Our History
The 1960s
Fred & Suzanne Biesecker established Drug Plastics & Glass Company, Inc. in 1963. Based in Boyertown, PA, the company began as a wholesaler of plastic prescription vials. It was a humble beginning with operations and warehousing conducted in the basement of their home.
Suzanne working in her home just as the business was getting started.
Fred differentiated his wholesale business by having the plastic vials made from injection molds he purchased, ensuring a guaranteed supply source for their growing customer base.
Drug Plastics purchases the Drug Division of Ball Brothers Company of Muncy, IN., expanding the business to include glass bottles and vials. The Hygeia Nurser became part of the product line.
Inventory was housed in five different Boyertown locations as the business outgrew the basement of the Bieseckers’ home.
The Biesecker children grew up with the family business. Here is a young Lissa Biesecker helping to pack boxes of bottles.
The Biesecker children began helping with the family business at a young age. Here is Rick Biesecker helping to load boxes filled with a shipment of bottles.
The 1970s
The company builds a new manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Boyertown, PA. The first plastic bottle is blow molded on April 19, 1971. Drug Plastics consolidates Delaware Valley Molded Products assets into the company.
Drug Plastics transitions from a local company, in many cases referring to itself as Boyertown Bottles, to a nationally known corporation. It builds a team of sales representatives who interact with potential customers within the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics industries.
Six different expansion projects occur at the corporate headquarters. Additionally, the company built a second manufacturing facility in Kittanning, PA.
Product development focused on the pharmaceutical market fuels growth. As alternatives to traditional glass packaging, the company creates families of wide-mouth pharmaceutical rounds, penicillin rounds, ointment jars, among others.
The 1980s
Prior to celebrating its 25th Anniversary, Drug Plastics completes a comprehensive expansion and remodeling of its corporate headquarters in Boyertown, PA.
The company constructs new manufacturing facilities in Spartanburg, SC and Valley City, ND.
Drug Plastics can now manufacture PET bottles and adds the products to its existing line of HDPE, LDPE, and PP bottles.
Drug Plastics launches a mold fabrication company in Boyertown, PA to manufacture new molds and maintain existing molds for its customers.
The 1990s
The company begins the decade with four plants that manufacture bottles. By the end of the decade, the company adds two new plants in Oxford IN, and Elysburg, PA.
The Society of Plastics Engineers awards the Lifetime Achievement Award to Fred Biesecker for his contributions to the plastics industry. Joining him are Lissa, Suzanne, Britta, and Rick Biesecker.
Yellow ribbons wrap the resin silos at all manufacturing facilities in honor of troops engaged in Operation Desert Storm.
The Drug Plastics sales team routinely attends worldwide trade shows to promote the growing product line. This decade saw the introduction of the company tagline describing itself as “A Family of Perfect Quality Bottlemakers.”
The 2000s
To honor those who were killed or injured during the 9/11 attacks on New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA, the company adorns the resin silos at the manufacturing facilities with large USA letters.
The Biesecker family – Lissa, Suzanne, Fred, and Rick – in the 2000s.
The company brings the corporate headquarter campus in Boyertown, PA into the 21st century through a comprehensive remodel and upgrade.
Drug Plastics acquires Top Seal Corporation, a closure manufacturer with production sites in Phoenix, AZ and Edinburgh, IN. This allows the company to be a one-stop-shop for bottles and closures. Top Seal eventually becomes Drug Plastics Closures.
The 2010s
In its sixth decade, Drug Plastics becomes the premium-packaging manufacturer for healthcare, wellness, and lifestyle brands that desire perfect bottles and closures.
Fred Biesecker passed away in 2012. Fred guided the company with a mix of vision, innovation, leadership, and sound business practices. Known as “Mr. B” around the organization, he cared deeply for his extended Drug Plastics’ family.
Rick Biesecker, CEO, and Lissa Biesecker Longacre, President, lead the Drug Plastics team. Their mother and co-founder, Suzanne Biesecker, is Chairman of the Board.
Drug Plastics celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2013. Employees are integral to the company’s success.
The 2020s
The world faces a global pandemic in 2020. Since Drug Plastics is deemed an essential business, our employees are the key to providing necessary packaging solutions to our pharmaceutical and wellness customers.
Drug Plastics makes the commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and take steps to conserve natural resources for future generations. The company expands the ways it can reduce greenhouse gasses in the plastic bottle and closure manufacturing process.
The communities in which Drug Plastics operates are important to its success. The company takes the initiative to support local events where our employees volunteer their time and talent for the greater good. We believe that building communities, supporting local economies, and sponsoring local organizations is just the right thing to do.
Companies across all industries are making sustainability a top priority. We are doing the same. We now offer virgin resin made through the Advanced Recycling process. In essence, virgin resin can now be made by using ethylene molecules derived from post-consumer waste. Join us in conserving natural resources for future generations.
