Greene Plastics Corp
Encyclopedia
Greene Plastics Corporation is an employee-owned company located in Hope Valley, Rhode Island
. The main office, manufacturing facility, engineering, design and shipping warehouse are located in a facility in the village of Canonchet.
The current headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located in a complex of buildings added over the years to the Ashville Mill, an historic textile mill dating back to 1848. In 1990 a facility was constructed for warehouseing, shipping/receiving and the design department.
In the early years, the thermoformed beads were sold primarily to the fashion jewelry industry, for which Rhode Island
had been a major manufacturing center. Later injection molding
enabled the creation of many styles and colors of beads. Compression molding
was also used, and the results were beads and related items such as cabochons formed of extremely hard compounds that simulated costly semi-precious materials.
In the 1970s, a "do-it-yourself” handicrafts division was developed under the name THE BEADERY. Some of the products developed under this brand name are beaded holiday ornament kits, bead jewelry kits, plastic mosaic pieces, bead boxes filled with craft and jewelry beads and supplies and beaded banner kits.
In recent years, due to market demand and consolidating of suppliers by customers, Greene Plastics has started importing items that round out the product lines. Some imported materials include glass, wood, stone and bone beads; wire, hemp, leather and various other cords; jewelry findings and crafting and jewelry making tools.
Expansion into other markets, such as the toy industry, has been ongoing with the design of activity sets and the Beads-n-Beams construction system.
Hope Valley, Rhode Island
Hope Valley is a village and census-designated place in the town of Hopkinton in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,649 at the 2000 census...
. The main office, manufacturing facility, engineering, design and shipping warehouse are located in a facility in the village of Canonchet.
History
The company was founded in 1932 by Oliver Watson Greene, and was originally located in Wakefield, RI. In the 1950s, after being purchased by William White, the company was relocated to its current location in Hope Valley, RI. In 1985 it was sold to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) trust. Now profits and shares of the company are allocated to the employees as retirement accounts.The current headquarters and manufacturing facilities are located in a complex of buildings added over the years to the Ashville Mill, an historic textile mill dating back to 1848. In 1990 a facility was constructed for warehouseing, shipping/receiving and the design department.
In the early years, the thermoformed beads were sold primarily to the fashion jewelry industry, for which Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
had been a major manufacturing center. Later injection molding
Injection molding
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials. Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity...
enabled the creation of many styles and colors of beads. Compression molding
Compression molding
Compression molding is a method of molding in which the molding material, generally preheated, is first placed in an open, heated mold cavity. The mold is closed with a top force or plug member, pressure is applied to force the material into contact with all mold areas, while heat and pressure are...
was also used, and the results were beads and related items such as cabochons formed of extremely hard compounds that simulated costly semi-precious materials.
In the 1970s, a "do-it-yourself” handicrafts division was developed under the name THE BEADERY. Some of the products developed under this brand name are beaded holiday ornament kits, bead jewelry kits, plastic mosaic pieces, bead boxes filled with craft and jewelry beads and supplies and beaded banner kits.
In recent years, due to market demand and consolidating of suppliers by customers, Greene Plastics has started importing items that round out the product lines. Some imported materials include glass, wood, stone and bone beads; wire, hemp, leather and various other cords; jewelry findings and crafting and jewelry making tools.
Expansion into other markets, such as the toy industry, has been ongoing with the design of activity sets and the Beads-n-Beams construction system.