FRIEDMAN BAG COMPANY
The origin of the Friedman Bag Company was in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
Historical Data
Historical Data
HOW FBC got started
Translation of the Yiddish Letter above:
From:
The Zionist Management in the Land of Israel
Telegraph Destination; ZIONICOM
Department of Commerce and Industry
No. 1086/744/b
Jerusalem, in the Month of Chesban, in the Year Tuff Raish Pay” Dalid
22.10. 23
Mr. Harry L. Friedman
Hermosilla
Honorable Sir,
The Zionist Organization in America has sent us a copy of your letter, in which we have the honor to give you a concise answer.
(1). With capital of 20,000 dollars one can build a whole row of industries, and those that are indicated below are the most important and secure ones.
1)Manufacturing of gifs [?] in Haifa.
It is self-evident that I accept that you have 20,000 Amerikanish dollars, which is now the equivalent of 4415 English pound sterling. If you mean Mexican dollars this comes 2081 pound sterling.
2) As we’ve figured out, with 20,000 dollars one can open up a whole lot. It is self-evident that with 20-40 thousand dollars one can make even more.
3) The sum of 20,000 dollars is in my estimation not enough for a clothing factory. A shirt manufacture, which still doesn’t exist in the land, can be established with this sum of money.
4) 20,000 is enough to open up a soap factory and
p. 2
a medium sized misshtab [?], but I would not advise you to do this because the competition is great – there are many people involved in this endeavor.
If you should decide to choose one of these enumerated industries and to settle down here, please write to me ASAP when you’re deciding to come.
Hoikhachtingsfil [?]
Nakhum Tishby
Secretary of Commerce and Industry
Leopard Soap
FBC made soap in the early days (also in Hermosillo) – the soap was blue and white with a picture of a leopard on the package. They made the soap on the third floor of the FBC building ” a great big round thing on the floor”. Libe shaved it down and washed their clothes with it – it didn’t smell very good, smelled industrial, not perfumed, she was being thrifty.
Timeline of Friedman Bag Company
In Progress....
1920-1927 – in Hermosillo awaiting permission to settle in the U.S.
1927 – FBC incorporated in Los Angeles ( Sam, Sol, Harry and Morris). Involved collection, sorting, repairing and reselling Burlap bags from farms.
1930 – Harry Friedman opened FBC in Idaho
1934 – in Idaho at Warberg Warehouse, 138 4th Ave. South
1936 – in Idaho at 544 Shoshone St. West
1936 – Strike at FBC in LA
1940? Death of Harry
1943 – at 600 Aliso St., LA
another strike?
1946 – Filed Articles of incorporation in Idaho
1946 – Sued CIO Warehouse and Distribution Workers union – for damages
1954 – Strike at FBC in LA
1955 – opened plant in Portland (before they opened the city of Portland cut off part of it because it was near a freeway, they had leased that end of the building to white rock bottling so it didn’t affect FBC operations)
1957 – added plastics
1963 – built new headquarters, moving from 130 W. Channel St. to 824-26 S. Center in LA
1974 – purchased Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills
1974 – Sam Friedman stepped down as president, Sol and Morris retired.
1974 Jerry Wessler became new president
1976 – bought first extruder for plastics
1979 – big party at Biltmore…anniversary for Jerry Wessler – Jack Simplot spoke (he said “if Harry had lived FBC would have been an international corporation”
1980 – JR Simplot provided startup capital for Micron
1985 – Purchased American Bag Company in Boise Idaho
1989 – Lawsuit vs. Burley Fresh Pack, Inc.
1990 – FBC at 801 Commercial St. LA
1993 – retirement of Ray Harros, regional sales Manager of FBC in Idaho
1995 – death of Cyril Lee Bunch, FBC executive
1999 – Major recapitalization
2000 – purchased KC Sierra Bag Co.
2001 – death of FBC manager Kurt A. Moss
2003 – Filed Bankruptcy
2008 – JR Simplot dies