MFG Tray–Now Employee Owned

Posted on October 7, 2022

Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company, or MFG Tray, headquartered in Linesville, PA, is the leading manufacturer of high-strength, glass-reinforced composite containers, trays, boxes, flats, and totes. MFG Tray containers support businesses serious about material handling in the metalworking, plastics, electronics, food service, confectionery, farming, and pharmaceutical industries. MFG Tray is one of the ten entities within the Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG). After 74 years of private ownership, the Morrison family sold 100% of its shares to the MFG Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), transitioning it to a 100% employee-owned company–an exciting move for the employees and a beneficial move for the local economy.

Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG) was founded in 1948 by entrepreneur Robert S. Morrison (1909–2002) and has grown to be one of the largest local employers in the area. MFG has prided itself on being an innovative, family-owned enterprise spanning four generations of the Morrison family for the past seven decades. When they opened their doors, a small creative team worked diligently to figure out the best way to mass-produce the first polyester resin and fiberglass products. In 1953 MFG was selected to manufacture fiberglass body parts for the new Chevrolet Corvette. This move put MFG on the map as a significant player in the market and launched a sequence of other “firsts”–including the creation of the first fiberglass boats, high-volume truck and tractor parts, bakery trays, concrete forms, and satellite dishes, to name a few. These early successes allowed MFG to spin off specialized divisions, like MFG Tray, to support the ever-growing popularity and demand for fiberglass.

“It’s not common knowledge that fiberglass containers outperform and outlast plastic, metal, and wood containers or that fiberglass containers integrate seamlessly into existing material handling operations,” said Celena Davis, MFG Tray’s General Sales Manager. “‘The material matters in material handling’ isn’t just our tagline–it’s an anthem. Our team takes great pride in arming our clients with a new lineup of containers, knowing it will immediately up their game and let them kick the competition to the curb.”

More than 70 years after MFG Tray opened its doors, the enduring entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to customer satisfaction, and integrity in business that Robert Morrison reinforced in the very fiber of the products he created–lives on through MFG Tray’s dedicated employees. The change in share ownership from Morrison family members to the ESOP does not change contractual relationships or business operations but rather benefits and rewards the entire team directly dedicated to producing the highest quality fiberglass products in the market. John Thompson, MFG Tray’s President & General Manager, noted that any discussion on the transition to an ESOP must first begin with a heartfelt expression of gratitude:

“Our team is incredibly grateful for the Morrison, Warner, and Raffa families’ support over the past seven decades. Under their ownership, MFG Tray teammates became a part of their extended family–a rare thing in today’s competitive business world. We sincerely appreciate all they have done for our operation, and we wish them a blessed future. Looking ahead, we are excited to begin the transition to an ESOP and for its potential. Robert Morrison wove spirit, commitment, and integrity into MFG and now it is up to us to keep those principles in the forefront. Fortunately, we have the best team in the industry. They are not only ready for the challenge but talented enough to grow and expand MFG Tray’s operations and footprint for generations to come.”