Western Plastic Products
- Founded
- 1987-01-01 in Winfield, Kansas, United States
- Headquarters
- Winfield, Kansas, United States
- Phone
- (562) 435-4881
Western Industries Plastic Products LLC, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Winfield, Kansas, is a privately held contract manufacturer renowned for large‑part custom blow molding. The company operates a 500,000‑square‑foot campus equipped with 19 accumulator‑head blow molding machines that produce components weighing 1 to 75 pounds, with platen sizes up to 96 inches. Serving diverse markets such as building materials, sporting goods, outdoor living, health and leisure, lawn and garden, medical equipment, agriculture, and material handling, Western positions itself as a turnkey partner offering product design assistance, process improvement, secondary fixturing, assembly, and supply‑chain management. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and employs an estimated 201–500 people. In April 2025, under the ownership of Littlejohn Capital, Western appointed Ryan Gladieux as CEO and Dona Andrews as COO, signaling a renewed focus on accelerated growth and operational excellence.
Detailed Review
History and Founding
Western Industries Plastic Products LLC was founded in 1987 in Winfield, Kansas, and has grown over nearly four decades into a leading custom blow molder for large parts. The company began as a small operation and expanded its capabilities under stable ownership, culminating in its current 500,000-square-foot campus.
Core Capabilities and Equipment
The company's fleet of 19 blow molding machines, primarily accumulator-head models, allows it to produce parts weighing from 1 to 75 pounds with platen sizes up to 96 inches. This equipment is suited for heavy-wall, large-volume components requiring high repeatability. Over 75 years of combined engineering experience support every project.
Turnkey Services
Western Industries differentiates itself as a customer-driven turnkey partner. Services span product design assistance, research and development, mold design and modification, high-volume production, secondary operations such as assembly and fixturing, and full supply-chain management. The company's in-house machine shop enables smooth transitions from prototype to production.
End Markets and Customers
The company serves a broad range of end markets including building materials, sporting goods, outdoor living, health and leisure, lawn and garden, medical equipment, agriculture, and material handling. Its customer base includes large OEMs as well as smaller companies seeking to scale. Western emphasizes reducing total cost of ownership through process improvements.
Ownership and Leadership
Western Industries is owned by Littlejohn Capital, LLC. In April 2025, the company announced a leadership transition: Ryan Gladieux, a veteran of the plastics and packaging industry formerly at CTI Systems, Rapak, Weener Plastics, and Plastipak, was appointed CEO. Dona Andrews, a 26-year veteran who previously served as interim CEO, was promoted to COO. This move is aimed at driving operational excellence and commercial growth while preserving the company's customer-focused culture.
Certification and Location
Western holds ISO 9001:2015 certification. Its Winfield, Kansas headquarters provides a central location for distribution across North America. The facility includes dedicated areas for manufacturing, assembly, warehousing, and shipping.
Key Products
Large-Part Blow Molding
Using accumulator-head machines with 15–75 lb shot capacity to produce heavy-wall, large-volume parts such as kayaks, coolers, playground components, landscape edging, medical enclosures, and agricultural tanks.
Mold Design and Fabrication
In-house tooling design and modification to optimize part geometry and cycle times.
Part Modification and Redesign
Engineering services to improve existing blow-molded parts for cost reduction or performance enhancement.
High-Volume Plastic Production
Capability for large production runs with repeatable quality across multiple concurrent projects.
New Product Development
Collaborative R&D to bring innovative product ideas from concept to market.
Secondary Operations and Assembly
Complete product assembly, including integration of inserts, fasteners, and other components.
Supply Chain Management
Turnkey services from raw material procurement to just-in-time delivery.
Offices & Headcount
350 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- Ryan Gladieux
Chief Executive Officer
- Dona Andrews
Chief Operating Officer