Guiding Growth for Packaging Company

Company Profile

Founded by Harold Spinner in 1916, H.R. Spinner is a produce packaging distributor serving perishable produce suppliers which began in the Yakima Valley selling to the tree fruit industry. As the industry grew, in 1926 Spinner established an office and warehouse in Wenatchee. When the cost of wood shook became prohibitive, the company began distributing corrugated cartons. This developed into other packaging solutions such as pulp trays, poly bags, and fruit wrap. In 2012, H.R. Spinner purchased a wood products company to round out their capabilities. Now they offer mechanically setup cartons to better serve customer demand and employ roughly 50 people.

Situation

H.R. Spinner was in need of better IT functionality. The CFO needed a better accounting software solution and the leadership team wanted to make technology a strategic part of their business model. But, they did not have the resources or knowledge base to select or implement a software solution on their own. With past experience working with Impact Washington a NIST MEP affiliate, they knew the center would be able to help.

Solution

In 2014, they started by selecting and implementing an IT solution. With Impact Washington supporting the effort with continuous involvement, H.R. Spinner was able to take the time to find the right staff and program to meet their software needs. When H.R. Spinner acquired the wood products company, they continued their work with Impact Washington and incorporated software solutions for accounting, logistics and inventory management. Lean training and lean manufacturing initiatives have also been implemented including documented processes and continuous improvement strategies to increase productivity and better meet the demands of the growing health food producing industry.