Tell us about the history of your company.

Jamestown Plastics, the makers of Clamtainer®, was founded in 1958 in Jamestown, NY when it primarily supplied preservation packaging for military bearings, durable commercial products, and consumer goods. James and Jacqueline Baker acquired the company in 1976; it remains family-owned with third generation, Jessup Baker, as the current company President. As a custom plastics thermoformer, we provide Made in the USA products to a variety of industries including Consumer Goods, Automotive, Medical, Electronics, and General Industrial. 

 

What products do you offer and what are your top sellers?

In addition to custom-made products, our line of Clamtainer® see-in storage containers are designed to be frustration-free, reusable clamshells. The Clamtainer family includes general utility boxes and the Ammo Buddy® containers specifically used by hunters and ammo reloaders. All Clamtainers are easy to open with the patented Click-It Closure Technology that provides for easy opening and closing, while staying securely closed. We have various Ammo Buddy’s that are designed to hold rifle, shotgun and pistol calibers in multiple rounds, with the most popular being the 30 CAL, MAG-R, SM.R. (.223), and 9mm 

 

Are there any new or unique products coming up?

Due to customer demand, we added a 20-round 9mm package for 2023. This Ammo Buddy works especially well for higher-value custom 9mm rounds, providing an overall lower retail price point when compared to the traditional 50-round package. 

 

Why do dealers choose your products over your competitors?

There are several reasons why dealers like our products. The unique design of the Click-It Closure on all Clamtainers means that the cursed clamshell is a thing of the past. It is easy to open, easy to close, and stays closed even when dropped. Clamtainers provide dealers the opportunity to buy in bulk (ammo, ear plugs, cleaning cloths, etc) and easily repackage to sell smaller quantities to their customers. In addition, we maintain an inventory of all Clamtainers and Ammo Buddy’s to provide quick order fulfillment, with low order minimum. Finally, dealers appreciate that our products are 100% Made in the USA. 

 

What types of stores carry your products and who is the end consumer?

Military surplus stores, firearms dealers, sporting goods stores, and gun ranges are some of the stores that purchase Clamtainers. The dealers will either use them to repackage bulk ammo / bulk products or will resell the containers to consumers. Ammo Buddies can be resold to consumers who reload their own ammo, while the utility boxes are purchased by consumers to help with organization and storage of various items. 

 

What challenges have you seen recently in your industry and what are you doing to overcome them?

Increased raw material lead times has been a challenge over the past few years. We try to work closely with our suppliers to identify potential lead-time issues and place our orders accordingly. We also work to maintain our finished product inventory to match anticipated demand and provide quick order turnaround to our customers. 

 

What advice do you have for independent retailers facing the same challenges?

Anticipating demand can be challenging, but historical sales trend information can help determine when you will need to increase your inventory. In addition, working with trustworthy suppliers that have short lead times and quick turn-around can help you react to any unanticipated increases in demand. 

 

What is your order process and turnaround time for dealers?

Approved Dealers can quickly and easily place their orders through our website with their wholesale account. Orders are processed as soon as they are received and will typically ship from our facility within 24 hours. 

 

Do you have any minimum order requirements, or requirements when choosing a dealer?

We sell Clamtainers and Ammo Buddy’s in cases of 200 pieces to dealers / wholesale customers. Getting established as a dealer with us is quite easy! We have a short application to complete and return, along with a copy of a completed sales tax exemption certificate, if applicable. 

 

Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for your interest in learning more about Jamestown Plastics! 

 

Company name: Jamestown Plastics / Clamtainer

Company address: 8806 Highland Ave, Brocton, NY 14716

Company telephone: 716-792-4144

Name and email of contact person: Craig Zwilling / czwilling@jamestownplastics.com 

Company email: sales@jamestownplastics.com