Hedstrom opens its doors at new Ashland facility
For the first time, outsiders en masse were admitted entrance into the purple and chartreuse building off Baney Road.
Hedstrom Plastics, a rotational molding business that manufactures exercise balls and marine supplies, on Friday opened the doors at its new facility -- the former Walmart -- to customers, suppliers and local officials, inviting those directly involved in the company's operations to get a first glance at the revamped space.
"It's fantastic," said Richard Kenney, regional sales manager of M&L Trucking Services in Rocky River. "I think the things they've done in the community in relocating here ... I think it's good for the area"
Kenney, who works in the transportation industry, said the new site improves Hedstrom's accessibility.
Guests like Kenney were given tours of both the Hedstrom Plastics site and the Hedstrom Entertainment site -- the former JCPenney -- by employees, each of whom explained their own work area.
"I've had fun with it," Jerred Copen, quality assurance manager and three-year employee, said of the tours.
Copen, who's worked in the rotational molding business for 12 years, said he felt comfortable explaining the different processes to visitors.
Mike Kelly, Hedstrom Plastics CFO, said company management decided to have employees run the tours to ensure the company effectively communicated all the work that it does.
"It's been quite an undertaking since November of last year," said Pete Franz, maintenance manager and 17-year employee. "None of our customers knew this was going on."
During renovation, Hedstrom rebuilt machines it had purchased from other rotational molders that went out of business and installed those at the new facility. Using those machines, the company was able to avoid any downtime on production.
"They thought it out. They did it right," said Barry Loment of A. Schulman in Fort Wayne, Ind., a company that sells raw materials to Hedstrom.
Hedstrom, which is a subsidiary of parent company Ball, Bounce and Sport Inc., in November 2009 announced plans to consolidate its offices and manufacturing facilities in Hedstrom Park -- what used to be called Ashland Square Plaza. For $1.4 million, the company purchased 29 acres -- the plaza and adjacent land -- giving it space to expand.
Hedstrom Corp. was founded in 1915 as a bicycle manufacturer and in 1981 acquired its Ashland operations, which previously were part of Eagle Rubber Co. The corporation in 2004 declared bankruptcy and closed its facilities before former employees and investors purchased the company.
Ashland Square Plaza was built in 1990 and previously was home to Walmart, JCPenney and Food Town. This article is reprinted by permission of the publisher of the Ashland Times Gazette October, 2010.
By GINGER CHRIST T-G Staff Writer
