I joined TBC directly out of URI in 1974 and five years later took over stewardship of the company when my father retired. For the past 35 years the company has been my epistemic crucible, revelatory prism and an often harrowing, emotional roller coaster.
People I meet marvel that our company has survived and prospered for 130 years and wonder what our secrets are. To begin with, we have created a respectful culture that competes, empowers, creates and innovates with passion and humor. We feature an award-winning design studio and a talent-rich, state-of-the-art manufacturing shop floor.
However, at the core of our success lies the immutable primacy of relationships based upon mutual trust – within our team, with our customers and with our partners.
We are trusted by brand managers at America's most visible brands, to deliver an exceptional packaging experience. Internally, trust empowers creative risk-taking, reduces misunderstandings, strengthens communication and powers interdepartmental team collaborations. Externally, our supply partners continuously earn our trust with reliable, value-driven performances that allow us to outperform our competitors.
It is clear how trust relationships power success, but there may be times your survival will depend upon one. For us it was the 2009 financial crisis pushing us to a record loss and a crippled balance sheet. Our bank lent us what we needed when banks weren't lending. That trust powered our turnaround and the growth which led to a record 2015.
Earn trust and build relationships. Together they create success. •