Prent Corporation 1967-2007

Celebrating 40 Years of Thermoforming Excellence

In 2007, Prent celebrated 40 years in business.   This time line outlines many of the accomplishments the company and its thousands of employees have achieved over the years.  Thank you all for helping us celebrate this year!

1967

·         Prent Corporation founded by Jack Pregont in 10,000 sq. ft. former silo factory on Harding St. in Janesville, WI

·         Initial employment average: 15

·         Company specializes in thermoformed packaging, injection molding and decorating

1968

·         Mini Shift System begins

1970

·         Model & Tool department established

·         Harding St. addition expands facility to 16,000 sq. ft.

·         GO USA GO buttons produced and dedicated to the American People by the US House of Representatives

·         Employment average: 35

1971

·         Prent receives first award for Packaging Excellence

1972

·         Prent expands into new addition on Harding St, employment reaches 50

1973

·         Prent pioneers RF tear seal of rigid PVC

·         Glade Air Freshener begins for SC Johnson Wax

·         Sales double for sixth consecutive year, employment reaches 100

·         Christmas ornament project begins

·         Break ground on 50,000 sq. ft. building in new Kennedy Rd industrial park, Janesville

1974

·         Prent moves to Kennedy Rd. facility

·         Receive patent for three panel fold-up “Rack ‘n Stand,” becoming an industry standard

1976

·         Prent helps bring Junior Achievement to Janesville

·         First RF Weld “Twinwall” package is made

1977

·         Enlarge Harding Street to 26,500 sq. ft.

·         Glade production increases

·         Employee Profit Sharing begins

1978

·         Kennedy Rd. North building expanded by 30,000 sq. ft.

1979

·         Prent holds first community Open House

·         Prent invents the dovetail living hinge

1981

·         Jack Pregont co-founds and serves as first President of the Thermoforming Institute of the Society of the Plastic Industry, Inc.

·         Joseph Pregont graduates from UW Stout with packaging degree, joins company full-time

1982

·         Begin designing and building thermoformers

·         6” draw capability added

1983

·         Extrusion production begins at Harding St.

·         Kennedy Rd. expansion of 20,000 sq. ft. on South building

·         Glade production ends

·         Lead-on snap ring is perfected by Prent

1984

·         Additional 15,000 sq. ft. added onto North building

1985

·         Joseph Pregont is named President of Prent Corp.

·         Extrusion moves from Harding St. to Kennedy Rd.

·         Sponsorship of National Student Packaging Conference begins

1987

·         Prent receives first certified supplier awards from 2 customers

·         Begin using computerized drafting & design technology

1988

·         Prent becomes first climate controlled thermoformer in North America

·         Begin converting all manufacturing systems to computerized control

·         2^nd extrusion line added

·         CNC milling technology added to Prent’s capabilities

1989

·         Jack Pregont named SPE “Thermoformer of the Year”

·         Begin comprehensive environmental, waste reduction and recycling program

1990

·         Prent receives Wisconsin “Friend of the Environment” Award

·         Prent begins offering College Scholarships

·         “Fade-Away” Hinge patented

·         Employee service awards begin

·         Extrusion operation becomes GOEX Corporation

1991

·         GOEX production begins in new Foster Ave., Janesville facility

·         Governor Tommy Thompson appoints Joseph Pregont the first Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Recycling

1992

·         Robotics introduced

·         Real Time SPC starts on formers

·         Prent receives the “Wisconsin Business Recycling Leadership Award” from WMC

·         25^th Anniversary celebration

·         CNN tapes at Prent

·         Begin giving Rolex watches as 25 year service award

1993

·         First North American thermoformer to be ISO 9000 certified

·         Prent opens first satellite facility in Flagstaff, AZ

·         Prent is founding member of Employers Health Cooperative

·         Prent wins its first WorldStar Packaging Award

·         Custom high speed CNC machines installed

1994 

·         Prent receives “Governor’s New Product Award” from the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers for NewsPAC

·         PulpTech operation begins

·         Break ground on new Kennedy Rd. office building

1995

·         Joseph Pregont elected Chairman of the Thermoforming Institute

·         Joseph Pregont elected to the Board of Directors of the Society of Plastic Industry, Inc

·         Prent Flagstaff moves to new facility

·         City of Flagstaff recognizes Prent for pioneering environmental leadership

1996

·         Unigraphics CAD-CAM introduced

·         Flagstaff & Janesville employment reaches 500

1997

·         Prent named “Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year”

·         Joe Pregont named Co-Chair of the Thermoforming Conference of the National Plastics Exposition, attended by 75,000 people

·         Prent begins building thermoformers

·         Prent celebrates 30^th Anniversary

·         Prent develops European alliance

1998

·         Prent Malaysia opens   

·         First Class 100,000 Clean Room beings operation in Janesville

·         National certification of machine operators begins

·         Prent Manufacturing Data System introduced

1999

·         Prent Costa Rica Joint Venture

·         Prent Malaysia receives ISO 9002 Certification

·         2^nd Clean Room opens

·         Robotic part picking & stacking introduced

·         Manufacturing floor reorganized into Production Units

·         Jumbo roll stock introduced

2000

·         Flagstaff expands

·         New safety program begins

·         Quick tool change program begins

·         4-Day Work Week starts for production

·         3^rd Clean Room opens in Janesville

·         Prent 60 thermoformer introduced

2001

·         Joseph Pregont named SPE “Thermoformer of the Year’

·         Certified Supplier Program introduced

·         Safety milestone: 1 million hours without lost time accident

·         Reusable Unit Pak system introduced

2002

·         Prent Singapore opens

·         Prent Malaysia achieves ISO 9001

·         Surpass 10,000 Tools

2003

·         Prent Malaysia moves to new, larger facility

·         First employees receive “Six Sigma Greenbelt” certification

·         Wisconsin Council of Safety & Dept of Workforce Development recognize Prent for outstanding safety record

2004

·         Prent Shanghai opens

·         Prent Malaysia adds high-speed CNC capabilities

2006

·         Prent Puerto Rico opens

·         Prent Shanghai achieves ISO 9001

·         COO Walt Walker elected Chairman of SPE Thermoforming Institute

·         Worldwide employment exceeds 1,000

2007

·         Jack Pregont honored with “Lifetime Achievement Award” from SPE

·         40^th Anniversary Celebration attended by 1,500 guests

·         Prent Malaysia & Shanghai achieve ISO 14001 environmental certification

·         Prent receives three additional “WorldStar” packaging awards, bringing the total to 11

·         Prent Opens Worldwide Machine Build Facility in Janesville