Shurtape Technologies

American manufacturing company
(Learn how and when to remove this template message)
  • Manufacturing
Founded1996[1]FoundersShuford familyHeadquartersHickory, North Carolina, United States[2]
Area served
North America, Europe
Key people
  • Jim Shuford (CEO/President)[1]
  • Wayne Helton (Senior Vice President of manufacturing)[1]
  • Stephen Shuford (Executive Vice President)[1]
  • A. P. Shuford (Chairman of the board of directors}[1]
Products
  • Adhesive tape
  • Consumer goods
  • Office supplies
Brands
  • Duck Tape
  • FrogTape
  • Kip
  • Painter's Mate
  • Shurtape Brand
  • T-Rex Tape
Revenue$650 million (2017)[3]OwnersShuford family
Number of employees
1,500[2][4] (2017)ParentSTM Industries[5]Subsidiaries
  • ShurTech Brands[6]
  • Engineered Solutions Group[7]
Websiteshurtapetech.com

Shurtape Technologies, LLC is an American manufacturing company that produces adhesive tape as well as consumer goods and office supplies.[8] Founded in 1996, Shurtape had its origins as the tape division of Shuford Mills, a textile manufacturing company; Shurtape was spun off from the textile division after it began to outpace it in revenue. Today, both Shurtape and the remaining textile business are subsidiaries of STM Industries. The company is owned and operated by the Shuford family, with brothers Jim and Stephen serving as CEO and Executive Vice President, respectively.

Shurtape operates 13 manufacturing facilities worldwide and employs around 1,500 people. Its corporate headquarters is based in Hickory, North Carolina, and its subsidiaries ShurTech Brands and the Engineered Solutions Group are headquartered in Avon, Ohio and New Hartford, Connecticut, respectively.

History

Shurtape's corporate headquarters in Hickory, North Carolina

Shurtape originated from Shuford Mills, a textile company that was founded in Granite Falls, North Carolina in 1880 by Abel Alexander Shuford.[9][unreliable source?] In 1955, Shuford Mills launched a tape division focusing on masking tape. Originally only a small section in the main Shuford Mills factory in Hickory, North Carolina, the tape division grew to have a factory of its own. The tape division later went on to expand to additional types of tape and an additional factory. In 1996, Shuford Mills decided to split off its tape division into a separate company, Shurtape Technologies, LLC.[10] Both Shurtape and the remaining textile business were then placed under a holding company, STM Industries; by this point, the tape business was making nearly twice as much as the textile business.[9][unreliable source?]

The company opened a plant in nearby Hudson, North Carolina in 1997, and in 1999 they announced a plan to expand their Hickory plant by 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2).[11] This was completed in 2000 along with a converting facility[clarification needed] in Singapore. A new distribution center in Catawba, North Carolina was opened in 2004.[6] The company also purchased overseas facilities in the late 1990s in countries like China and Mexico.[9][unreliable source?] Shurtape purchased Permacel's arts and entertainment division in 2004.[6][12]

Shurtape saw a decline in sales during the Great Recession; the company experienced a 20% decline in sales which resulted in a brief layoff pattern. After Henkel put Manco Inc., Shurtape's largest customer, up for sale in 2009, Shurtape decided to buy the company to retain the estimated $75 million in business.[9][unreliable source?] This deal included the Duck Tape, Painter's Mate, and Easy Liner brands along with a manufacturing plant in Avon, Ohio.[13] These brands were consolidated into a new subsidiary, ShurTech Brands, LLC,[6] and the plant has since been remodeled into the headquarters for ShurTech.[9] Shurtape also purchased the FrogTape brand in 2010.[6] The company’s total revenue doubled from $275 million in 2008 to $650 million in 2017.[9][unreliable source?] Shurtape acquired Syntac Coated Products, LLC in 2017[14] and also invested in and partnered with InRoad, a toy company that produces adhesive road-styled tape for children.[15] In December 2018, Shurtape announced plans to build a new distribution and manufacturing center in Catawba.[16] Shurtape plans to invest $31 million into the project.[8] The company remains a major economic player in the Hickory metro area, which has lost a fifth of its manufacturing jobs since 2007,[9][unreliable source?] and ranks as the sixth-largest manufacturer in the city of Hickory.[17]

Business and executives

Shurtape Technologies is located in the United States
Avon
Avon
Hickory, North Carolina headquarters
Hickory
New Hartford, Connecticut headquarters
New Hartford
class=notpageimage|
Shurtape headquarters locations

Shurtape Technologies, LLC's corporate and industrial headquarters is located in Hickory, North Carolina. ShurTech Brands and Shurtape Speciality Coating are headquartered in Avon, Ohio and New Hartford, Connecticut.[2] The company has 13 facilities, with locations in the United States as well as Canada, China, Germany, Mexico, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.[2] As of 2017, Shurtape has around 1,500 employees.[4]

Shurtape is owned by the Shuford family. The Shufords have been involved in business in Hickory since 1880, when Abel Alexander Shuford built the first yarn factory in what would become Shuford Mills.

