The Farm Bill
With agriculture making up a large portion of plastic drainage pipe business, it is no surprise that the Farm Bill is hot news right now in the plastic pipe industry, but according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), 71% of American adults have never even heard of it despite the impact it has on their lives, from the grocery bill to tax hikes, the Farm bill has the ability to affect the budgets of every household.
The Voice of the Industry
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) is a trade association that represents all the industries where plastic pipe is used. They are composed of many members that are involved in the drainage industry such as, plastic pipe manufacturers, companies that make the pipe manufacturing equipment, resin suppliers, gasket and fitting suppliers and research laboratories.
The Supply Chain Explained
From natural resources drawn out of the earth to highly engineered drainage buried underground, the supply chain acts as the circle of life for products like Fratco pipe. Let’s take a closer look at how the system of global supply actually works, where it all began and why it might be changing in the not-so-distant future.
Passing the Torch
Four generations of family-ownership have taught Fratco’s leadership a thing or two about doing business with your kin. Close relationships with dozens of contractors who also run family-owned businesses have taught them even more. Here are a few pointers for anyone with skin in the game and family on their payroll.
Back in the Day
Fratco believes that tomorrow belongs to those who build it, and we’re proud to be among the ranks of those who help move the industry forward every day. We also realize that our more recent accomplishments were only possible thanks to innovators of the past. Here are just a few milestone moments in engineering we’ve been fortunate to build upon, use as inspiration and see our customers benefit from in their businesses. A big thanks to all the brilliant thinkers involved in creating these incredible inventions.
Excavating the Past
A century of service is defined by the people who provide it. For a multi-generational family business like Fratco, those people are a tight-knit yet ever-growing group. They’re bound together not by blood or creed but by a dedication to their customers. This article looks back on the roots of that dedication: where it started, why it grew, and how honest service, trust and old-fashioned human connection formed the bedrock of a company that has thrived for 100 years.
On The Shoulders of Giants
Fratco believes that tomorrow belongs to those who build it, and we’re proud to be among the ranks of those who help move the industry forward every day. We also realize that our more recent accomplishments were only possible thanks to innovators of the past. Here are just a few milestone moments in engineering we’ve been fortunate to build upon, use as inspiration and see our customers benefit from in their businesses. A big thanks to all the brilliant thinkers involved in creating these incredible inventions.
Off The Farm
While agricultural drainage may be a common implementation of Fratco products, many experienced contractors know that drainage technology also intersects with a wide variety of industries beyond food production.
Ancient Drainage
Fratco has been a leader in the modern drainage industry, but what about before the notion of industry existed at all?
In other words—how did water management practices first begin? Who gets the credit for developing this essential technology? And what did that technology look like long before the words “drainage pipe” were synonymous with “Fratco”?
The Future of Farming and Food
Outsiders often think of agriculture as a low-tech and primitive industry. To some, the world of farming still resembles the iconic imagery of 1930’s American Gothic: weathered-looking people with pitchforks turning over bales of hay on their dusty old farms. But as ag insiders know, that notion couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, Big Ag sits up there with Big Tech as one of the most technologically advanced and innovative industries on earth.