The Step2 Company is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of high quality plastic products for children and for the home and garden.
Thomas G. Murdough, Jr., founder and former president of The Little Tikes Company (1969-1989) launched Step2 in 1991. He has built Step2 on a basic philosophy of quality, value and service backed by a commitment to customer satisfaction. Going "A Step Beyond" in the development and manufacturing of innovative products for the family and home is the company's mission.
Step2 products are made using rotational molding, a process that Tom Murdough pioneered for use in the consumer products market. In rotomolding, ground polyethylene powder is poured into molds, which are then bolted closed. The molds, mounted on a machine with four large arms, rotate slowly while they move through an oven and two cooling chambers. The plastic powder melts, forms itself into the shape of the mold, and then hardens as it cools. When the molds return to the starting position, workers remove the finished products. Assembly workers then trim the seams formed by the two halves of the mold, fasten necessary hardware and component parts onto the product, and package it for the consumer.
The Step2 Company has strategic global placement of its facilities to better service the growing customer demand for Step2 products. Four US plants include a total of 900,000-sq. ft. at two northern Ohio sites located in Streetsboro and Perrysville. A West Coast site in Bakersfield, CA adds 150,000-sq. ft. and it's newest addition in Fort Valley, GA contributes another 102,500-sq. ft of manufacturing and warehouse space. Finally, a licensing agreement between Step2 and The Gunica Company, Korea provides additional manufacturing capability to supply customers throughout Asia.
Step2 products enjoy distribution in selected retailers throughout the United States, Canada, and over 70 foreign countries.
The Step2 Company is privately held and began operations in 1991 with 5 employees, grew to approximately 500 employees at the end of 1993, and presently has over 1000 full-time employees who benefit from the company's on-site child care, as well as health care, stock appreciation, and profit sharing plans.
