CHICAGO – Tek Pak Inc. has been honored by the Valley Industrial Association (VIA) with a 2023 Spark Award at its April 26 ceremony at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. A packaging manufacturer specializing in carrier tape and thermoforming solutions for electronic, food, healthcare and industrial customers in the U.S. and across the globe, Tek Pak earned the 2023 Spark Award for Safety in the small business category for its ongoing demonstrated commitment to the safety of its workforce. 

The VIA is a trade organization made up of over two hundred member companies located in the Fox Valley and Chicagoland area. It provides manufacturing companies with tools for best practices and connection to growth.  The VIA Spark Awards honors its members for their commitment to culture, innovation, operational excellence, safety, social responsibility and workforce development. Twelve companies were chosen as finalists for various categories of the award and interviewed by judges for their systemic approach, metrics and lessons learned before winners were selected.

“Tek Pak has been a VIA member for 15 years and a great contributor to our group,” said Kathy Gilmore, President of the VIA. “We are proud of the strong safety program they have developed, and the example they have set for our member companies. Well deserved!”

“We are honored to receive this award for a third consecutive year in recognition of our steadfast commitment to the best safety standards for our employees,” said Wendy K. White Eagle, Director of Finance and Shared Services at Tek Pak. “Investment in employees is the best pathway to manufacturers’ success. We are incredibly proud of our leadership team who work hard every day to demonstrate our commitment to operational safety, personal safety, workforce development and the overall well-being of our workforce. Thank you to this year’s judges for recognizing our efforts in achieving this high standard in our industry.”

Tek Pak is committed to the highest industrial manufacturing and safety standards. The company has been providing tape, reel, and thermoform solutions to customers for over 30 years and operates in a certified Class 8 cleanroom at its thermoform division in St. Charles. Tek Pak maintains OSHA, FSSC 22000, and ISO 13485 certifications in quality management, occupational safety, and food safety.

Often referred to as the preferred employer in the Fox Valley region, Tek Pak employs approximately 100 workers across four locations in the Kane County area, many serving in highly skilled jobs that require the capability to navigate instruments and machining operations specific to the plastics and thermoform industry. Putting its committed to employee safety and welfare at the forefront, Tek Pak has established an internal employee training and apprenticeship program, and recently opened a new state-of-the-art training center and inventory facility in St. Charles to boost the training and upskilling of its employees while increasing its capacity to meet growing product demand.