Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/469117
www.wbjournal.com • Worcester Business Journal 27 25 YEARS: IMPACTFUL COMPANIES business adopted a quality-management system and developed new products, including a line for print technologies. In the 1990s, FLEXcon expanded its operations with a new 400,000-square- foot manufacturing facility in Nebraska to better serve the central and western U.S. The company also opened its first non-U.S. manufacturing facility, in Scotland, adopted OSHA's VPP safety process and received its first ISO certifi- cation. More recently, FLEXcon intro- duced a comprehensive product offer- ing that includes more than 450 film- adhesive products for the most popular applications. P olar Beverages, the country's largest independent soft-drink bottler, is a fourth-generation, family-owned busi- ness whose roots — and root beer — trace to 1882. Seven years ago, Polar celebrated its 125th anniversary, and it used the milestone to recall its modest beginnings and celebrate Orson, its iconic polar-bear mascot since 1902. The current generation of owners has been in power since 1992, with Ralph Crowley Jr. taking the reins of president and CEO from his father, Ralph Sr., who died only three years later. Under Ralph Jr.'s leadership, Polar made numerous acquisitions for the rights to make and distribute national brands such as 7Up, A&W, Sunkist, Seagrams, Royal Crown and Diet Rite. This generation of Crowleys has also led Polar through the most dramatic growth and change in its history. In 1996, the Worcester company bought long-time competitor Adirondack Beverages in New York, including its 650,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. In 2001, Polar formed a joint venture with Cott Corp., Northeast Retailer Brands, to produce and distrib- ute most of the retailer-branded bever- ages in the Northeast. The Crowley family, which also oper- ates Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton, now owns and operates a $400-million super-regional beverage company with 1,400 employees, 1,000 of whom are in Worcester. Polar has com- pleted more than 30 acquisitions, has expanded into five divisions, and con- trols 17 proprietary soft-drink brands. It also retails private-label brands and dis- tributes water to homes and offices. Neil McDonough runs FLEXcon of Spencer, a maker of films and adhesives that exercises a flair for innovation. Polar Beverages Orson, Polar's mascot, greets motorists on Interstate 290 as they drive by the head- quarters. Let the local experts at Bartholomew & Company review your entire financial picture and craft a personalized plan, so you can move forward with confidence. We'll work closely with you, applying our time-tested conservative strategies to every aspect of your financial life. Discover how a comprehensive wealth management approach can help you achieve the lifestyle and legacy you envision. Call us for a complimentary consultation at 508.753.8807, or visit www.bartandco.com. WEALTH MANAGEMENT, CLOSE TO HOME PLAN WISELY. INVEST CONSERVATIVELY. LIVE WELL. 370 MAIN STREET, SUITE 1000, WORCESTER, MA 01608 | 508.753.8807 Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network ® , Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. >> Continued on Page 28 15