About PolyJohn Enterprises
PolyJohn Enterprises Inc. is owned and managed by Mike and Ken Cooper. As second-generation owners, the brothers have helped PolyJohn become the world’s leading manufacturer of high quality plastic products designed for environmental markets including portable sanitation, safety, and hygiene. The company also produces products for safety and security (Rhino Barriers) and provides a variety of sanitation equipment utilized by governments and military branches around the world.
Headquarted near Chicago IL, PolyJohn manufactures products in the USA, Canada and Brazil. PolyJohn's International division, headed by Vernon Hills, is based in the UK and provides PolyJohn products worldwide through a network of strategically located distributers.
Mike and Ken have assembled a team dedicated to providing innovative products as well as exceptional customer service. General Manager Jake Groen heads PolyJohn Canada. PolyJohn South America is managed by its president, Marcelo Massa. Corporate Management in the USA includes CFO John Camphouse, Managing Director Mike Adams, Engineering Manager Dan Tyler, Manufacturing Manager Robert Pulley, and Purchasing Manager Bob Nelson.
PolyJohn's worldwide network of Regional offices is overseen by a team of highly experienced industry veterans, committed to delivering quality products, and sharing their wealth of information with our customers.
Company History
The first US patent for a polyethylene plastic portable restroom was issued in the 1960s to George Harding, co-founder of PolyJohn Enterprises Corporation along with Ed Cooper and George Hiskes.
Harding was the consummate entrepreneur. During the 1930s Harding was in senior management with the General Motors Corporation. In the 40s, Harding played an important role in the US War Department as a senior official in the Department of Strategic Metals where he worked in building the Liberty Ships. In the 1950s, Harding entered the burgeoning fiberglass boat industry and also started an underwater photography business with Walt Disney as a partner.
At a time in his life when most men would have been satisfied with retirement, George Harding became interested in the brand new field of plastics. In researching practical uses for this new "wonder material," he invented the polyethylene portable toilet. Harding became the number-one salesman for his new invention traveling throughout the US and Canada with two toilet units on a trailer pulled behind his car.
A genial man, Harding made instant friends and took sales orders from thousands of portable restroom operators he visited. One such acquaintance was Ed Cooper, who was running a waste-hauling business in Hammond, IN when he first met George.
"We had just begun to diversify our business with a few portable restrooms. George called on me one day before lunch and we ended up spending the entire day talking. By late that evening, my partner George Hiskes and I became partners with George Harding. That was the day we started PolyJohn. Harding was extremely persuasive," said Cooper.
Together Harding, Cooper and Hiskes bought Rama Plastics, a plastics manufacturing company located on an Indian reservation in Canada, where they first began manufacturing PolyJohn restroom units.
Cooper went on to become president of PolyJohn for over 25 years until his passing in 2007. Under Cooper’s leadership, PolyJohn grew to become a leader in the industry and one of the largest manufacturers of polyethylene portable sanitation products in the world. Today, Mike and Ken Cooper run the family business together with the most knowledgeable team in the business.
PolyJohn has been instrumental in developing the market for polyethylene restrooms in the US and abroad. By 1988 PolyJohn had two manufacturing plants and distributorship agreements in Europe and Asia. Its largest distributor in Yorkshire, England, eventually joined with the parent company to become PolyJohn UK, and later expanded to become PolyJohn International. Led by Vernon Hills, PolyJohn International manufactures PolyJohn products in Brazil and handles sales for Europe, Africa, South America, India, Asia and the Middle East.
Primary Manfacturing Process
Ever wonder how we manage to develop and manufacture so many innovative and durable products? Or, have you wondered how we can assemble and ship your orders so quickly? Below you'll see how we do it, from innovation, to raw materials, to assembly, and shipping to your door.
Customers are always welcome to stop in, meet our people, and tour our plant. But if you can't make it to Whiting, follow the links below to see how our products are made.
Headquarters
PolyJohn Enterprises Corporation's headquarters has in excess of 150,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, and corporate office space. Located in Whiting, IN on the Illinois and Indiana border, this facility is approximately twenty miles from downtown Chicago.
The facility utilizes the IBM MAPICS (Manufacturing, Accounting and Production Information Control System) software to manage business transactions and inventories so that customer orders are converted instantly into manufacturing and/or shipping orders.
PolyJohn has its own trucking company and warehouses throughout the continental United States to facilitate the fastest delivery possible.
PolyJohn also distributes products in most major countries worldwide. Additional manufacturing facilities include PolyJohn Canada, Orillia, Ontario, Canada and PolyJohn South America located in Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil. International headquarters are located in Wetherby, York, England.
