VOLUME 27, NUMBER 13
WWW.RBJDAILY.COM JUNE 24, 2011
New plant has packaging firm eyeing growth
Pactech acquired the
manufacturing site in
Ogden for $3.8 million
By ANDREA DECKERT
A former manufacturing facility in Ogden has been bought by a homegrown
flexible packaging firm that is looking to
add roughly 25 workers over the next few
years.
Pactech Packaging LLC bought the
127,000-square-foot building that formerly
housed the manufacturing operations of
Caldwell Manufacturing Co. late last year.
Caldwell vacated most of the building in
spring 2009 when the window components
manufacturer announced it was moving its
manufacturing operations to its plant in
Williamsport, Md.
Pactech purchased the building in October 2010 for $3.8 million, the deed at the
Monroe County Clerk’s Office shows. The
company worked with the Monroe County
Economic Development Office to purchase
the building with the help of a Small Business Administration loan program.
Pactech president Chad Buchta said the
firm has spent roughly $750,000 on building improvements. In addition to Pactech,
the building houses two tenants: Caldwell
has its corporate offices in 22,000 square
feet, and Superior Technology Inc. occupies 10,000 square feet.
Improvements included new lighting, a
new roof and additional controlled-environment production space.
“The overall benefit is a bright, clean
space providing a 10 percent increase in
overall efficiencies from our previous facility,” Buchta said.
The space gives Pactech ample room
to grow, Buchta said, and the company
is excited to create local jobs. The entire
operation moved from Mt. Read Boulevard to Ogden.
“We looked elsewhere to relocate, but
based on the workforce it was a simple
decision to stay,” Buchta said, adding that
support from town and county officials also
Photo courtesy of Pactech
Pactech Packaging’s building used to house manufacturing for Caldwell Manufacturing Co.,
and Caldwell’s corporate offices have remained there after the sale.
played a part.
The firm operates in the multibillion-dollar flexible-package industry. Manufacturers across industries use flexible packages
to cut costs.
Pactech manufactures high-tech, flexible
packaging for industries including agricultural, chemical, pharmaceutical, medical,
industrial, military, food and pet. Its offerings include custom packaging, military
packaging, barrier pouches, biodegradable
packaging, anti-corrosion packaging, accessories and packaging spouts.
Pactech has roughly 65 workers—up
from 55 last year—and expects to add a
few more this year. The goal is to have 90
workers by 2016, Buchta said.
He also expects sales to grow and projects a 15 percent increase in revenues this
year.
Buchta—a member of the Rochester
Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class of
2010—bought the business from ThermoFisher Scientific Inc. in late 2009 with John
Ferber, Pactech vice president.
Both had joined the business in 1995,
with Buchta serving as a sales manager
and Ferber as a senior engineer. Buchta’s
wife, Alicia, also works at Pactech.
Buchta said purchasing Pactech was a
Reprinted with permission of the Rochester Business Journal.
great opportunity, noting that Ferber and
he were well-versed in the company’s history and operation.
The company was founded by Helene
Diederich in 1991. Initially it was a division of HAL Baggin Inc., since the name
Pactech was taken then. In its early days,
Pactech served as a contract packaging
manufacturer. Diederich’s late husband,
David Diederich, joined the business in
1993 and hired its first employees a year
later.
Over the years, Pactech gained a reputation for innovation. In 1994, David
Diederich developed a patented product
called a child-resistant reclosable easyopen pouch for the agricultural and pharmaceutical markets.
Since then, the company’s products have
earned awards including the Packaging
Professional’s Ameristar Award, World
Packaging’s World Star Award, Packaging
Technology Magazine’s Silver and Package of the Year for the Flexible Packaging
Association.
Despite the absence of a full-scale manufacturing operation, the business outgrew
its space at Fairport’s Village Landing and
Pactech moved to offices and a warehouse
on Halstead Street.
Photo courtesy of Pactech
President Chad Buchta, right, and Vice President John Ferber bought the business in 2009 from Thermo-Fisher Scientific Inc. and folded
into it a company they had started in 2006.
Growth prospects resulted in a change
for the company. In 1997, the firm expanded its capabilities to full manufacturing and
bought four fabrication machines; in 1998
it moved to a site on Mt. Read Boulevard.
Pactech continued to grow there, increasing its workforce from 40 to roughly
110 people when it was acquired in 2004
by Nalge Nunc International Inc. and renamed Nalgene Flexible Products.
The deal came as Nalge Nunc’s parent,
Apogent Technologies Inc., decided to
merge with New Hampshire-based Fisher
Scientific International Inc. in a $3.7 billion deal.
Helene Diederich stayed with NFP
roughly one year. Buchta and Ferber stayed
with the company until 2006, when the two
started their own business, Barrier Packaging Inc., a broker-distributor packaging company, now rolled into Pactech’s
operation.
The majority of Pactech’s customers are
in North America, particularly the Northeast, but the firm does have international
business.
In addition to manufacturing, Pactech
offers design services and can supply customers with a prototype in one to three
days. Buchta said growth plans focus on
continuing to serve its existing customers.
“Our customers have many choices,”
Reprinted with permission of the Rochester Business Journal.
Buchta said. “It’s our responsibility to ensure the customer chooses Pactech.”
Cheryl Latta, a sales manager with Central Industrial Packaging Supply Inc. in
Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, said her
firm has worked with Pactech since 1998,
and Pactech has supplied custom-made
pouches for some Central Industrial Packaging Supply customers.
Latta said Pactech’s workforce is a driving factor in its success.
“They are always trying to make sure
you are happy,” Latta said. “They have
a great attitude and are wonderful to deal
with.”
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