7 Unique Products Produced in Jacksonville
Jacksonville's manufacturing scene is a Florida anomaly. Jacksonville is home to several manufacturers making products that one may not expect to find in the area. Here's a few.
1. Colomer USA
Employing 600, the Colomer Group's Jacksonville operations is the largest of the Spanish company's four manufacturing facilities and a hub for research and distribution. The others are located in Barcelona, Spain; Bologna, Italy and Queretaro, Mexico. Colomer produces cosmetics, perfumes, and hair products. Colomer's products include such labels as American Crew, Framesi and Abba. Colomer's Jacksonville operations began as Roux Laboratories in 1974. In 2000, Colomer acquired the local division when it purchased Revlon Professional Product's Worldwide division.
Colomer Group began with stylist Jose Colomer in 1943, when he opened up Colomer Limited as his first manufacturing plant in his hometown of Barcelona. Colomer quickly became not only a successful stylist and businessman, but he was also a pioneer in new concepts like perms and tanning products.
By the 1960s, Colomer had supported the development of nearly 400,000 salons in Europe and had opened two additional manufacturing plants. Colomer’s son, Carlos, would join the company in 1966. Revlon would buy out Colomer about a decade later, and Carlos would carry on with the Revlon Company, becoming their Chairman in 1981.
Colomer would be owned by Revlon until 2000, when Colomer would buy back their professional division from Revlon—becoming the Colomer Group as we know them today. Colomer Group Jacksonville operations are the largest of the company’s four facilities for research and distribution, with over $20 million in payroll and 600 employess.
Colomer produces cosmetics, perfumes, and hair products. They carry major brands such as American Crew and Abba. Time. In addition to products, it offers research and development, laboratory testing, package design, product formulation, custom manufacturing and logistic support services.
Colomer Group Jacksonville is located at 5344 Overmyer Drive.
2. WhiteWave Foods
Courtesy of InvestorBistro.com
WhiteWave Foods is a company that manufactures and distributes plant-based foods and beverages. The company used to be a subsidiary of Dean Foods, a company that specializes in the production of dairy products. Dean Foods was founded din the early 1920s by a man named Samuel L. Dean. Dean started off with an evaporated milk facility, but quickly began buying other Illinois dairy plants. As a result, Dean Foods has over 100 locations today.
However, WhiteWave Foods branched off into their own IPO in 2011 and have been successful since. In 2014, WhiteWave acquired Earthbound Farms, which is American’s largest organic production company. WhiteWave is known for their production of the popular milk replacement “Silk.” They also are responsible for the production of large company brands such as “International Delight” and “Land O’Lakes.”
Another interesting nugget concerning WhiteWave's Beaver Street is its history. In 1948, Aaron Block, co-founder of Reddi Whip whip cream, established the manufacturing plant to produce his products. For years, the Jacksonville facility was known as Long Life Dairy Products, Inc. Now a national household name, Reddi-wip was invented in 1948 by Block's co-founder Aaron S. "Bunny" Lapin.
WhiteWave Foods is located at 2198 W Beaver St.
3. Holmes Stamp & Sign
Courtesy of Homles Stamp & Sign
Holmes Stamp Company was created by Mr. Owen Holmes Jr. The company grew out of a hobby—as Holmes first started out by making stamps in the garage of his Jacksonville home. By 1954, Holmes Stamps had been created and it was a booming business. The company would expand from just solely stamps, though. Holmes would come to make both stamps, signs, and seals, which would be reflected in their new name: Holmes Stamp & Sign.
Holmes son would start working for the company in 1975 and would take over completely in 1985 when his father decided to retire. Holmes son, “Skeets,” would run the company for almost 15 years before retiring himself in 1998. By 1999, as a result of successful business and the growth of the Internet, HolmesStamps.com was launched, under the careful watch of Bob Croft—the man who was previously a delivery truck driver and took over “Skeets” place upon retirement.
Holmes Stamp & Sign located their headquarters permanently to Jacksonville in 2008. Today, Bob Croft’s son, Bryan Croft, is operating and overseeing Holmes Stamp & Sign. The company has grown to encompass ten different brands throughout the Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, and Atlanta areas.
Holmes Stamp & Sign is located at 2021 St. Augustine Rd.
4. Pilot Corporation of America
Courtesy of Amazon.com
The Pilot Corporation started off in the early 1900s, founded by Ryosuke Namiki and Masao Wada in Tokoyo, and going by the name Namiki Manufacturing Company. By 1926, the company had expanded overseas and 12 years later, would change its name to Pilot Pen Company. In 1972, the U.S. subsidiary Pilot Corporation of America was established. The Jacksonville operation was launched in 1995 and the company relocated its U.S. headquarters from Trumbull, CT to Jacksonville in 2008.
Today, Pilot is the third largest writing instrument company in America and is one of the fastest growing in the country. Pilot is known for their pens, sure, and they have all different types, from calligraphy to ballpoint. However, they also make pencils, markers, dry erase products, and highlighters.
