Challenge Manufacturing

Located in Sparta, Mich., Handy Wacks Corporation is a manufacturer of food grade disposable waxed paper for the commercial food service industry. It provides a full line of disposable food-handling items to facilitate the food service industry. Established in 1929, the company s products ranges from baking cups, baking pan liners, bleached butcher paper, canary yellow paper, custom prints, flat delicatessen papers, flat tissues and foil laminated sandwich wrap to steak paper sheets and stock prints. Handy Wacks Corporation s services caters to pizza parlors, submarine, sandwich shops, restaurants, hot dog booths, sports facilities, school cafeterias, institutions, amusement parks and hospital cafeterias.

Founded in 1981, Flow-Rite Controls Ltd. develops lines of fluid control products based on the technology of fluidics. The company controls designs, manufactures and markets fluid control devices for lead acid batteries, recreational fishing boats, laboratory and medical use. As a vertically integrated company, its core capabilities include a full-service engineering department, tool room, molding operation, warehousing, manufacturing, as well as sales and marketing teams. Flow-Rite Controls Ltd. s industry partners include Battery Council International, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Material Handling Industry, Michigan Manufacturers Association, American National Standards Institute (ANSI), etc.

Topline Automotive was established in 1973 with its primary business centering on the remanufacture of engines, cylinder heads, and crankshafts for the then very popular Volkswagen. During these formative years, as the popularity of the import car increased in the United States, especially Japanese models, Topline expanded its product line to include a wider range of engines, components, and ultimately engine parts for this growing market. As additional models and applications were added to the line, Topline used their comprehensive working knowledge and expertise in engine remanufacturing to consolidate and rationalize engine part numbers to fit more than one application. This new concept helped make Topline the leader it is today in the automotive aftermarket. In 1995, through a joint venture of American and Argentine capital a foundry was built in the industrial park of the city of Rafaela, in the north central province of Santa Fe, Argentina. From its inception Topline Engineering Argentina held as its primary goal the production of aluminum cylinder heads for diesel internal combustion engines. By 1996, after development, we successfully achieved our production goals and attained our first overseas sales. Having solidified our skills and know-how after these initial experiences, we decided seriously to tackle the ever growing demands of the cylinder-head and oil pump market. To this end, we began to develop new models of cylinder heads, oil pumps and timing covers. In early 1999, Topline Engineering Argentina attained an important international goal when TUV Rehinland certified our quality control system under their ISO 9001 standards. In order to maintain certification under such standards, our company will undergo periodic inspections to ensure the continuation of high quality control. This achievement has encouraged us to work toward certification under the QS 9000 norms.