Cabarrus County is home to 190 manufacturers with 5,500 manufacturing employees and more on the way with several major announcements of new projects coming to our area. One local manufacturer has been operating as a family-owned business in Cabarrus County for almost 100 years and you have probably never heard of them.
When Production Coordinator Matthew Griffin, grandson of President David Snyder, took us on a tour of their facility, he stopped to introduce us to almost every employee. He shared their name, which high school in Cabarrus County they attended and often something significant about their families. He did the same for his international employees, sharing what country they are from and a tidbit about their lives.
It was evident that he was familiar with more than just the work lives of the employees, so when he also shared that some of their employees have worked at Snyder Packaging for decades, we weren’t surprised.
“We have between 80-100 employees, and we produce customized packaging to fit our client’s needs. Our family-owned company has strong Christian ideals with five family members that work full-time and several others who work when needed, said Griffin. “We are a truly successful company, one that is able to stand the test of time and turn our endurance into products of tangible value.”
One Man’s Dream Comes Alive Through Opening Snyder Printing
Snyder Printing was founded in 1925 by Raymond Snyder, who came from a long line of farmers, businessmen, teachers, and ministers influential in establishing the foundations for the Concord, North Carolina region. Throughout the tragedies of The Great Depression and World War II, Snyder did more than simply survive. He kept his presses running when others could not, printing stationery, brochures, catalogs, and business forms.
From 1946–1980 Snyder Printing grew in the community, moved to its second location and printed high-quality products for several decades. In 1980, they changed their name to Snyder Packaging, Inc. to reflect a new emphasis on paperboard inserts and containers. They are now one of the area’s leading packaging companies with a broad range of regional and national accounts.
Their Local Workforce Is Committed to Our Success
Snyder Packaging has been lucky over the years to have long-time employees who have stayed with the company for decades.
Griffin recently presented to a group of students at the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute (NCMI). Snyder Packaging needed skilled workers and NCMI offers programs at both Mitchell and Rowan Cabarrus Community Colleges to work with its partner companies to connect those students with manufacturing companies that need them.
Snyder Packaging is also attracting skilled local talent from our in-state college graduates, like Emily Nance. She attended Concord High School and then received a degree from Appalachian State in Graphic Communications Management and Commercial Photography. During her senior year, she interned at Snyder Packaging and decided to stay on once she graduated. “In college, I learned a lot about workflow. Through my internship, I was able to see the process in each department of the company and I was able to build relationships. It helped me learn the importance of being a team player. If you try to do it alone, you won’t succeed.” But at the end of the day, she emphasized that the reason she wanted to work full time for Snyder was because of the people. “I just love the people here so much,” she said.
The employees at Snyder Packaging truly reflect the workforce diversity of our county. Thao Dinh is Vietnamese and is also one of only two female operators. She has also been with the company for 20 years.
Snyder Packaging also recognizes those employees who have served our country, like Wayne Eury, who is a Desert Storm veteran. This is clearly a company that respects each and every one of its employees and their unique journeys.
Finding Their Momentum Through COVID
During COVID, Snyder Packaging saw a surge in orders, especially in medical supply containers for items that included masks, alcohol pads, and suture packages. They also saw an increase in different types of products including food and high-end fragrance packaging.
Like many companies, it was difficult to navigate working through COVID, and they worked on overtime schedules for almost a year. This happened after the company had experienced a bit of a slowdown in prior years and were wondering what the future might look like. Because of that increase in business, they were able to give their employees the largest bonuses they had been able to give in over 12 years.
Their Size Gives Them a Competitive Advantage in the Market
When asked why he believes they have been successful, Griffin points out that “we have strong relationships that lead to returning customers. Our new business is probably less than 1%.”
“Because of our size, we can also fluctuate in price and delivery dates to accommodate client needs. We never say no and try to do the difficult projects that no one else wants because our customers need them done. We do smaller quantities and specialty orders while maintaining high quality and quick lead times.” That is why a nationally recognized company like BIC and a local company like Heart Gifts by Teresa both sing their praises.
“Snyder Packaging and BIC are very similar. We are both family-owned businesses with the same business strategy and values,” said Christian Keator, Director of Packaging Engineering. “BIC’s focus is to provide our customers with innovative products that have the highest quality offered at the best value. Snyder Packaging’s excellent print quality allows our products to be seen on shelves as high quality, and that drives consumer purchases.”
“Their passion and dedication for service supports BIC’s demand for folding cartons that allows our products to ship on-time to our customers. Their service levels with short lead-times are the best in the industry. In fact, Snyder Packaging has been recognized several times by BIC for “Supplier of the Year” for their outstanding service and quality,” added Keator.
Snyder Packaging also works with local customers like Heart Gifts by Teresa, Inc. “We have been with Snyder’s since our beginning,” said Tama Southard, Business Manager. “Our glass ornaments have been shipped in the boxes they make for us for over 30 years. Teresa’s husband worked with them to design our gift boxes and the quality and durability produced by Snyder Packaging has kept our hand-painted ornaments safe and sound as they ship all over the U.S. and Canada.”
“We are fortunate that our businesses are located in the same area, and we look forward to many more years as business partners and friends,” added Southard. “We have always appreciated our longtime relationship with Snyder’s. In fact, we consider them family.”
What’s Next for Snyder Packaging?
Like so many companies, they are searching for a reliable and skilled workforce to take them into the next phase of their business. It is part of why they reached out to the Cabarrus EDC to express their needs and concerns. They previously relied on personal relationships and even temporary agencies to find employees, but now they need new ways to position themselves to attract talent.
Snyder is planning to invest in new equipment to make their process more efficient while maintaining a lot of their old equipment that still does the job. In 2021, they installed a new Heidelberg folding (glue) machine. They are also looking into ways to make handling their inventory easier to continue their fast turnaround times while also keeping prices affordable for their clients.
If you are interested in learning more about Snyder Packaging, Inc. and the services they offer, give them a call at 704-786-3111 or visit them online at www.snyderpkg.com.