Quality and Innovation
PolyJohn is a world-class manufacturer dedicated to a Total Quality Management business culture. Our product design and developmental engineering team utilizes sophisticated computer aided design (CAD) software systems to create innovative, functional and long-lasting, durable products.
Raw Materials
Polyethylene resin pellets are delivered to storage silos with mixing, batching and conveying support systems to move the pellets into plastic forming machinery. With these machines we mix color, UV protection, and other additives into our plastics to make them the longest-lasting and most color-stable plastics available. Careful consideration is given to our polymers. Pigmented colours are scrutinized for heat and light stability. Extra additives are blended into the resins for ultra-violate (UV) radiation resistance providing long lasting life.
Plastic Sheet Extrusions
With these machines polyethylene resin is blended with colour concentrates and UV additives to manufacture flat, plastic extruded sheets, which are later used in our thermoforming and CNC manufacturing operations. We can perfectly control color consistency, width, and strength of our products.
Capacity and equipment:
- 84 inch (213cm) Width Capacity
- 1/2 inch (12mm) Guage Capacity
- Co-extrusion Up To three Layers
- 4 1/2" Main Extruder
- 3 1/2" Co-extruder
Thermoforming - Single/Twin Sheet
Thermoforming machines heat and soften plastic sheets and then force it over or into a temperature-controlled mold by means of pressure (usually vacuum) where the plastic assumes the shape of the mold. Parts made from this process such as roofs, doors and wall panels are cooled to room temperature and then machined in specially designed routering and drilling equipment to guarantee quality and consistency. With this equipment we have mastered the science of creating a consistent result that is the same from unit to unit, day to day, year to year.
Machinery includes:
- One Maac rotary, 5' x 9' x 3' depth of draw;
- Two Brown & Modern rotaries, 4' x 8' x 2' depth of draw;
- One Modern two-work station, 4' x 8' x 2' depth of draw
CNC Machining
We use industrial CNC (computer numerical control) routers for accurate high speed robotic machining to trim, cut and shape plastics, composites, non-ferrous metals and wood. The five-axis capability, in addition to creating production parts, allows us to make models and prototypes for future product development.
Rotational Moulding
Polyethylene resin pellets are ground to a fine mesh powder using particle-size reduction machines and then blended together with pigments and additives. This powder is then loaded into molds made from heat conductive materials. Mechanical arms position the molds into an oven where they are rotated on two axis planes at right angles to each other so that the molds revolve in a 360-degree circle. The powder melts and coats the inside of the heated molds yielding evenly uniform wall thickness and stress-free parts. Hollow shaped parts such as tanks and sinks are made through this manufacturing method.
Machinery includes:
- Two McNeil 1500 Models with 78" diameter "swings"
- Two Ferry 330 Models with 128" diameter "swings".
- Two Reduction Engineering pulverizing particle reduction machines.
- Support equipment, high speed mixing and blending.
Injection Moulding
Polymer resins, pigments and additives are mixed together in a cylinder that has a reciprocating screw inside of it. After the materials have been heated to a homogeneous viscous liquid, the screw forces the materials into a closed mould to form simple to complicated solid shapes. Fly screens, handles, latches and spigots are examples of this manufacturing process.
Machinery includes:
- Sandretto 485 ton, 12 ounce shot
- Sandretto 85 ton, 32 ounce shot
Metal Working
Trailers, high-rise building crane lifting slings and tie-down stakes for portable restrooms are manufactured in this department, as well as other products.
Wood Working
Where wooden base skids for portable restrooms are almost a thing of the past, PolyJohn still offers these for customers that prefer them. This wood working facility also makes shipping containers and skids.
Assemblies
A variety of assembly techniques and testing methods are employed at PolyJohn. Our highly skilled craftspeople assemble several types of sinks and portable restrooms creating finished products that are second to none.
Robert Pulley,
Production Manager
Dan Tyler,
Engineering Manager
PolyJohn is an environmentally conscious manufacturer of polyethylene portable restrooms, sinks, tanks, trailers and cleaning/deodorizing products. For more information about PolyJohn or any PolyJohn product please tour the rest of our website or call in the United States, 1-800-292-1305; in Canada, call 1-800-465-9590; or in Europe, call 44(0) 1937-583333. PolyJohn can also be reached by e-mail at info@polyjohn.com, or by standard mail at: PolyJohn Enterprises Corporation, 2500 Gaspar Avenue, Whiting, IN 46394.
