| Today, February 5, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of the Association of Rotational Molders. Over the past five decades, ARM and its members have worked together to build a strong industry around the rotational molding process. We share knowledge, fund research, push technical progress, and meet as friendly competitors. Suppliers have told us for years that ARM events feel different. They see members help one another and share what they’ve learned in a way they rarely see at other trade shows. As we mark this anniversary, we’re sharing a story that captures ARM’s culture of members helping members. On June 17, 2023, a fire destroyed Portacool’s 300,000-square-foot factory in East Texas. There were no injuries because the plant was closed at the time. “In those first few days, the biggest concern was the safety and wellbeing of our Team Members,” said Ben Wulf, President and CEO of Portacool. “Once we were able to confirm that everyone was safe, our focus quickly shifted to the operational reality in front of us.” With the plant gone, the company faced a massive hurdle. “Because we were 100% insourced with our rotational molding, the loss of the plant created an immediate and critical supply constraint. We had to move at warp speed to identify alternate supply options for our plastic housings and molds, knowing that any delay would directly impact our customers and our ability to recover.” |
 |
| ARM members reached out quickly. “I remember the day the fire happened,” said Bradley Robertson of Forte Products. “Soon after, I reached out to Ben Wulf to express my condolences on the disaster and asked if there was anything we could do to help. I told Ben of a complete disaster that we had in 1993. If it were not for another molder, we would never have been able to rebuild. Ken Wessler [then President of Diamond Plastics] had offered a number of his plant maintenance people to help us rebuild. This is a very friendly industry and always has been. Unlike any other industry I know.” The Road to Recovery The support from the ARM community was swift. Forte Products was one of multiple companies to assist: “We basically molded for them until such time they were ready to mold again.“ Ben Wulf noted that the outreach was multi-faceted. “The response from ARM members was very supportive. Rotational molders and tooling providers reached out during this crisis to ask how they could help. Through those conversations, we were able to secure production capacity with rotational molders like Forte and Centex and expand our molds and tooling production with Cole Industries in Dallas.“ “The ARM network proved invaluable. Having a trusted group of allied partners we could call on during a crisis provided us with a clear path to a fast and efficient recovery. It reinforced the strength of the relationships within the industry. The support they showed allowed us to keep moving forward, continue serving our customers, and begin rebuilding with speed and confidence.“ When one company faces a setback, rotomolders often respond by offering help. Bradley Robertson explains: “Rotomolding is a very collaborative industry. We have always said there is plenty of business to go around. By helping each other, we learn and gain far more than we would if we didn’t help each other.“ |
 |
 |
| Looking Forward Today, the dust has settled, and Portacool has emerged with a state-of-the-art facility. “Today, Portacool operates three Rotoline 4.6 machines, giving us the capacity to meet our current industry demands while also allowing room to take on additional projects as we grow. Our new operation is fully automated, from Railcar delivery to Pulverizing and Mixing to Platform, which improves efficiency, consistency, and scalability” said Ben Wulf. Beyond just production, the new plant looks toward the future. “We’ve also implemented a touchless scrap and trim recovery system, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and operational excellence. These investments position us not only for recovery, but for long-term growth and innovation.“ As ARM celebrates 50 years today and looks ahead to the next 50, we share this story as proof of the valuable bonds this association builds. When Portacool lost its plant, molders and suppliers stepped up to help because that is how our industry has long behaved. Happy 50th to all of our members. You make ARM a remarkable association. |
Leave a Reply