Mr. Chain, a division of M R Products, is the leading proprietary
manufacturer of crowd control plastic chains and stanchions. Mr. Chain
was incorporated on May 16, 1960 by Michael T. Russo. Mr. Russo was an
engineering student at Ohio State University in 1941 when Pearl Harbor
was attacked and he left school to join the Army Air Corps. After
returning home as the first Mustang Ace and the only A-36 Ace in World
War II, he started his own plastics injection molding business.
For the first 17 years, the Company was an automotive supplier with
both GM and Chrysler as major customers. Beginning as a sideline, Mr.
Russo obtained patents on a few proprietary products, including a reseal
cap for 16 ounce beverages (that patent was sold to Pepsico), a plastic
beverage carton, etc. Around 1980, the company started manufacturing
plastic chain using an innovative process that allows the plastic chain
to be made in continuous lengths in an injection molding machine that
still allows each link to move freely. Within 3 years, the Company
stopped all automotive supplier activities and became a 100% proprietary
product manufacturer.
Today, Mr. Chain performs both injection molding and extrusion of
plastic products. Mr. Chain offers more sizes (9), styles (3) and colors
(13) of plastic chain than anyone. In addition, there are four sizes
of plastic stanchions available in six colors, and a huge assortment of
accessories to fit all crowd control and school safety needs. Mr. Chain
also offers a large lawn and garden line of plastic products, including
decorative edging, flower pots, seed pack holders, hose guides, stakes,
and ground poles.
In 2006 Michael Russo passed away, leaving his company and his legacy
to his family. Mr. Chain is now a certified WBE (women-owned
business), a qualified small business, and is located in a federal
HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone).
All plastic products are proprietary and made in our own factory in the
Village of Copemish, Michigan. We employ 33 people, and, in
2012, we are celebrating our 52nd Anniversary.
