History
Phillips Plastics Corporation’s success story began in 1964 in a northern Wisconsin creamery, when co-founders Robert Cervenka and Louie Vokurka had a vision for a plastic injection molding company. This vision, along with a press dubbed “Lester” and a handful of people, helped create what has become one of the largest and most respected manufacturing companies in the country. Today, Phillips is a manufacturing partner of choice to some of the largest and most respected original equipment manufacturers (OEM’s) worldwide, boasting annual sales of over $275 million, employing 1,500 people in 14 locations, occupying over 718,000 square feet.
Timeline
1964
- Robert Cervenka and Louie Vokurka establish Phillips Plastics Corporation in Phillips, Wisconsin on October 20, 1964, with the first production run dedicated to the manufacture of white plastic calendar frames
1965
- Annual sales reach $250,000
1966
- Phillips is hired to produce thousands of Batman action figures for the promotion of the Adam West-Burt Ward television series
1967
- Ground is broken for the 12,000 square foot, original Custom facility in Phillips, Wisconsin where 30 people work producing control knobs for automobiles, dishwashers, fans, dehumidifiers, and dryers
1969
- Annual sales increase to $500,000
1973
- Precision Decorating opens in Medford, Wisconsin – the first expansion outside of the corporate hometown – providing full-service design, manufacture, decoration, and assembly of high volume, injection molded components. This facility later becomes known as Phillips Automotive.
- Annual sales exceed $5 million
1979
- Phillips opens an engineered Fastener facility in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
1983
- The Design Development Center opens in Hudson, Wisconsin, specializing in part design and development, design evaluation, prototype tooling and molding, and model making
1984
- Annual sales rise to $26 million
1985
- Multi-Shot opens in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, concentrating on multiple-shot injection, and plastic-to-plastic and plastic-to-metal insert molding
- Operations expand to the eastern half of Wisconsin with the acquisition of Graphic Technologies in Fredonia, Wisconsin – producing decorative overlays, formed appliqués and trim using screen-printing and die-cutting processes
1986
- A second engineered Fastener facility opens in Prescott, Wisconsin
1987
- Corporate Center opens in Phillips, Wisconsin, to support the company’s banking, finance, and legal services
- A second manufacturing facility opens in Eau Claire to provide molding, finishing, sub-assembly, complete product assembly and testing
- Technology Center opens in Prescott, Wisconsin - perched high on the cliffs above the river, the facility concentrates on examining new products and process opportunities, and evaluating, designing, and building automation systems and components
1988
- Annual sales reach $70 million
1989
- Phillips ranks 69th in the list of top 100 Wisconsin privately owned companies
1990
- Short Run opens in New Richmond, Wisconsin, focusing on low-volume manufacturing
1992
- Annual sales increase to $100 million
- Phillips first dedicated medical plant opens in a 20,000 square foot leased facility in Menomonie, Wisconsin
1994
- Phillips Plastics receives the C. L. Greiber Award for Merit for outstanding contribution to vocational education in Wisconsin
1995
- Origen® Center opens in Menomonie, Wisconsin, to support training, new business incubation, and advanced manufacturing capabilities
1996
- Metal Injection Molding opens in Menomonie, Wisconsin, specializing in metal injection molding technology to produce complex metal components
- Another Design Development Center opens in Santa Clara, California providing design, prototyping, and program management services
1997
- Annual sales climb to $150 million
1998
- Medical Molding and Assembly opens in Menomonie, Wisconsin, focusing on high-volume medical device molding and assembly
- Magnesium Injection Molding opens in Menomonie, Wisconsin, concentrating on manufacturing parts that are higher quality than die-cast magnesium
2000
- Custom facility operations move into a new, state-of-the-art building in Phillips, Wisconsin, to provide services for medium to high volume injection molded components and assemblies
- Annual sales top $216 million
- Phillips employs 2000 people
2004
- Phillips Plastics Corporation celebrates 40 years of custom injection molding
2005
- Magnesium Injection Molding moves to a new location in Eau Claire
- Micro Molding begins in Menomonie, creating part sizes no larger than .150” x .150” x .150” (3.81mm x 3.81mm x 3.81mm)
- Phillips employs over 1600 people
2007
- Phillips is the first company to receive Eli Lilly’s ‘Supplier Relationship Management’ award
- Recipient of the 2007 Excellent Supplier Award from the American Purchasing Society
2008
- Receives "Partner Level Status” the highest rating a supplier can achieve, from John Deere for the seventh consecutive year
- Phillips Medical’s 30,000 square foot expansion is complete
2009
- Annual sales reach $230 million
