people use them; the more people like them and the more they want to use them again. There's a lot of competitors out there, it hasn't been easy, but this business is self-rewarding."

Bags is also celebrating 40 years of its sister company Poly Films Inc. in 1985 to supply quality film and plastics bags. Poly Films is on the same property as Bags.

Poly Films started with two production lines and is currently up to five production lines. It has production equipment for plastic bags, separators, printers and slitters.

Both companies were started by Harry and Joan Currie, and continue to be family owned as Currie's son, Scott Currie and Currie's son-in-law Kevin McGehee working in management positions.

"Scott and I have kind of grown up together. And I think it's kind of like more than just brother-in-law's," McGehee. "We both look at things maybe a little bit differently, but I think our heart is one."

By having multiple generations working at the company, Bags and Poly Film have a strong communication between companies leading to fast decisions being made and having a higher level of productivity.

McGehee sees a big positive of working with family as having each other's backs as the companies are striving for success. The three of them see each other as leaders and are willing to support each other.

The next generation is even getting started in the company, McGehee's and Currie's sons and son-in-laws are working for the company in sales and bookkeeping positions.

"We're teaching the same thing that we want to work for others and not ourselves," McGehee said. "I think it just falls into place, no one's building a kingdom around here, one of the biggest things is to work together.

There company has also faced slight challenges along the way regarding needing more equipment, expanding on space and finding more employees. These obstacles just come with the flow of a growing business and the company feels fortunate enough to be able to move forward.

Bags and Poly Film is looking forward to the future of the business within the third generations hands. As well as to continue to grow and expand the company for many more years to come.

"We'll hopefully transition to them, and they'll continue to grow and continue with a lot of the same philosophy that we have that got us to this point," Currie said.