Drainage Factory

[hoyt clagwell 2]

A couple of weekends ago we ventured up to Appleton, WI for an overnight trip (my daughter auditioned at Lawrence U. as a soprano). On the way out of town we drove by the Drainage Industries plant. Now, my experience with factories is pretty much limited to Willie Wonka And The Chocolate Factory so I was expecting a magical facility where truckloads of plastic pellets and recycled grocery bags went in one end and beautiful lighted figurines miraculously sprang out of the other. Instead, this is what we saw:

I'm not REALLY disappointed but I was definitely underwhelmed.

[RichardG 79]

That's pretty cool. The simple fact that you drove by it has to be pretty awesome. Too bad there was not plastic figurines jumping out the sides.

[Guest Matilda]

LOL!! Thanks for sharing... You're right... Doesn't look like the magical blowmold factory of my imagination! What's next? Gonna tell me there is no Santa?

[hoyt clagwell 2]

Yes, Matilda, there IS a Santa Claus. I see photos of him all over this site. He lives over our garage!

[Guest Matilda]

Yes, Matilda, there IS a Santa Claus. I see photos of him all over this site. He lives over our garage!

(swipes beads of perspiration from her brow) Whew!! Thanks!!

[iowasantaclaus 0]

I can tell you forsure Santa Claus is real!!!

[Bolwin 4]

I'm not REALLY disappointed but I was definitely underwhelmed.

[Orville Fugitte 10]

A couple of weekends ago we ventured up to Appleton, WI for an overnight trip (my daughter auditioned at Lawrence U. as a soprano). On the way out of town we drove by the Drainage Industries plant. Now, my experience with factories is pretty much limited to Willie Wonka And The Chocolate Factory so I was expecting a magical facility where truckloads of plastic pellets and recycled grocery bags went in one end and beautiful lighted figurines miraculously sprang out of the other. Instead, this is what we saw:

I'm not REALLY disappointed but I was definitely underwhelmed.

looks like most factories I've seen too. Seems many factories are now using these aluminum buildings for their businesses. They've been doing this in Florida for a very long time now. It's just cheaper than a basic building like you picture in your head or see in movies.

Talk about a reality wake-up when you finally see the real factory and how it looks.:giggle:

Would be nice if Drainage had a webstore where you could buy their blowmolds direct from them! Just know if I could see what they offered and could buy it direct, that is the route I'd take for many of my BlowMold purchases.

[Vintage_Decor 10]

...

I'm not REALLY disappointed but I was definitely underwhelmed.

If you were underwhelmed by the outside it's a good thing you didn't go inside. The orange front door will give you an idea of the 70s decorating style in the office. Once you pay for your items you go across the street to one of their other buildings and pick up the molds. There are cases and cases of molds ready to go.

[hob 10]

No Oomp Loomp cars in the parking lot? Maybe they do live there. LOL Looks just like the factory I work at. That ugly outside hides an uglier inside. Worked in factories most of my life. They ALL look better from the outside.

[crazyaboutangels 10]

If you were underwhelmed by the outside it's a good thing you didn't go inside. The orange front door will give you an idea of the 70s decorating style in the office. Once you pay for your items you go across the street to one of their other buildings and pick up the molds. There are cases and cases of molds ready to go.

Just curious...It sounds like you can buy directly from the factory. Can you? Do they have catalog sales too?

Thanks

[Carrie Sansing 0]

Just curious...It sounds like you can buy directly from the factory. Can you? Do they have catalog sales too?

Thanks

Yes, you can buy directly from the factory, you just need to be willing to go there and pick up your molds.

[Orville Fugitte 10]

If you were underwhelmed by the outside it's a good thing you didn't go inside. The orange front door will give you an idea of the 70s decorating style in the office. Once you pay for your items you go across the street to one of their other buildings and pick up the molds. There are cases and cases of molds ready to go.

Interesting, so it does sound from the above that you can buy directly from the factory. So do they have a sales order or other kind of contact phone number or a way to contact them through e-mail about the possibility of a catalog (hopefully witrh prices) if they have such a thing?

Would definitely be interested in getting a catalog if available and even ordering some items from them direct myself.

So could you or do you have any additional information on this?

Thanks in advance!

[Orville Fugitte 10]

Yes, you can buy directly from the factory, you just need to be willing to go there and pick up your molds.

Well that's a bummer! Would be nice if they'd sell direct and ship orders! I'll bet there are a lot of folks right here on PC that would order direct from them if they would sell and ship!

Seems they're missing a big niche on their own market by not doing this.

Ah well, it was hopeful there for a few moments anyway.

