Tanbark Molded Fiber Products

Tanbark Molded Fiber Products, founded in 2021 by the husband-and-wife team Melissa and Christopher LaCasse, is a manufacturer of sustainable packaging solutions designed to replace single-use plastics. The company is headquartered in Saco, Maine, leveraging the state's rich history in the pulp and paper industry. The inspiration for the company struck Melissa LaCasse when she considered the question, "What kind of ancestor do you want to be?", which motivated her to channel her skills in business development and strategic planning toward tackling plastic waste. Christopher LaCasse brings deep technical expertise to the venture, having worked with molded fiber machinery since he was 13 at his family's engineering company, LaCasse & Weston.

The company operates on a business-to-business model, designing and manufacturing customized molded fiber packaging for a range of clients. Tanbark specifically targets companies that require low- to medium-volume orders, a market segment that has traditionally found molded fiber to be prohibitively expensive compared to plastic. Its client base includes businesses in the food and beverage, health and beauty, and electronics industries. A notable early client is Luke's Lobster, for whom Tanbark developed custom takeout containers. Revenue is generated through the design and manufacturing of these custom packaging solutions.

Tanbark's core product is Type 3 molded fiber packaging, which is made from wood pulp sourced primarily from Maine's sustainably managed forests. This material is presented as a compostable and recyclable alternative to plastic. The company's key value proposition lies in its proprietary machinery and processes, which enable the creation of high-end, custom designs with features like color, texture, and embossing, even for smaller production runs. This technology allows them to produce packaging with a smooth finish and complex shapes, which was previously difficult to achieve for lower-volume orders. By making sustainable packaging accessible and price-competitive for a broader market, Tanbark aims to support the shift away from fossil fuel-based materials.

Since its founding, the company has achieved significant milestones, including winning the 2022 Gorham Savings Bank LaunchPad competition. It established its first production plant in Saco in the summer of 2023 and has secured over $3.2 million in pre-seed and seed funding from various sources, including Maine Technology Institute and the Finance Authority of Maine, to expand its equipment and team. The founders participated in the Roux Institute's Founder Residency program, which was instrumental in developing their fundraising strategy.

Keywords: molded fiber packaging, sustainable packaging, plastic alternatives, custom packaging, B2B manufacturing, eco-friendly packaging, compostable materials, wood pulp products, Maine manufacturing, food and beverage packaging, consumer goods packaging, packaging design, low-volume manufacturing, sustainable materials, circular economy, cleantech, green manufacturing, pulp and paper innovation, PFAS-free packaging, recyclable packaging