Sterilite

Overview

Sterilite Corporation is a family-owned manufacturer of plastic housewares, specializing in storage containers, drawers, baskets, and organization products. It operates as the largest plastic houseware manufacturing company in North America with seven plants totaling over 12 million square feet, producing items for kitchen storage, home organization, laundry, and utility uses.¹²³

History

Sterilite Corporation was founded in 1939 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts as a partnership between Saul and Edward Stone and Earl Tupper, initially to produce injection-molded heels before shifting to plastic goods for the Armed Forces during World War II.²³ The company expanded into toys, giftware, tabletop products, and household containers, developing food storage bowls and storage bins in the 1960s.³ It relocated to Townsend, Massachusetts in 1968 and by the mid-1970s became one of the largest independent manufacturers of household plastic goods in the United States, later opening plants in Alabama, Arizona, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Iowa.²

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Sterilite manufactures its products in the United States across seven plants totaling over 12 million square feet, located in Townsend, Massachusetts; Birmingham, Alabama; Lake Havasu City, Arizona; Massillon, Ohio; Clinton, South Carolina; Ennis, Texas; and Davenport, Iowa.²³

Notable Products

• Heavy Duty Tote Boxes - Rugged totes for outdoor and heavy storage use.
• ClearView Storage Drawers - Clear plastic drawers for visible organization in nurseries and closets.
• Ultra Laundry Baskets - Large-capacity baskets for laundry and beach items.
• Food Storage Bowls - Innovative plastic bowls developed in the 1960s for kitchen use.
• Storage Bins - First-generation bins expanded into broad houseware line.

Reputation

Sterilite is recognized by consumers for affordable, functional plastic storage solutions that aid organization in homes.³⁴ Professionals note its scale as North America's largest plastic houseware manufacturer with U.S.-made products.³⁵ Some criticisms arise from lack of BBB accreditation and mixed customer service reports.⁶