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C-Line Products Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence
In Mount Prospect, IL, Jim Krumwiede has a lot to celebrate. The company his grandfather started in 1949 is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
It all began in 1949, when four manufacturers’ representatives in the office supply industry purchased a small manufacturing department and called it The Chicago Desk Pad Company. Elmer Krumwiede, the company’s founder, was an aggressive sales and marketing force for the company. Under his direction, the business began to flourish.
1953 brought Bob Krumwiede and another acquisition allowing the manufacture of sheet protectors, shop ticket holders and other plastic products. Growth necessitated a move to Harwood Heights, IL. In 1959, the company introduced one of its many signature products, the “Hello my name is” name badge, as an addition to its successful line of plastic name badge holders.
In 1966, the Chicago Desk Pad Company became C-Line Products, Inc., allowing for continued growth into other areas besides desk pads. “The 60’s and 70’s were a period of tremendous growth for us” comments Jim Krumwiede, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We added several new items and began to expand our warehousing and manufacturing capabilities”. That expansion included a new corporate office in Des Plaines, IL, a distribution facility in Hayward, California (now Sacramento), and a second manufacturing facility in Waco, Texas.
In 1980, another C-Line signature product made its debut - the first ever Polypropylene Top Loading Sheet Protector in the United States. Sales tripled during this decade as the company focused on providing superior customer service and enhanced product marketing. In the 1990’s, C-Line achieved its industry leadership position in customer service, with first order fill rates exceeding 99.8%.
“We take pride in our ability to meet our customer’s needs in a timely fashion” explains Jim Krumwiede. “We have one of the highest fill rates and quickest order processing times in the industry, and our customers appreciate the extra effort that we provide.” “It’s quite an accomplishment to be a player in the office products market for 60 years,” adds Jim. “Our customers know that C-Line has been in business for a long time and that we’ll continue to serve their needs into the future.”
More recent product innovations include the 2004 introduction of C-Line’s first Antimicrobial Protected Sheet Protector, and in 2008, the first Biodegradable Sheet Protector.
About C-Line
C-Line Products, Inc. has a 60-year reputation as a leading consumer products manufacturer of plastic storage and organization items for the office products industry. The company is headquartered in Mount Prospect, IL, and maintains distribution facilities in Sacramento, CA and Mount Prospect, IL. For more information on C-Line, contact Jean Andersen at (800) 323-6084 x3361 or visit http://www.c-lineproducts.com.
