About Us
Our Mission Statement
The Fabri-Form Company is a custom plastic fabricator and thermoformer that supplies quality parts, on time, through innovative design, engineering and manufacturing services.
Our mission is to lead our industry in quality, technology and customer service through innovation and growth with a commitment to our employees and community.
The Fabri-Form Company, founded by Jack Knight in 1943, is a custom manufacturer of plastic products and a pioneer in the field of thick sheet thermoforming. The company was started with ten employees in a rented storeroom in Byesville, Ohio. At that time, the chief market was the aircraft industry, with Fabri-Form manufacturing acrylic canopies for fighters and bombers of that era. By the end of World War II Fabri-Form Company new plastic thermoforming resins were coming into the marketplace.
The development of styrene as a thermoforming resin led to the invention of the first plastic refrigerator door liners for the General Electric Company. To meet General Electric’s door liner requirements, Fabri-Form built the first fully automated thermoformer and later the first rotary thermoformer. By the end of the decade the business expanded to 35 employees.
In 1953, Fabri-Form purchased property in Pekin, Indiana, and built a new plant to produce door liners for General Electrics’ Louisville, Kentucky operation. Today, this plant still operates as a custom thermoforming facility with diverse products including tote trays for schools throughout the country. Meanwhile back in Ohio, we were busy producing military visors for aircraft helmets. The company was also working with B.F. Goodrich to develop the first successful high altitude aircraft pressure unit. Fabri-Form’s visors were worn on John Glenn’s helmet when he first orbited the earth on February 20th, 1962. Today these visors are on display in the Smithsonian Aeronautical Museum in Washington, D.C. In 1962, after moving into the present Byesville location, Jack Knight passed away and his wife, Shirley Knight, assumed the position of CEO and Chairman of the Board. The company continues to prosper and by the end of 1968, had 75 employees and was expanding into new custom thermoforming markets. A.J. Dragonette became CEO in 1970 while Shirley Knight remained as Chairman of the Board. It was during his tenure that Fabri-Form entered the field of returnable transport packaging.
John W. Knight, son of founder, became the CEO in 1981. During the 1980’s, the company expanded into new returnable transport packaging markets, including automotive and industrial uses. In 1985 the company’s engineering department transitioned from traditional drafting methods to the use of computer-aided design. Our state-of-the-art design techniques were furthered with the development of finite element analysis in 1988. The company has made a total commitment to Statistical Process Control and today uses SPC to control the entire manufacturing process.
In 1990 a new manufacturing facility was established in Bluffton, Indiana. This location was developed to establish a team concept facility. At Bluffton there are no time clocks and no supervisors. This team concept is called “Circles of Responsibility.” Facilitators help the “team members” manage their circles of responsibility with authority. The Bluffton facility was a major step for The Fabri-Form Company, serving as a model for the industry, it is the standard by which thermoforming companies were measured in the 90’s.
In 1999 a new Corporate Headquarters was constructed in New Concord, Ohio. This new facility housed all of the administrative offices under one roof. In addition the entire engineering team was moved to the facility in order to take advantage of the on-site tooling and testing capabilities offered at the new corporate center. Today the corporate center is still the hub for all administrative and engineering work completed, and allows for real-time results with on-site capabilities that are unmatched in the industry.
While serving some of the heaviest hitters in the automotive world it was necessary for Fabri-Form to ensure that they provided the best quality parts and services possible, and with that we have made a long-term commitment to quality standards. The installation of a coordinate measuring machine in 1999 further improved our capability to dimensionally certify its products, and ensure the highest quality. In 2003, all locations were upgraded and certified to the ISO 2000 Standard, and continue to improve service and processes on a daily basis.
From the beginning as a manufacturer of acrylic parts to the current focus on returnable transport packaging, Fabri-Form’s products have covered a wide range of industries. Its emphasis has always been on quality and engineering, which is a reputation that we still enjoys after over 67 years in business.
Our vision for the company is a dynamic business, managed by professionals, that builds on its own momentum. Operating with agility in a lean environment, our team members are empowered to grow the company profitably. Fabri-Form will lead the industry because we have the best people and technology.