Springfield Plastics

By Cindy Ladage

Springfield Plastics is located on Route 104 in Auburn, IL. The company is a Midwest manufacturer of tile drainage solutions for the agricultural, residential/building, commercial, and highway markets. They are the only U.S. manufacturer certified to use only 100% virgin resin in all their products to ensure a high-quality product every time.

Jennifer Furkin, Vice President of Springfield Plastics, shared a bit of the history of the company. “Springfield Plastics has been in business since 1978,” Furkin said. “It was originally founded by Roy Baker, Wayne Baker, and Glen Brandt. Those three saw an opportunity and made the decision to start Springfield Plastics.”

The Bakers and Brandt formed Springfield Plastics and purchased the assets of another manufacturing company. Today, Springfield Plastics is owned by a group of local shareholders with the Bakers handling the day-to-day operations.

With an eye to agriculture, Furkin said that most of their products are for the farm market. “We make single and dual wall polyethylene pipe to allow for drainage in farmers' fields to increase yields and allow timely field applications and operation,” she said.

As any farmer knows there is no work going on in a wet field, and tiling the field makes a big difference! Furkin added that their tile drainage systems offer, “A significant yield increase, but almost as importantly, the farmer can plant and harvest when they want.”

At Springfield Plastics, they service nearly all of the midwestern states. “We place a high priority on quality and that has really increased demand for products as farmers and contractors are looking for higher quality products because installing a tile drainage system is fairly expensive,” Furkin said. “They want to know their tile drainage system is going to last for generations. This is what is driving our growth throughout the Midwest and increasing our market share within the industry.”

Besides the agricultural applications, they have some commercial use production as well as storm sewer pipe for residential developments. Springfield Plastics also offers pipe for residential use with plastic drainage pipe and accessories for the homeowner to solve their drainage needs.

Currently, Springfield Plastics has about 90 employees but has plans in place for a major expansion. “We have a new project happening in 2023 that will add on another 35,000-square-foot building as part of the plan as well as 65 new jobs,” Furkin said. “We are growing faster than we can keep up. We plan to bring more people in to help us deliver the high-quality product and service that our customers have come to expect.”

Clearly, Springfield Plastics cares about its employees and wants them to grow and succeed given the numerous opportunities for upward mobility within the company. “We have so many employees here who have worked their way up,” Furkin said, using herself as an example of someone who started out as an entry-level employee.

“Our employees see firsthand working in Auburn, Illinois, there is a path to grow and be leaders in the company,” Furkin added. “There are many success stories of employees who have worked their way up. It is encouraging to the employees working here.”

Other perks are not having to commute to Springfield and getting to work in a family atmosphere. “Since we have been family run since 1978, it has allowed us to maintain that family atmosphere,” said Furkin. “One of the bigger benefits of being a family-oriented business is making sure everyone is taken care of.”

Springfield Plastics is also a very community-minded company. “We have been fortunate to be able to give back to the community,” Furkin commented. “Now we are more involved with our community than ever, which allows our employees the opportunity to be more involved. During the month of October we push our Drain for the Cure fundraiser, our biggest fundraising effort every year. We are so proud of our employees, business partners, and community to help us support the fight against cancer.”

This was the 9th year for Drain for the Cure and over the past eight years they have raised and donated half a million dollars to the Simmons Cancer Institute, which is part of the SIU Foundation. Simmons Cancer Institute works on various types of cancer research and provides a number of services to patients and families who are battling cancer.

Beyond Drain for the Cure, Springfield Plastics continues to make a difference with other charity efforts as well. Furkin noted that some other projects include employees going to Ronald McDonald House to cook meals, working with Auburn Food Pantry and Catholic Charities on their Mobile Food Pantry, and packaging food for the Thanksgiving turkey dinner. “We also try to be supportive of local FFA chapters to keep them going and actively engaged in the community,” Furkin added. “Recently, we worked with North Mac on a school supply bag drive.”

All of the work that Springfield Plastics does in business and for charity is based on its roots of being a family-owned business in a small town. “I think as a company that’s growing in a smaller community, we need to keep our eye on both the needs of our business and the needs of our community. Having employees who are from the local area and understand what we are going to accomplish as a company is very important both for our company’s success and our local area. We want to feel like we are giving back every day we work here,” Furkin concluded.

For more information about Springfield Plastics, check out their website at  www.spipipe.com.  The office is open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., and the business operates 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

Email jen@spipipe.com