A well-known, family-owned company headquartered in Gainesville has been bought by a national firm, but members of the local family will continue to run the operation here.
Wilheit Packaging, a distributor of shipping, packaging and maintenance products, was acquired by Supply One, Inc., the company announced Tuesday. Supply One is the largest independent supplier of corrugated and other packaging products, equipment and services in the United States.
Philip Wilheit Jr. will stay with the company as president, and Steven Brock will be vice president and chief financial officer. Philip Wilheit Sr. will remain as chairman of the company for one year.
"Our expanded capabilities mean new growth opportunities for our employees and new efficiencies and savings for our customers," Philip Wilheit Sr. said. "As a SupplyOne company, we will deliver even more benefits to our customers through access to corrugated converting capabilities, packaging automation, and for our food processing customers, the broadest range of primary packaging solutions available."
William Leith, CEO and president of SupplyOne, said the acquisition of Wilheit Packaging is expands SupplyOne's footprint in the region and offers manufacturers and processors of custom manufacturing, packaging products, packaging equipment, services, and programs from a single point of contact.
"Wilheit Packaging's focus on helping their customers be more profitable mirrors our own," Leith said. "The synergies that result from combining SupplyOne's manufacturing expertise, services, and programs with Wilheit's impressive distribution capabilities position the company well for continued growth. We are delighted to welcome their exceptional employees into the SupplyOne family."
Wilheit Packaging was founded in 1953 by Tom Wilheit. The company got its start supplying packaging for the poultry and textile industries in Georgia. Under the leadership of Philip Wilheit, Sr., the company has become a leading supplier to the Georgia, Alabama and Carolina marketplace, and a strong presence in corrugated, poly films and end-of-line packaging.
Today the company serves food processors and industrial manufacturers in more than 15 states from their facilities in Gainesville; Atlanta; Wilmington, North Carolina; Warsaw, North Carolina; and Arab, Alabama.
