Our History

To keep up with demand, we moved to a rented 5000 Sq. Ft. space in an industrial building on the North side of Chicago. This move enabled us to invest in more machinery, create more local jobs, and add the capabilities needed to become the full service custom sewing plant.

To add more employees to keep up with demand, we moved to a rented 5000 sq ft space in an industrial building on the near north side of Chicago. This enabled us to invest in more machinery and the necessities to become the full service sewing plant we wanted, including adding a significant number of employees.

We expanded to also include contract labor for other manufacturing factories. This time period was important because it gave us the time to slowly build our own client base, we learned other sewing techniques and products. Most importantly, we could see by changing some labor techniques, we could manufacture products to look high end, but redesign slightly to save significant labor costs. Companies found we could manufacture a good product at a lower price while still holding on to the look/feel/integrity of products.

As our name grew through the Midwest, we found a niche in the advertising specialties market. Since the majority of our products were silk screened, we invested in our first printing equipment. A heat tunnel enabled us to immediately start sewing on fabric as soon as the printed piece came out the dryer. Our turn around time was decreased by a couple of weeks, a metric that is very important for the advertising specialty market.

Manufactured large volumes of canvas grocery bags with store name screened on the bags. Standard orders ranges from 5000 to 25,000 bags for chain stores. Stores began implementing savings offers to their consumers to reuse their canvas bags, deducting .25 to .10 every time the bags were used.

Besides the standard bags and ad specialty products, we began to expand our line to accommodate clients’ needs; binders, pouches, luggage and to take on more challenging projects. We gave our clients alternatives to “standard” products. We began to manufacture items of point of purchase displays to major retail stores, including table skirts and banners with oversized imprinting. Some of these items were displayed internationally.

SPC needed a permanent home, so a 15,000 sq ft factory was purchased on the west side of Chicago. This purchase gave us the opportunity to rehab the building to make the production as efficient as possible.

We began a focus on designing and prototyping new products for companies that were sometimes manufactured overseas by our clients. Our designs went from drawings to samples that were photographed, consumer tested in Chicago, then small and medium runs, usually 25,000 units and under. As growth of the products continued, patterns were sent to client’s factories for production overseas.

Designing “lines” for our clients to meet the ever changing needs. A line of bags for commuters was contracted that would suite different needs, including some insulated compartments, areas for shoes, areas for files, books.

The reality of offshore manufacturing hit SPC, so we refocused to find a new niche. We knew we could not compete with South American countries on price, but we knew we could focus on quality and delivery. Our new niche was born.

This time SPC moves 700 miles away from our origins. We searched for 1.5 years for the right location for a new factory. We found the perfect location in Johnson City, Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains. We knew this was a manufacturing center for sewn products, so the labor force with the talent we needed was here.

After 5 months of rehabilitation SPC moves into their new factory in Johnson City Tennessee

SPC acquires a totally automatic printing press with heat tunnels for quick textile printing. We now have a 6 color, 8 station fully automatic printing press.

We continue to push the Made in the USA concept. Our products are not disposable like so many imported goods become. We still manufacture large volume bags similar to the products we started with if they are specified to be made here.

We purchase new, the latest machinery every year. With the newest equipment, we can keep our labor figures down and still produce very strong, unique products.

SPC Owner Kim Schneider becomes a leading advocate of historic restoration in the Johnson City Tennessee area. Kim’s projects include the renovation of a downtown fountain and the founding of the Friends of Olde Downtown organization – a group dedicated to the support and promotion of downtown Johnson City Tennessee. The Blue Plum Festival and First Fridays are two regularly occurring events that have been organized by the Friends of Olde Downtown.