About Modern Plastics

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"We've been doing this for a very long time.
(and we're pretty darn good at it!)" -Bing Carbone, President

It all started in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in June 1945 (even before "plastic" was a common word), when Joseph C. Carbone opened "Modern Glass Company" - a one-man operation specializing in same-day installation of automobile window glass. A pot-bellied stove generated all the heat that was needed to keep production going through the long, cold New England winters.

Commitment to customer service was simple: "Whatever it takes."

By the mid-1950s, "Modern Plastics and Glass Inc." took advantage of an exciting new breed of materials known as thermosets and began carrying phenolics, its first group of plastics materials. We continued that trail-blazing spirit in 1961, becoming the first of "the first" distributors of Rohm & Haas' new Plexiglas® acrylic sheet, an inspiring, but relatively unknown, material. It was a decision that would change the company forever.

Thirty years after we opened our doors, plastics consumed 90 percent of our business. Under the direction of second-generation President during the seventies and eighties, expansion began first with a new facility in Rhode Island and later with several other locations in Massachusetts.

We embraced the future, incorporating computers and material barcoding into every facet of our operations and renovating our Bridgeport Corporate headquarters to include a 5,000-square-foot retail store. But, sadly, we also had to say goodbye to part of our past and phase out the glass portion of our business in the mid-eighties.

Today, Modern Plastics, well into its third generation of family ownership with Company President Bing J. Carbone and 100-plus employees, is poised for meeting the challenging requirements of its customers by setting new industry standards with faster computer technology, material bar coding and certification of all plastic materials, huge expansions of our inventory and product lines, Kaizen management programs, rigid quality control standards, and active participation in the International Association of Plastics Distributors. Some of our key employees sit on the IAPD's Board of Directors and other IAPD committees. We're also pleased to support the IAPD's education efforts by presenting the association's Plastics Primer online in six Basic Plastics Education modules.

Our redesigned "nautical-themed" Flagship Retail Store in Bridgeport, Connecticut re-opened in 2000 and has gained national media attention for its innovative store displays and one-of-a-kind product offerings. We invite you and your family to visit this very neat store experience, whether you're down the street from us or visiting Connecticut from afar!

In September 2001, Modern Plastics became the first Plastics Distribution Company in the USA to earn an ISO:9001:2000 Certification. The company is audited every six months to ensure conformance to the ISO Standards. Modern Plastics employs a full-time Quality Control Manager, with continuous employee training throughout the year.

Modern Plastics continues to make improvements in its operations and customer service features, such as our 2003 launch of the Modern Plastics On-Line Purchase Center and new www.modernplastics.com website. This site is revised daily with new product offerings and is a wealth of plastics technical information and materials all at your fingertips for fast shipment.

In 2003, Modern Plastics announced the formalization of a new "Medical Plastics Division," where perhaps the industry's largest inventory of "lot-controlled" medical grade plastic products is stocked. Modern Plastics is an approved supplier to major medical industry customers worldwide and undergoes rigorous internal audit inspections by those clients.

Modern Plastics has expanded its reach on a global basis by acquiring several international representatives across the world and by shipping plastic products to a wide range of International customers. Most recently, Modern Plastics has created a new division called "Modern Plastics Resin Distribution." This business unit (www.modernplasticsresins.com) distributes advanced polymer resins such as RADEL® R from Solvay Advanced Polymers and high-performance resins such as ULTEM® from GE Plastics.

We've grown lot since 1945 because customers like you have put your trust in our company. We still believe in doing "whatever it takes" to keep you happy and satisfied with our service and products.

"And in all these years, that's one thing that hasn't changed!"
Bing Carbone, President