Products and manufacturing

Shurtape Technologies, LLC produces more than 650 types of adhesive tape marketed to multiple different industries, including painting, construction, HVAC, and packaging; according to Business North Carolina, the company produced 733,000,000 square feet (68,100,000 m2) of tape in 2016 and ranks second in consumer tape sales behind 3M.[9]

Engineered Solutions Group

The Engineered Solutions Group consists of Shurtape Specialty Coating and Shurmed.[7][14] Shurtape Speciality Coating produces speciality, custom-made adhesive tapes for industries like construction and electronics[18] and Shurmed produces pressure-sensitive adhesive products for the healthcare and medical device industries.[19] Shurtape Specialty Coating and Shurmed were both part of Syntac Coated Products, LLC prior to being acquired by Shurtape.[20]

Kip

Kip is a distributor based in Germany.[6] Kip was acquired by Shurtape in 2000 and now operates as a subsidiary.[21] its products include adhesive tape, painter's tape, plastering tape, construction adhesives, and construction industry supplies.[22]

ShurTech Brands

Duck Brand is known for its Duck Tape product line,[23][24] which is produced in hundreds of colors and patterns.[25][26] Duck Tape is marketed at a broad audience ranging from causal crafters to DIYers.[27] FrogTape and Painter's Mate both sell painter's tape;[28] FrogTape painter's tape is similar to other tapes, but utilizes a coating to seal the edges of the tape for cleaner lines.[29] T-Rex tape is designed to be more durable and weather-resistant than ordinary duct tapes.[30][31]

Shurtape Brand focuses on industries like HVAC, packaging, and painting.[32] Shurtape purchased Permacel's arts and entertainments division in 2004;[6] Permacel was known for its gaffer tape brand Permacel P-665, which was commonly used in Hollywood productions.[33] Shurtape has since renamed the brand Shurtape P-665.[34] Shurtape sells a case sealing system, the ShurSEAL Solution,[35] which creates a packaging seal that doesn't require a knife to open.[36]

Community

Stuck at Prom

Since 2001, Duck Tape annually runs the Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest.[37] Participants are tasked with making an entire tuxedo or prom dress out of Duck Tape, with the two winners (one for a tuxedo and one for a dress) receiving $10,000 scholarships.[38] Prior to the 2018 edition all participants had to enter as couples, with the winning couple receiving $10,000 each, but the rules were changed in 2018 to allow individual winners instead.[39] The winner is decided by public vote, which can be done by text or online.[40]

Tape University

Shurtape operates Tape University, an online resource aimed at educating people about tape and answering frequently asked questions about tape.[41] Tape University manages the annual Mission: HVAC program, which aims to promote education in the HVAC industry. Three participants from trade schools across the United States are chosen and assigned 10 HVAC-theme missions. After completing the missions, each participant is awarded a $5,000 reward to help pay for their education.[42] This program was expanded for 2019 to include a separate trade school award as well, with two trade schools or technical programs being awarded a separate $5,000 award.[43] They also offered Mission: Packaging, a similar program aimed at packaging students.[44]

