CREATIVE BATH PRODUCTS HISTORY
By American Blue Chip Standards, Creative Bath Products, Inc. is only now moving on from its infancy, but what an infancy it has been. Founded in 1973 by Mathias Meinzinger, an immigrant from Hungary who came to the United States in 1956, and his partner Guenther Bartsch, it is a story in and of itself; the American dream brought to fruition by the old fashioned values of imagination, frugality and hard work.
Begun on the proverbial shoestring with only $ 10,000.00, two employees and the foresighted vision of its founder, today Creative Bath Products, Inc. employs 500 people and has millions of dollars in revenue. Meinzinger himself admits that in the company's firstyear, "sales were only $40,000.00 and I wondered if I would survive."
Survive he did. From small beginnings come great things. Since 1993, the company has expanded to over 750,000 square feet of office, manufacturing and warehouse space in Central Islip, Long Island. This location alone makes Creative Bath unique in that it runs counter to the oft postulated belief that manufacturing in America is a dying institution.
Creative Bath markets a diverse product line of bath and household accessories including embroidered bath towels and ceramics. Only the towels and ceramics are manufactured elsewhere.
As Creative Bath Products, Inc. celebrated its milestone 35th anniversary, Meinzinger recalled the days when the "hats" he wore were far more numerous: "I was the founder, tool producer, office manager and salesman. I even cleaned the bathrooms myself." He is still an omnipresence and his persona imbues every corner of the company. His philosophy and vision drive the organization daily and are the company's rock solid foundation.
Creative Bath's mammoth facilities include state of the art equipment, including 57 injection molding machines ranging up to 1,000 tons and tooling valued in the millions. These facilities run 24 hours a day and produce products that are carried by such notable retailers as , Bloomingdales, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Macy's, Sears, , J.C. Penny, Target, Wal-Mart, Anna's Linens, Kohl's,Costco,Ikea,World Kitchen and Sam's Club. Creative Bath Products, Inc. is truly an American success story as is Mat Meinzinger, its founder. Adherence to high standards of quality and business discipline have allowed it not merely to survive economic downturns but to prosper in the midst of them. The Creative Bath Products corporate family has grown to include business units that reflect the changing landscape of the market place: Creative Bath Products,Inc. CreativeWare, … housewares division; Creative Home Furnishings, Inc.…pillows and bedding, under the Dakotah brand; ; Creative Private Label/U.S. Manufacturing; and Bath Creations in Canada.
While justifiably proud of its past, the entrepreneurial spirit that is Creative Bath's cornerstone, is also what drives its strategic vision of the future. It is a forward looking company that is now a part of the global marketplace, selling in over 50 countries, worldwide. Creative Bath Products, Inc. is ready to meet the challenges of a changing business climate through diversification, expansion of its market base and via its ongoing commitment to forecasting consumer trends in partnership with its customers. As it has always done, Creative Bath will respond to these trends with ever more creative and innovative product designs and ideas.
Creative Bath Products, Inc.; a company rich in history with great promise for the future; a company inspired by imagination and driven by design.