Chloe Zhang
General Foam Plastics was a blow mold manufacturing company that operated from 1957 to 2017. The company was headquartered in Virginia Beach and specialized in producing blow-molded plastic products such as lawn figures, Christmas trees, pools, ponds, and planters. Despite its success and expansion over the years, General Foam Plastics faced challenges competing with overseas manufacturing and ultimately closed in 2019 after failing to find a buyer. This paragraph introduces the topic by providing an overview of General Foam Plastics' history, operations, and eventual closure, setting the context for further discussion or analysis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Years of operation | 1957-2017 |
| Location | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Headquarters | Virginia Beach |
| Other factories | Tarboro, N.C., Mexico and China |
| Specialization | Blow-molded plastic lawn figures, Christmas trees, pools, ponds, and planters |
| Number of employees | 1500 |
| Revenue | $97.52 million (modelled sales figure) |
| Reason for closure | Inability to find a buyer and difficulty competing with overseas manufacturing |
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What You'll Learn
General Foam Plastics is now out of business
General Foam Plastics was founded in 1957 in Norfolk, Virginia, and over the years, it acquired several defunct blow mould companies, including Beco Products, Empire Plastics, and Poloron Products. At its peak, the company employed more than 1,000 people in its Norfolk facility and earned over $150 million in annual revenue.
However, in recent years, General Foam Plastics struggled to compete with overseas manufacturing. Despite efforts to find a buyer, the company was unable to secure a sale and eventually closed its doors in 2019. This decision came after several years of financial difficulties and a decline in sales.
The closure of General Foam Plastics resulted in layoffs for more than 100 employees in Norfolk and 30 in North Carolina. The company's former vice president of operations, Emit Stover, now manages the clearance of the remaining inventory, including discounted artificial Christmas trees and plastic-moulded holiday decorations.
While the manufacturing arm of General Foam Plastics is no longer operational, its legacy lives on through its products, which continue to be used and enjoyed by customers.
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The company made plastic holiday decorations and fake Christmas trees
General Foam Plastics was a plastic product manufacturing company that was in business from 1957 to 2017. The company was headquartered in Virginia Beach and had factories in Norfolk, VA, Tarboro, N.C., Mexico, and China.
General Foam Plastics specialized in manufacturing plastic holiday decorations, fake Christmas trees, and other plastic products such as kiddie pools, water pumps, and lawn figures. The company employed over 1,500 people across its locations and generated significant sales, with annual revenue exceeding $150 million at its peak.
The company's Norfolk factory, which opened in November 1963, played a significant role in producing Christmas trees and holiday decorations. However, in 2017, General Foam Plastics announced it was winding down its Norfolk and Tarboro operations. This decision came after the company struggled to compete with overseas manufacturing and was unable to find a buyer.
The closure of the Norfolk and Tarboro plants resulted in layoffs for over 100 employees in Norfolk and 30 in North Carolina. The loss of these jobs and the subsequent closure of the plants had a notable impact, as highlighted by Troy Lewis, Tarboro's town manager, who expressed regret over losing the associated tax base and income for the citizens.
General Foam Plastics' inability to find a buyer and the subsequent closure of its operations bring an end to a company that had been a significant player in the plastic product manufacturing industry for decades.
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It was headquartered in Virginia Beach
General Foam Plastics was headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the United States. The company was a manufacturer of plastics products, including blow-moulded plastic lawn figures, Christmas trees, pools, ponds, and planters.
The company was founded in 1957 in Norfolk, Virginia, and operated until 2017. Over the years, General Foam Plastics acquired several defunct blow mould companies, including Beco Products, Empire Plastics, and Poloron Products.
At its peak, the company employed more than 1,000 people in its Norfolk facility and generated over $150 million in annual revenue. However, in its final years, it struggled to compete with overseas manufacturing.
General Foam Plastics had a brick factory in Norfolk that opened in November 1963, as well as additional factories in Tarboro, North Carolina, Mexico, and China. The company's presence in Virginia Beach, however, served as its headquarters and central hub for operations.
Unfortunately, despite its long history and significant contributions to the plastics industry, General Foam Plastics was unable to find a buyer and ultimately closed its doors in 2019.
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It was founded in 1957 and ran until 2017
General Foam Plastics was a blow mould manufacturing company that was founded in 1957 and ran until 2017. The company was headquartered in Virginia Beach, with a brick factory in Norfolk, Virginia, that opened in November 1963. It also had factories in Tarboro, North Carolina, Mexico, and China.
General Foam Plastics specialised in manufacturing blow-moulded plastic lawn figures, Christmas trees, pools, ponds, and planters. The company acquired several defunct blow mould companies throughout its run, including Beco Products, Empire Plastics, and Poloron Products.
In 2015, the state of North Carolina and the Golden Leaf Foundation invested a total of $1 million in the town of Tarboro's infrastructure to facilitate General Foam's expansion. The company contributed $2.3 million towards new machinery and equipment and hired 100 full-time workers.
However, in August 2017, General Foam Plastics announced it was closing its Tarboro plant, resulting in layoffs for all 215 employees. The company cited no reason for the shuttering of the plant, and it is unclear if this event directly led to the company's demise. By 2019, General Foam Plastics was out of business, unable to find a buyer and struggling to compete with overseas manufacturing. The company wound down its Norfolk and Tarboro operations, laying off over 100 employees in total.
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The company had over 1,000 employees at its peak
General Foam Plastics was a blow mold manufacturing company that operated from 1957 to 2017. The company was headquartered in Virginia Beach and had a brick factory in Norfolk, Virginia, that had been open since November 1963. In addition, it had factories in Tarboro, North Carolina, Mexico, and China.
At its peak, General Foam employed more than 1,000 people in its Norfolk facility alone. The company's president and CEO, William Arnold, stated that at its height, the business earned over $150 million in annual revenue.
In 2017, the company decided to close its Tarboro plant, resulting in layoffs for all 215 employees. This decision came after large investments in the town's infrastructure in 2015, which were made based on General Foam's expansion plans. The state and the Golden Leaf Foundation provided a total of $1 million towards a utility upgrade, with the company investing $2.3 million in machinery and equipment and hiring 100 full-time workers.
Despite these efforts, General Foam Plastics struggled to compete with overseas manufacturing and eventually closed in 2019 after failing to find a buyer. In its final years, the company warned of potential layoffs for over 100 employees in Norfolk and 30 in North Carolina if the business was not sold. This unfortunate outcome highlights the challenges faced by domestic manufacturing industries in the face of global competition.
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Frequently asked questions
No, General Foam Plastics is no longer in business.
The company closed down in 2019 after failing to find a buyer.
They specialised in making blow-moulded plastic lawn figures, Christmas trees, pools, ponds, and planters.
The company was headquartered in Virginia Beach with a factory in Norfolk, and other factories in Tarboro, N.C., Mexico, and China.
At its peak, the company employed over 1,000 people in its Norfolk facility alone and earned more than $150 million in annual revenue.
