If you're looking for Akron, you'll find it in Northeast Ohio, smack dab in the middle of Browns country.
Browns country is a crazy, wonderful place where grown men bark like dogs on Sunday afternoons. A place that loves football more than just about anything else in the world.
Growing up in Northeast Ohio, I learned to love football, too. It's just that I learned to love the Green Bay Packers.
When I began my job with Rubber & Plastics News last year, I knew little about the rubber industry overall, so I was facing a big learning curve and wasn't sure how I'd fit in. I knew I was going be fine, though, when I saw that my beloved Packers have a place in the rubber industry. And a pretty famous one at that, thanks to Foamation Inc., the makers of those iconic cheese wedge hats often associated with Packers fans.
The polyurethane foam molder has certainly made its mark. It's come a long way from the company founder Ralph Bruno started in 1987. Today, the firm produces a variety of cheese-inspired foam products including bow ties, tiaras, baseball gloves, earrings, flying discs and beverage cozies.
Foamation's Cheesehead products have been sold in all 50 states and throughout 30 countries. While many of the firm's products are sold to Packers faithful, some buy gear simply because they're fans of cheese.