A Rich History in Quality and Service
1897
1897
W.J. Bradford Paper Company Opens
W.J. Bradford opened a paper company on the South side of Chicago. It serves bakeries and candy makers (confectioners) with a product line he called “ConFex”. The company’s specialties included popcorn bags and candy boxes.
1924
1924
Bradford is Incorporated!
After the death of W.J. Bradford and the buyout of a former business partner, the W.J. Bradford Company is incorporated.
1924
Marion Emma Bradford Takes Over as President
The plant and offices move into a new and larger location on South Ashland Avenue. W.J. Bradford Jr. and John Schwab (brother-in-law) take charge of day-to-day management and have ownership interest. Marion Emma Bradford takes over as first president. The business adds wax coating lines. C.L. Bradford later joins the business in 1929.
1952
1952
Second Location Opens
A second location is added in Holland, Michigan. The new plant finds a market for cell dividers among the auto part makers, suppliers to the furniture industry, and other industrial companies in the boom years following World War II.
1970
1970
The Bradfords and Schwabs Agree to Separate
The Bradfords and Schwabs agree to split the business. The Bradfords retain the Holland facility, while the Schwabs retain the Chicago facility and form Schwab Paper Products.
1976
1976
New Plant in Holland, MI
A new plant is constructed on the north side of Holland (on what is now 40 acres), to replace a facility the Company has outgrown. Automation through computerization and new production equipment pave the way for growth.
1984
1984
New Name, New Focus
The company’s name is shortened from W.J. Bradford Paper Company to simply Bradford Company. The change is predicated by the growth of returnable/reusable packaging to replace one-way paperboard containers.
1984
Holland, MI Expands
The Holland production operation doubles in size.
1987
1991
1991
Gallatin, TN
As automotive production begins to appear in the Mid-South region, Bradford responds to customer needs by opening a facility in that corridor at Gallatin, Tennesee.
1991
Holland, MI Expands
The Company expands its operation in Holland by 50%.
1994
1995
1998
1998
Bradford de México Opens
Bradford de México expands Bradford’s ability to serve manufacturing centers in Mexico, providing custom returnable / reusable packaging, Work In Process, and one-way shipping solutions for automakers and their suppliers. BdM’s range of products includes steel racks, molded plastic containers of all sizes, custom fabricated totes, textiles and custom sewing solutions, and paper-based boxes and partitions. Along with manufacturing services, BdM offers an impressive Design Center and a certified package testing laboratory.
2003
2011
2011
Canadian Acquisition
Bradford Company is able to serve its main material handling customers seamlessly throughout North America with its acquisition of Crawford InnoPack. The company is ultimately renamed Bradford Canada.
2013
2016
2016
Purchased Tennessee Facility
Bradford expands into its current Tennessee facility. The move more than doubles available manufacturing space and enables an increased focus on the company’s Mid-South manufacturing process to better serve customers and meet growing demand.
2016
Bradford de México Expands
BdM builds new facility in Queretaro, MX, to meet the growing demand in the Bajio region and expands its manufacturing footprint for its material handling customers.
2017
2017
Completed ESOP Buyout
Bradford buys out ESOP to reward participants and aid in its corporate transition. Nearly 1/3 of the original ESOP participants were with the Company for all 30 years of its existence.
2019
2020
2020
Corrugated Partition Expansion
Bradford broadens its partition offerings to include fully assembled corrugated partitions.
2020
ACG Award
Bradford Company is announced as the 2020 Outstanding Growth Award winner, presented by the Western Michigan Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.
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2023
2023
2023
Partitions Plus Acquisition
The acquisition of Partitions Plus, of Findlay, OH, a corrugated partition manufacturer with an 80,000 square foot facility, accelerates Bradford’s growth in the corrugated partition market in the Midwest.
2023
Bradford de México Expands Again
Bradford de México expands into the Bajio Region in Central Mexico by acquiring a facility in Irapuato, MX.
2024
2024
2024
Bradford Expands East Michigan Operations Again
Bradford Company purchases a newer, larger facility in Wixom, MI. The building includes a state of the art customer center to support changes in the business world where many customers do not have desks. This space provides the opportunity for our customers who need to work on the go, while also attending reviews and sample buy-offs in person. The building also supports an expansion of welding and painting technologies and capabilities.