Tape University provided a $2,500 scholarship to an attendee of the 2018 Sachse Construction Academy, an event for high school students in the Metro Detroit area.[45]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Shurtape Technologies, LLC: CEO and Executives". Bloomberg. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Locations". Shurtape Technologies. September 9, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  3. ^ Matney, David (October 19, 2018). "Single Loop of Duct Tape Lifts 700 Pounds". ThomasNet. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Elkins, Ken (February 14, 2017). "Shurtape buys Connecticut tape company, renames it". Charlotte Business Journal. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Dayberry, John (January 21, 2009). "Layoffs continue in region". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Company History". Shurtape Mexico. October 27, 2013. Archived from the original on March 15, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Engineered Solutions Group". Shurtape Technologies. October 2, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "The Briefcase: 22nd Century expects to benefit from Farm Act passage". Winston-Salem Journal. December 25, 2018. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "Shurtape binds Hickory's Shuford family". BusinessNC. October 2, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  10. ^ "About Us". Shurtape Technologies. September 20, 2017. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Elkins, Ken (August 23, 1999). "Shurtape planning $17M expansion in Hickory". Charlotte Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 6, 2005. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  12. ^ "Dennis Mirabella, Pro Tapes". Projection Lights and Staging News. October 8, 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Shurtape acquires DIY brands from Henkel". HBS Dealer. June 3, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Shurtape Technologies, LLC, Expands Tape Business with Acquisition of Syntac Coated Products, LLC" (Press release). Global Newswire. February 13, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  15. ^ Elkins, Ken (May 1, 2017). "Hickory-based Shurtape buying into toy business, entrepreneur says". Charlotte Business Journal. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  16. ^ Elkins, Ken (December 20, 2018). "Two projects to bring 230 jobs, almost $50M in investment to region". Charlotte Business Journal. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  17. ^ "General Obligation Bond Review" (PDF). Startown Development. July 25, 2018. p. 65. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  18. ^ "US' Shurtape Technologies acquires Syntac Coated Products". Packaging Gateway. February 14, 2017. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  19. ^ "Shurmed Health". Shurmed. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  20. ^ Craig, Natalie (March 2017). "Shurtape Technologies, LLC. acquires Syntac Coated Products, LLC". Packaging World. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  21. ^ "Kip haftet für Qualität" (in German). Kip. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  22. ^ "Produkte" (in German). Kip. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  23. ^ Benson, John (June 13, 2018). "After 15 years, Avon Duck Tape Festival still sticks". Chronicle-Telegram. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  24. ^ Klara, Robert (October 29, 2014). "Once and for All: Is It Duck Tape or Duct Tape?". Adweek. Archived from the original on December 11, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  25. ^ Niesel, Jeff (June 9, 2016). "Annual Avon Heritage Duck Tape Festival to Celebrate 'American Pride'". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  26. ^ "Duct tape promwear could win prize". Sidney Daily News. April 14, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  27. ^ Minkovsky, Natalya (May 20, 2016). "On a Roll: Duck Brand Sticks With Customers". Content Marketing Institute. Archived from the original on February 22, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  28. ^ Murray, Anita (March 19, 2012). "Painters' tape from best to worst". National Post. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  29. ^ Mayhew, Elizabeth (November 2, 2016). "The right paint color can visually declutter a space or help you sleep: An expert's tricks". Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  30. ^ "New Product Review: T-Rex Tapes". Office Express. June 13, 2018.
  31. ^ "T-REX tape tackles the cold". Painting and Decorating News. December 5, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  32. ^ "Profile". Shurtape. November 6, 2017. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  33. ^ Story, Derrick (May 2004). Digital Photography Hacks (1st ed.). O'Reilly Media. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-596-006662. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  34. ^ "R.I.P. Permacel Gaffer Tape (1927-2007)". Filmtools Blog. October 16, 2007. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  35. ^ Reynolds, Pat (August 1, 2016). "Case taping vastly improved". Packaging World. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  36. ^ Butschli, Jim (26 November 2013). "Examining the costs of damaged goods". Healthcare Packaging. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  37. ^ Ingram, Leah (November 30, 2017). "Photos: These Students Won Big With Their Duck Tape Prom Outfits". Parade. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  38. ^ Feit, Noah (July 9, 2018). "He made a tuxedo out of tape — and it got this SC teen a $10,000 scholarship". The State. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  39. ^ Renzulli, Kerri Anne (May 9, 2018). "This Teen Made Her Prom Dress Completely Out of Duct Tape—and Won $10,000". Money. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  40. ^ Davis, Angelia (July 10, 2018). "Don't laugh. These weird scholarships — including Duck Tape's prom contest — give students big bucks". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  41. ^ "Shurtape Technologies Launches New Website". Flexible Packaging. June 29, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  42. ^ Evener, Kaitlyn (June 6, 2016). "On a mission to meet the need". The Republic. p. A6-7. Archived from the original on June 14, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  43. ^ "Shurtape Sticks it to the Skilled Trades Gap with Year 5 of Mission: HVAC". PRweb.com. November 2, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  44. ^ McTigue Pierce, Lisa (April 19, 2016). "3 packaging students go on a Mission". Packaging Digest. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  45. ^ Moutzalias, Tanya (October 23, 2018). "500 students try out skilled trades in Detroit construction workshop". MLive. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2019.

External links