Made in Chester County: Unipak, Inc.

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Teddy Frain IV standing in front of Unipak’s latest equipment purchase, a new 6 color press.
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Custom packaging designed and produced by Unipak

Networking is such an important practice for the unemployed. Making the right connections has reduced the stress level of many job seekers by increasing the amount of people in their circle who are on the prowl for that ever-elusive opportunity.

With his father on speed dial, Teddy Frain IV never thought he had to worry about cultivating contacts and developing relationships in order to jump-start his career. As a youngster, he always thought that after he graduated college, he’d have a position waiting for him in the family business.

Which is why in May 1993, after earning a business degree from Penn State, Frain was shocked to learn from his father, the owner of Unipak, Inc., that he was not quite Unipak material.

At least not yet.

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The daily challenge of developing new business.

“That’s not what I wanted to hear,” said Frain IV, now the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Unipak, a folding-carton manufacturer that inhabits 60,000 square feet of space on East Washington Street in West Chester. “I always thought that when I graduated, I would seamlessly transition into a job in the family business. But my father sat me down, and told me that I needed to work for somebody else.”

Unipak’s new press in action
Unipak’s new press in action

It wasn’t the graduation present Frain IV was hoping for.

“I’m glad I got to the point in my career where I could thank him for that,” he said. “It really was the right thing to do.”

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Teddy Frain IV explaining the intricacies of custom packaging

Frain III wanted his son to earn his initial stripes in the business world elsewhere, and that’s just what he did, working for a bed-linen importer in New York City.

By 1997, though, Frain IV’s path led him back home to Unipak, a company formed by his grandfather Ted Frain Jr. in 1973.

“In 1968, my grandfather left his job as sales manager at Dopaco Inc. in Downingtown and bought Pottstown Paper Box,” said Frain IV. “It was a small rigid-box company that supplied packaging to many of the garment companies in the Reading/Pottstown area. But Hurricane Agnes destroyed it in June 1972, so in January of the next year, he merged with West Chester Paper Box to form Unipak.”

A decade later, Unipak expanded from making strictly rigid cartons to ones that fold. Now, the company, which employees 30 full-timers, occupies a good niche in its market, as Frain IV characterizes its client base as regional.

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Unipak’s manufacturing process adheres to strict quality procedures

“We don’t produce millions of cereal boxes; we’re not national,” said Frain, who attended Henderson High School and eventually earned his MBA from Villanova. “We pride ourselves on service and turnaround time. We can get orders filled in three weeks or less.”

Unipak supplies packaging for products in industries ranging from health and beauty, to candy and other foods, to medical and pharmaceutical. Its biggest clients include W.L. Gore & Associates in Newark, Del., Godiva Chocolatier in Reading, Asher’s Chocolates in Souderton, and Keystone Industries in Gibbstown, N.J.

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Fully automated box construction on the factory floor

Nowhere are Unipak’s services on display more than they are for Godiva.

“Most consumers take packaging for granted,” said Frain. “Look at Godiva. When you charge a premium for a brand of chocolate, you have to separate yourself from your competitors. Packaging is a big part of that. Their image helps to distinguish them.”

In the 21st century, Unipak continues to meet the myriad of challenges that stand in the way of its growth, as Frain IV works on the front line, prospecting and developing relationships with potential customers.

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Manufacturing rigid candy boxes

“Sometimes it feels like you’re chasing your tail in this business,” he said. “One year, sales might be up 11 percent. The next year, they might be down 10 percent. For example, Surgical Specialties (in Exeter Township), a manufacturer of surgical devices, was a big client of ours, but they just laid off 200 employees and moved their manufacturing to Mexico.”

In 2003, Ted Frain Jr. passed away, and three years ago, Ted Frain III retired, but he still retains ownership of Unipak with his brother Steve Frain, the current president. When not in Florida, Frain III still lends a hand, assisting in projects related to the healthcare of his workers.

Last fall, Unipak upgraded its printing capabilities with a new press, a six-color, UV press that enables printing on foil and other substrates with excellent color consistency.

“The press has opened up new markets for us to service and has improved our efficiencies,” said Frain IV.

All of which means the future looks bright for Unipak and perhaps Frain IV’s three young children, who may one day become the fourth generation to work in the family business.

Just not the day after graduation.

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