Larson Packaging Company (LPC), is pleased to announce it has acquired First Class Packaging (FCP), Inc. of El Cajon, California. The two companies have been working on this transaction since last year to enable the retirement of FCP principal, Sandy Brock. The FCP team will remain in place and continue to operate under the new ownership of Larson Packaging Holdings, Inc., and will do business as both First Class Packaging and Larson Packaging Company.

MILPITAS, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Larson Packaging Company is pleased to announce that its Quality Management System (QMS) has been certified to the ISO9001:2015 standard by TÜV SÜD America Inc., a global provider of auditing and certification services, and an ANAB accredited certification body.

Several Larson Packaging Company (LPC) leaders attended the inaugural American Society for Quality (ASQ) conference in Fremont CA on October 8. LPC became involved with ASQ through a key customer who is an ASQ local leader and helping LPC on their quality journey and ISO 9000 certification by the end of the year.

Larson Packaging Company (LPC) is pleased to announce that Ariana Spencer has been promoted to design manager. This is a new role created with the expansion of our packaging design center and engineering team. Ariana has been instrumental in the growth of LPC's foam fabrication, bringing structure to the design process, and fostering design for manufacturing: creating a seamless integration between design and manufacturing.

Larson Packaging Company is pleased to announce that today Ray Horner has joined us as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Horner has over 25 years of executive experience in the crating and packing industry, working with global customers in North America, Asia and Europe. Ray has a background in multiple end-user markets including semi-conductor, entertainment, medical device, aerospace, and power generation.  He holds a BS in Business Management and a certificate from SMTP (School of Military Packaging Technology) from Aberdeen, Maryland. Ray is both a six sigma Green Belt, and a certified professional in Lean Management.
Larson Packaging Company (LPC) is a leading Bay Area packaging manufacturer and service provider specializing in Custom Industrial Packaging for mission-critical, high-value and sensitive equipment. LPC works with customers as a partner and an extension of their teams, ensuring that their packaging is reliable, cost-effective, and reflects the quality of their brands. We call that: Smart. Packaging. Fast.

To better serve our core customers--and once again demonstrating customer partnership, flexibility and growth--LPC has established a new, company-owned manufacting facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Production began January 15, 2018 with a focus on building world-class rack crates and providing related services. Demonstrating commitment to the local area, LPC and its affiliates acquired 5.5 acres and three buildings that were once part of the former Trex facility. "We are taking care of our biggest customer and their facility in Mississippi and will be providing them with the same great products and services that has made us so successful in the Bay Area.", says CEO Mark Hoffman

LPC just bought and installed a new 35 cu yd self contained trash compactor. “This has allowed us to more efficiently utilize our assets as well as process and contain trash such as EPS, PE, and PP foam scraps that cannot be recycled. This will reduce the number of roll-off containers we have to bring in to handle our waste.” reports Greg Wayman, Facilities Manager. “We continue to focus on continuous improvement and lean manufacturing, and what we’ve been able to achieve with our facilities transformation has been instrumental to work smoothly and professionally.”

Larson Packaging Company is pleased to announce that Ariana Loijos Spencer has joined the company as Senior Packaging Engineer. Ariana brings a wide range of expertise and new capabilities to the LPC design team, particularly in custom foam. Previously a structural packaging designer at Veritiv Corporation, Ariana has designed industrial packaging using a variety of packaging substrates such as foam, wood, corrugated, and others. At LPC, Ariana will use her experience and expertise to enhance the success of the design department in areas such as foam assemblies, ATA case design, and crate design. Ariana has a BA from UC Santa Cruz and a MS in Packaging from San Jose State. According to Ariana, "I am excited to work on projects that have a direct impact on the Company and my customers and in a manufacturing environment where I can see them come to fruition. I am here to develop and grow a foam fabrication business and the team and our capabilities are second to none!" Adds Manny Perez, teammate and current Design Engineer “Ariana is a great addition to the team and we look forward to collaborating on foam packaging projects as well as getting her involved with crates and ATA cases.”

At LPC, we are always looking for ways to reduce our footprint on the environment, not only by reducing waste, but also by recycling whenever possible.  LPC was a pioneer in recycling in the Silicon Valley early on acquiring a wood shredder to recycle pallets, mill trim ends, wood, and sawdust.  The program was awarded several WRAP awards and was an early participant in Sierra PIne's urban waste pilot program to make particle board. Virtually all non-product waste at LPC is now recycled back into efficient waste streams. LPC has invested in a larger capacity Cresswood grinder and nails are removed from used pallets magnetically and recycled with other steel and aluminum. Packaging scrap plastic and corrugated are baled and recycled.  In October, 2017 LPC acquired an Avangard foam densifier that can reduce the footprint of EPS and PE foams 90:1 and turn it into bricks of plastic for reuse.  We endeavor to recycle any unused packaging substrate or component. “Our recycling efforts are a great way to reduce the footprint of materials on site and our customers appreciate that we are diverting waste away from landfills and into productive markets,” says Greg Wayman facilities manager.

Larson Packaging Company is finishing major improvements to its Milpitas California manufacturing plant. The $1.5+M expansion includes 3 new covered canopies, a new warehouse and two loading docks as well as repaving and adding new stormwater treatment and ADA pathways. Overall, the Company has about doubled its covered  manufacturing space, improved workflow, and vastly improved receiving and shipping for internal purposes and to customers' benefit. The warehouse creates a new environment for storing finished goods as well as raw materials, staging for shipping, and for a much cleaner and secure environment for in-house pack jobs. But mostly, the expansion has allowed the Company to dedicate more space to its growing rack crate business and to bring in new foam fabrication equipment to develop this important aspect of customer's industrial packaging.Additionally solar power and and new LED lighting for the factory floor have been installed. “The expansion and improvements have really improved our workflow and helped us get more lean. We have more and better manufacturing space, work more efficiently, and load and unload both our and customers’ trucks much easier and faster,” reports Plant Manager Abraham Esquivel.