Corporate Bio

50+ years of growth & giving back to the community

In 1953, Henry J. Witkowski launched Port Erie plastics with one injection molding machine in a small building in Erie, PA. In 1966 Port Erie purchased a 22 acre site in Harborcreek, east of Erie and built a small manufacturing plant next to a golf course. We expanded several times over the years, but the largest growth spurt came in 2002 when purchased another 47 acres up the street and built two, separate 100,000 –square-foot warehouses. At the time, we also converted 75,000 square feet of warehouse in our main plant to manufacturing.

Port Erie’s manufacturing and warehousing complex now encompasses 500,000 square feet in three buildings on 69 acres along Troupe Road. We have more than 75 injection molding machines and average about 400 full-time employees. Oh, and by the way, we are still located next to that golf course, so if you like to play don’t visit in January.

Northwest Pennsylvania is a hotbed of activity in the plastics industry. Not only has Port Erie become one of the region’s largest and strongest molders, the company also has given back to the industry and community. Port Erie has supported the growth of Penn State’s Plastics Technical Center in Erie, one of only two campuses in the country to offer degreed programs in Plastic Engineering Technology. The Witkowski building,, named for the family that still owns Port Erie opened at the campus in 1994. Port Erie strongly encourages, and pays for, employees to take continuing education courses at the college. We also hire graduates and interns from the plastics program. And, we can utilize the technical resources available at the college.