Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | August 24, 2026 | wbjournal.com BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor I n the 1940s, first-generation Italian immigrant Emilio Parrella came up with an idea to save his employer a lot of money. Used to make products like tents and rain gear, manufacturer Stow- er Woodward's rubber rolls would sometimes develop imperfections, decreasing the quality of the final product. A self-taught chemist who took night courses, Parrella developed an innovative method to repair the rolls. Detailing the story eight decades later, Emilio's son Robert Parrella said his father's reward for his inno- vation was a measly $10 bonus, before taxes. Emilio's next big idea was a method of repairing the company's line of bowling balls, prone to damage from the then-new invention of automatic pinsetters. Learning from his prior experi- ence, Emilio kept this idea to himself. He le Stowe Woodward to form E. Parrella Co. Inc., better known now as EPCO. Today, the company and its sister firm Paramount Industries are op- erated by Emilio's three sons, Robert, Richard, and John Parrella, all three of whom are in their 80s. All these years later, they collective- ly stand alone as the top producer of candlepin bowling balls and accesso- ries. ey have gradually diversified their products, producing perfectly round spheres of various shapes and sizes, used in everything from nuclear submarines to children's games. In a world where just about any- thing can be outsourced to China, the Parrella key to success is quality over quantity, said Robert, president and CEO of Paramount. "I will not take an order and not have a happy customer when I'm done," he said. "It's just not worth it." Supporting candlepin e conference room at Paramount Industries' Medway facility is stacked full of memorabilia detailing the nearly 150 years of candlepin bowling history. Items include every style of pin ever used and a trophy from a tournament in the 1890s. Robert is always eager to discuss the sport's his- tory, or to help candlepin alley owners improve their operations. "If you have a question about can- dlepin bowling, ask me," Robert said. "Don't go fussing around all over the place, because you're going to waste a lot of time. I'll get you to the answer right away." Paramount Industries serves as the supplier arm for EPCO, which has its Medway manufacturing facility about five minutes down the road. ere, about a dozen employees on the shop floor work the various types of balls produced by the firm. e original rubber-based ball formula developed by Emilio in the 1950s remains fundamentally unchanged in its basic chemistry, said Richard Parrella, EPCO's vice president. Known as a much more challeng- ing version of bowling than the more nationally popular 10-pin bowling – nobody has ever thrown a perfect game in the sports' nearly 150 years of existence – candlepin has had to overcome hurdles in modern times. At least eight candlepin centers have closed in Central Massachu- setts since 2000, with owners oen tempted to cash in on their proper- ty's climbing values. No companies remain to manufacture parts for au- tomated pinsetters, requiring owners to scrounge for parts when machines break down. But for the bowling balls, there's no shortage of supply, even as the Par- rellas have the market cornered for candlepin balls as the only remaining Medway firm helps keep candlepin bowling alive, while diversifying beyond the sport Still rolling aer all these years PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT (From left) Richard, John, and Robert Parrella are the three brothers behind Paramount Industries and E. Parrella Co. Inc., two related firms in Medway producing and marketing candlepin bowling balls.

• Cover