Courtesy of Haskell
Pilot Corporation of America is located at 3901 Regent Blvd.
5. Shaw's Southern Belle Frozen Foods
The concept for Shaw’s dates way back to the 1800s, where the Shaw family worked and lived along the southern waterways of New Jersey. That would carry through the 19th and into the 20th centuries, as the Shaws continued to fish and build boats.
Both H.W. Shaw and Flossie Shaw decided to head off for Florida at the start of the 20th century, however, and by 1934 they had opened up their first crab plant in Apalachicola. Not long after that, they would relocate to Jacksonville.
Since then, the company has grown globally. Today, CEO John Shaw runs the company, which has become one of the country’s largest specialty seafood packagers. Their products include conch fritters, crab cakes, tuna sliders, crab stuffing and mac and cheese.
Aerial shot of the processing plant in Panama Park circa 1930 and today. Courtesy of Shaw's Southern Belle
John R. Shaw Sr. overlooking the crab picking operation, circa 1940. Courtesy of Shaw's Southern Belle
Shaw’s is located at 821 Virginia St, Jacksonville.
6. Sally Corporation
Courtesy of Sally Corporation
Sally Corporation is a Jacksonville-based company that was founded by three Johns: John Wood, John Fox, and John Holland. When the corporation began in 1977, it was manufacturing animatronics. One of Sally Corporation’s first “popular” creations was an animated figure of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Eventually, the company would grow to manufacture equipment for “dark rides,” too.
Fox left the company in the early 80s, and Holland, in the late 80s, leaving only Wood remaining. Today, Wood still remains as the corporation’s chair and CEO. Sally Corporation serves an array of amusement parks, museums, and other similar attractions, worldwide. This corporation designs and builds from conception to installation, which includes not only physical creation things like scripting, audio production, lighting, and electronics.
Courtesy of Out Post Orlando at https://www.outpostorlando.com/wp-content/gallery/sixflags/JokerAnimatronic_SallyCorp.JPG
Sally Corporation is located at 745 W Forsyth St.
7. Ice man – Icehouse
The Ice Man was created by David Bryant in 1987. The company is locally owned and operated, and produces about 150 tons of ice a day. The company has a simple goal in mind—to keep you, and your drinks, cool. Ice Man offers delivery and emergency ice services, as well as snow blowing. The company’s “snow” services include snow blowing for parties and events, as well as snow slides that measure 40ft in length.
The Ice Man make ice bags up to 50 lbs, as well as 300 Ibs ice blocks for carving and sculpting.
The Ice Man is located at 5849 Commonwealth Ave.
Article by Kristen Pickrell.
Employing 600, the Colomer Group's Jacksonville operations is the largest of the Spanish company's four manufacturing facilities and a hub for research and distribution. The others are located in Barcelona, Spain; Bologna, Italy and Queretaro, Mexico. Colomer produces cosmetics, perfumes, and hair products. Colomer's products include such labels as American Crew, Framesi and Abba. Colomer's Jacksonville operations began as Roux Laboratories in 1974. In 2000, Colomer acquired the local division when it purchased Revlon Professional Product's Worldwide division.
Colomer Group began with stylist Jose Colomer in 1943, when he opened up Colomer Limited as his first manufacturing plant in his hometown of Barcelona. Colomer quickly became not only a successful stylist and businessman, but he was also a pioneer in new concepts like perms and tanning products.
By the 1960s, Colomer had supported the development of nearly 400,000 salons in Europe and had opened two additional manufacturing plants. Colomer’s son, Carlos, would join the company in 1966. Revlon would buy out Colomer about a decade later, and Carlos would carry on with the Revlon Company, becoming their Chairman in 1981.
Colomer would be owned by Revlon until 2000, when Colomer would buy back their professional division from Revlon—becoming the Colomer Group as we know them today. Colomer Group Jacksonville operations are the largest of the company’s four facilities for research and distribution, with over $20 million in payroll and 600 employess.
Colomer produces cosmetics, perfumes, and hair products. They carry major brands such as American Crew and Abba. Time. In addition to products, it offers research and development, laboratory testing, package design, product formulation, custom manufacturing and logistic support services.
Colomer Group Jacksonville is located at 5344 Overmyer Drive.
2. WhiteWave Foods
Courtesy of InvestorBistro.com
WhiteWave Foods is a company that manufactures and distributes plant-based foods and beverages. The company used to be a subsidiary of Dean Foods, a company that specializes in the production of dairy products. Dean Foods was founded din the early 1920s by a man named Samuel L. Dean. Dean started off with an evaporated milk facility, but quickly began buying other Illinois dairy plants. As a result, Dean Foods has over 100 locations today.
However, WhiteWave Foods branched off into their own IPO in 2011 and have been successful since. In 2014, WhiteWave acquired Earthbound Farms, which is American’s largest organic production company. WhiteWave is known for their production of the popular milk replacement “Silk.” They also are responsible for the production of large company brands such as “International Delight” and “Land O’Lakes.”
