The Chilcote Company dba Tap Packaging Solutions is going to be inducted in the 100 Year Club of the Western Reserve on Monday, December 4, 2017. The Chilcote Company was founded in 1906 in Cleveland, OH. A benefit of the award is the honor of being entered into The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. During its first 100 years, the Chilcote Company established itself as a national leader in the manufacture, sale, and distribution of Professional Photo Packaging. The company is owned and operated by the Chilcote family. Tap is also an ESOP company since 1984.
In recent years, Tap has expanded its capabilities for manufacturing printed folding cartons and set-up boxes. It has successfully established itself as a supplier of award winning packaging working with small to international companies.
August Alfred Chilcote, founder of the Chilcote Company, was born in 1878 in Zanesville, Ohio. August began selling paperboard products that displayed photographs in 1906 as the Sargent Photo Supply Company in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1915, the business became the Chilcote-Sargent Company. The Superior Ave. facility was built in 1920.
In 1932, the Great Depression brought challenges. The eldest son Lee Chilcote joined the company. The solution was to manufacture for the craze of the time and make jigsaw puzzles. By 1943, they were producing 50,000 per day.
World War II brought a boom to the photographic industry. In 1947, August’s son William Chilcote joined the business. In 1952, August Chilcote passes away.
In 1955, the photo mount division of Eastman Kodak – Taprell Loomis, was acquired. Tap was the largest 
manufacturer of photo mounts in the nation. It brought great changes and new capacity to the company.
The Chilcote Company and Taprell Loomis under the direction of the Lee and Bill flourished and grew through acquisition and expansion. By the mid 1980s, wedding albums were added to the list of product being offered.
In 1984, the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) was formed. When Lee passed away in 1992 his shares were purchased and distributed to the employees. In 1992, grandson David Chilcote, joined the company.
Further acquisitions under CEO Dave Hein helped propel the expansion to locations from the east to west coasts and Cleveland to San Antonio, TX. At Taps’ 100th anniversary celebration in 2006, there were 455 employee owners. But, trouble was looming due to the growth of digital photography and a 2007 bust in financial markets.
By 2010, the market reduction from digital photography warranted the decision to consolidate the business in Cleveland, OH. Management decided to rebrand with a new logo and begin doing business as Tap Packaging Solutions. A line of stock confection packaging and catalog were created. New equipment was purchased that gave Tap the credibility to compete in stock and custom folding cartons and rigid set up boxes. The addition of a state-of-the-art digital packaging press strategically gave Tap the competitive edge to win national accounts. Tap has expanded its capabilities beyond photo packaging into categories such as food, confection, beauty packaging, and more.
David Chilcote is the current Chairman of the company and will carry things forward as the third generation to run the Company.
Tap Marketing
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