30 Year Anniversary Announcement
1 December 2017
El Cajon, CA – Dec. 1st, 2017 – Thirty years seems both long ago and like yesterday to San Diego native Sandy Brock. Way back in 1987, President Reagan was finishing his second term, Baby Jessica was rescued from a well, and the ‘Black Monday’ stock crash devastated markets worldwide.
Considering historically high interest rates, 1987 probably wasn’t a good year for Brock to start a new business — especially in her male-dominated field. But opening First Class Packaging is exactly what the single mom and polio survivor did. And now Brock is inviting the public to join her to celebrate her company’s 30th Anniversary:
When: Friday, Dec. 15th from 11 am to 2 pm
Where: 280 Cypress Lane, El Cajon, CA
What: Tours, video and refreshments
“What we accomplished wasn’t easy,” Brock recalls, “but so many people were supportive and encouraging.” Today Brock’s company has grown to more than 40 employees and is located in a 44,200 square-foot manufacturing plant near Gillespie Field.
Annual revenue will top $6 million this year with a solid customer base of more than 100 companies – some with her since the early days. Conservatively Brock estimates First Class Packaging has provided industrial packaging for hundreds of thousands of items ranging in size from tiny Honeywell SD Cards to a 37-foot General Atomics drone wing. Her favorite challenge ever was to protect the engine housing of a Boeing 777 for shipping. One of her most unique requests was packaging up an entire lab at UCSD for a move.
Brock constantly seeks innovative solutions to protect her clients’ products during shipping. The cost of just one of her current tools today is more than triple her entire 1987 operating budget. Brock also proudly points out that all her materials are made in the USA and always have been.Over its 30-year history, the El Cajon-based company’s efforts have earned loyal customers, long-term suppliers, and impressive honors including a Cubic Defense Applications Key Supplier Award, City of El Cajon Manufacturing Award and General Atomics Award for Supplier Excellence. GKN Aerospace Chem-tronics even recognized First Class Packaging as its Small Business of the Year.Always committed to maintaining high standards, First Class Packaging was just notified it has again earned the prestigious ISO9001 certification for quality control, business efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Other recognition and certifications includes:
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Presidential Citation: the national Evan Kemp Entrepreneurship Award presented to an individual with a disability who has demonstrated exemplary skills, energy, leadership, initiative and courage necessary to establish a business.
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YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry TWIN Award
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San Diego Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award
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Certifications as a Woman-Owned Business and Disability-Owned Business Enterprise.
How did Sandy Brock succeed in a country where Bloomberg News estimates 80% of new businesses fail in the first 18 months? She says focus. Never letting someone tell her she ‘can’t’ and trying again and again if something didn’t work. Also a constant commitment to service. Hiring good people. Caring about them like family. Seeking new solutions and keeping costs down.
“I’ve always been adamant that First Class Packaging provide first-class service, innovative design solutions and quality products at a competitive price. These attributes remain the foundation of the company 30 years later!” Brock said.
About First Class Packaging
Since its founding in 1987, First Class Packaging has provided customized packaging solutions for businesses large and small throughout the United States, Egypt and the Philippines. Based in El Cajon, CA, the certified ISO9000:2015, Woman-Owned, Disability-Owned business remains committed to being First in Quality and First in Service. To learn more about First Class Packaging or to request a quote, visit https://www.larsonpkg.com/locations/pelican-cases-in-el-cajon, call 619-579-7166, or email [email protected].
» Read More First Class Packaging was acquired by Larson Packaging Company in July of 2020