[crazyaboutangels 10]

Yes, you can buy directly from the factory, you just need to be willing to go there and pick up your molds.

Thanks for the info Carrie but is sure is a long way from NY.

Do you know if they also have catalog sales?

[LightsonBeasley 0]

Well that's a bummer! Would be nice if they'd sell direct and ship orders! I'll bet there are a lot of folks right here on PC that would order direct from them if they would sell and ship!

Seems they're missing a big niche on their own market by not doing this.

Ah well, it was hopeful there for a few moments anyway.

Really, it all depends on who you know, I have a guy that lives 25miles from me and last year he was one of General Foam's largest NON-Store Front buyers, he has his CDL and a truck to drive and pick up the molds. He also has connections to Drainage and its awesome that he lives so close!!

So there may be someone in the FL area willing to go in and do a bulk order of molds most of the time you have to have a minimum order, I think GF's is 1000 pieces so if you could get into one of the pre orders theres a possibility!!

[Guest Matilda]

Thanks for the info Carrie but is sure is a long way from NY.

Do you know if they also have catalog sales?

C'mon.... ROAD TRIP!!! :giggle:

We'll send FredEx! LOL

[Carrie Sansing 0]

Thanks for the info Carrie but is sure is a long way from NY.

Do you know if they also have catalog sales?

They do have a catalogue..I'm pretty sure a few members here have it.

[Orville Fugitte 10]

Guess I'm gonna have to do a family search and see if I have any relatves in Appleton WI or anywhere near there.

Still think they'd sell a lot more if they sold and shipped from their facility.

But datsa jussa me!:giggle:

[LightsonBeasley 0]

Guess I'm gonna have to do a family search and see if I have any relatves in Appleton WI or anywhere near there.

Still think they'd sell a lot more if they sold and shipped from their facility.

But datsa jussa me!:giggle:

They probably don't want to deal with hiring all the people to open up a distribution facility to take orders, package, and ship. especially with the economy the way it is and since they are one of the few that are managing to keep their doors open and producing blowmolds

Would be nice though

[crazyaboutangels 10]

I'm game...when the weather gets better.

[Tyler 9]

C'mon.... ROAD TRIP!!! :giggle:

We'll send FredEx! LOL

You guys should go there before the Chicago mini, and deliever to us who are going and can't get up to Wisconsin. Maybe even bring them back to Virginia for a certian person who will remain nameless.

[crazyaboutangels 10]

You guys should go there before the Chicago mini, and deliever to us who are going and can't get up to Wisconsin. Maybe even bring them back to Virginia for a certian person who will remain nameless.

We should all go to the Chicago mini and the Drainage Factory! That would be some road trip. They wouldn't know what to do with all of us. lol

[Orville Fugitte 10]

They probably don't want to deal with hiring all the people to open up a distribution facility to take orders, package, and ship. especially with the economy the way it is and since they are one of the few that are managing to keep their doors open and producing blowmolds

Would be nice though

Well in the terms of business sense, it does and does not make sense. Because if they did sell direct and ship from their facility, this could increase their sales quotas, which in turn would increase their profits, which also would pay for 1 to 2 guys to pack and ship the molds.

I know, I used to be 1 of 2 shipping and receivers at a very busy electronics parts supply company, many days I was the ONLY person in the warehouse shipping and receiving orders. And believe me, some of those orders were in the thousands and even some millions of dollars and were just as large as any blowmolds out there. So it could be done with minimal personell, the key is, the company or someone higher up in the chain needs to want to do it.

Until that happens, it doesn't happen and most companies, by being somewhat exclusive, end up stifling themselves by not opening up like this, then the next thing you know, another company has folded. Believe me, I've worked for quite a few companies that did just that, wanted to be exclusive, not a one of them is now in business.

Now I'm not saying that would happen here, but sometimes a company truly needs to look at a bigger picture and to get that bigger piece of the pie to stay in operation, make some changes, such as selling direct to the public and handling the shipping of their product. It's really not all that difficult and like said, could be handled with basically a skeleton crew until such time it's really turning even larger profits, where they could actually hire more "packers & shippers" if truly needed.

Guess I'll just keep an eye out in the local retailers and hope I can find what I want! Just hope this year is better than last years slim pickings!

p.s. now if Drainage wants to hire me for a packer/shipper, I'll work for BlowMolds!:giggle: But the catch is they got to pay my way up there first!:121_reindeer:

Edited February 15, 2010 by LOR-CF

[LightsonBeasley 0]

I have very seldom seen Drainage Molds being sold by retailers in the South East Coast unfortunately... But I guess there is always hope!