Another interesting nugget concerning WhiteWave's Beaver Street is its history. In 1948, Aaron Block, co-founder of Reddi Whip whip cream, established the manufacturing plant to produce his products. For years, the Jacksonville facility was known as Long Life Dairy Products, Inc. Now a national household name, Reddi-wip was invented in 1948 by Block's co-founder Aaron S. "Bunny" Lapin.
WhiteWave Foods is located at 2198 W Beaver St.
3. Holmes Stamp & Sign
Courtesy of Homles Stamp & Sign
Holmes Stamp Company was created by Mr. Owen Holmes Jr. The company grew out of a hobby—as Holmes first started out by making stamps in the garage of his Jacksonville home. By 1954, Holmes Stamps had been created and it was a booming business. The company would expand from just solely stamps, though. Holmes would come to make both stamps, signs, and seals, which would be reflected in their new name: Holmes Stamp & Sign.
Holmes son would start working for the company in 1975 and would take over completely in 1985 when his father decided to retire. Holmes son, “Skeets,” would run the company for almost 15 years before retiring himself in 1998. By 1999, as a result of successful business and the growth of the Internet, HolmesStamps.com was launched, under the careful watch of Bob Croft—the man who was previously a delivery truck driver and took over “Skeets” place upon retirement.
Holmes Stamp & Sign located their headquarters permanently to Jacksonville in 2008. Today, Bob Croft’s son, Bryan Croft, is operating and overseeing Holmes Stamp & Sign. The company has grown to encompass ten different brands throughout the Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, and Atlanta areas.
Holmes Stamp & Sign is located at 2021 St. Augustine Rd.
4. Pilot Corporation of America
Courtesy of Amazon.com
The Pilot Corporation started off in the early 1900s, founded by Ryosuke Namiki and Masao Wada in Tokoyo, and going by the name Namiki Manufacturing Company. By 1926, the company had expanded overseas and 12 years later, would change its name to Pilot Pen Company. In 1972, the U.S. subsidiary Pilot Corporation of America was established. The Jacksonville operation was launched in 1995 and the company relocated its U.S. headquarters from Trumbull, CT to Jacksonville in 2008.
Today, Pilot is the third largest writing instrument company in America and is one of the fastest growing in the country. Pilot is known for their pens, sure, and they have all different types, from calligraphy to ballpoint. However, they also make pencils, markers, dry erase products, and highlighters.
Courtesy of Haskell
Pilot Corporation of America is located at 3901 Regent Blvd.
5. Shaw's Southern Belle Frozen Foods
The concept for Shaw’s dates way back to the 1800s, where the Shaw family worked and lived along the southern waterways of New Jersey. That would carry through the 19th and into the 20th centuries, as the Shaws continued to fish and build boats.
Both H.W. Shaw and Flossie Shaw decided to head off for Florida at the start of the 20th century, however, and by 1934 they had opened up their first crab plant in Apalachicola. Not long after that, they would relocate to Jacksonville.
Since then, the company has grown globally. Today, CEO John Shaw runs the company, which has become one of the country’s largest specialty seafood packagers. Their products include conch fritters, crab cakes, tuna sliders, crab stuffing and mac and cheese.
Aerial shot of the processing plant in Panama Park circa 1930 and today. Courtesy of Shaw's Southern Belle
John R. Shaw Sr. overlooking the crab picking operation, circa 1940. Courtesy of Shaw's Southern Belle
Shaw’s is located at 821 Virginia St, Jacksonville.
6. Sally Corporation
Courtesy of Sally Corporation
Sally Corporation is a Jacksonville-based company that was founded by three Johns: John Wood, John Fox, and John Holland. When the corporation began in 1977, it was manufacturing animatronics. One of Sally Corporation’s first “popular” creations was an animated figure of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Eventually, the company would grow to manufacture equipment for “dark rides,” too.
Fox left the company in the early 80s, and Holland, in the late 80s, leaving only Wood remaining. Today, Wood still remains as the corporation’s chair and CEO. Sally Corporation serves an array of amusement parks, museums, and other similar attractions, worldwide. This corporation designs and builds from conception to installation, which includes not only physical creation things like scripting, audio production, lighting, and electronics.
Courtesy of Out Post Orlando at https://www.outpostorlando.com/wp-content/gallery/sixflags/JokerAnimatronic_SallyCorp.JPG
Sally Corporation is located at 745 W Forsyth St.
7. Ice man – Icehouse
The Ice Man was created by David Bryant in 1987. The company is locally owned and operated, and produces about 150 tons of ice a day. The company has a simple goal in mind—to keep you, and your drinks, cool. Ice Man offers delivery and emergency ice services, as well as snow blowing. The company’s “snow” services include snow blowing for parties and events, as well as snow slides that measure 40ft in length.
The Ice Man make ice bags up to 50 lbs, as well as 300 Ibs ice blocks for carving and sculpting.
The Ice Man is located at 5849 Commonwealth Ave.
Article by Kristen Pickrell.