In February 2021, Mica Corporation (Mica) is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Mica was founded by trailblazer Daniel Siegel, a chemist with a passion to produce safe and sustainable water-based primers and coatings for flexible packaging that could perform as well as the solvent-based products that dominated the industry in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. From day one, Dan's focus was on exceptional product quality and service for all customers, no matter their size. With the development of products for new markets and an ambitious sales team, Mica's reputation for unmatched service and reliability quickly began to precede itself. Over thirty years, they outgrew three headquarter facilities until they designed and built their current energy-efficient headquarters in Shelton, CT that would allow for future expansion. What started as a one-man operation in 1971 has evolved into a global family-owned business with sales offices in 13 countries and warehousing in 11 locations around the world.
The converting industry has seen many changes in the past 50 years, and so has Mica. The MICA product line has expanded to include surface modification products, oxygen barrier coatings, heat seal coatings, and a variety of specialty primers for niche applications. In keeping with its promise to create innovative and sustainable solutions for the packaging industry, Mica launched its first commercially compostable adhesion promoter in 2020. MICA MC-634, a water-based emulsion that passes the ASTM D6400 standard for compostability, has seen success in the compostable hot cup market.
Mica recently invested in the future of its emulsion technology by purchasing new, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment for its Shelton, CT facility. Like MICA MC-634, many of Mica’s emulsions help solve some of the toughest adhesion challenges converters face while trying to design packages that contribute to a circular economy.
While Mica has experienced an abundance of growth and change in its half-century of being in business, two constants remain; Mica is still owned and operated by the Siegel family, and they are proud to say that the mission and core values originally set by Dan are still respected and hold true today.
President Jeff Siegel sums it up by saying “Mica has an amazing ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our industry. We do this by maintaining our niche focus and remaining independent. And now with third-generation involvement, the Siegel family emphasizes the importance of sustainability and customer service.”
