About Us

Ron Owen, originally from Reidsville, NC, found himself working for a coating, adhesive, sealant, and elastomer distribution company in Texas. After spending many hot days in Texas, Ron desperately wanted to return to his native NC. Using the market and product knowledge gained in Texas; Ron figured he could move back to NC and start a distribution company based on the same model as the company he worked for in Texas. Ron invited a business associate, Bill Pieper, from Cincinnati to join him, and in 1979 they started Materials Marketing Associates.

In 1982 MegaChem was a new company with new ownership. Cliff Barton hit the road as the new owner and worked the southeast extensively. The initial distribution business consisted of both raw materials and containers, but as time passed Cliff realized that the raw materials required extensive testing and a much longer sales cycle than the industrial container business did. Cliff began changing MegaChem’s business model and the focus shifted over entirely to industrial containers. Cliff ran the business for close to twenty years when he was approached by WinterBell Company with an interest to buy the business.

WinterBell, a paperboard packaging company that started business in 1960, was looking to diversify into some new packaging related markets. Cliff was not quite ready to retire, but agreed to sell the business in 2001 to WinterBell and stay on as a consultant for a transition period to help train the WinterBell staff on the market and the products. Cliff also introduced WinterBell sales and management to MegaChem’s suppliers and customers. MegaChem continued to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of WinterBell enjoying steady growth over the next 10+ years.

In 2014, the Bell Family decided to sell WinterBell, and consequently MegaChem. Richard Lewis, Mr. Bell’s grandson, bought the company and became the 3rd generation to enter and manage the family packaging business. Both WinterBell and MegaChem continued to operate in the same facility utilizing joint resources.

The paper and paperboard industry continued to consolidate, and in 2018, conversations started between WinterBell and Case Paper, another paper and paperboard converter headquartered in Harrison, NY. Case Paper was looking to move production into this geographic region, and after many conversations between the two companies, Richard Lewis sold WinterBell paperboard converting to Case Paper, and remained on board as the General Manager of the converting facility in High Point. MegaChem was excluded from the sale, and continued to operate under Lewis’ ownership. Case Paper WinterBell and MegaChem continued to grow, and in 2021, Lewis left Case Paper to join MegaChem full time.

MegaChem continued its growth through 2021 with another record sales year. The business moved to a larger facility in High Point where it is now operating out of 45,000 square feet with room to expand. In business now for forty-five + years, MegaChem continues to look for new ways to grow its business by offering new products, exploring new markets, and providing exceptional quality at the finest service levels. This is the value proposition MegaChem offers, and as a closely knit family owned business, this is the way we want to do business with both our suppliers and customers.