On a strip of East Pleasant Valley Road just east of Brecksville Road and uphill from the valley, a diverse mix of businesses have found a welcoming home for their companies. Including a toy manufacturer, a dental laboratory, an Ohio-based beverage distributor and a prolific food manufacturer, these local businesses are thriving in Independence.
Wild Republic
One of the newest additions to Pleasant Valley Road is a 44-year-old toy manufacturing company with a mission. Wild Republic, which was founded in 1979 by G.B. Pillai — a GE engineer with a love of both children and animals — manufactures stuffed animals and toys that aim to connect children with nature, educate them about their world and drive a more sustainable future. After 30 years in Twinsburg, the company relocated to Independence this past March.
“We’re all about connecting humans and animals,” says Vishnu Chandran, Wild Republic’s president and G.B.’s grandson. The product line was designed with a focus on educating children about the wonders of nature and was carefully created to reflect the company’s commitment to sustainability. “We have a high-quality line of stuffed animals and plastic toys that incorporate elements of sustainability, and we continue to grow more and more sustainable each year,” he says.
Wild Republic, which has more than 2,500 employees worldwide, is the global leader in providing stuffed animals for the attraction sector — museums, zoos, aquariums and national parks.
The new headquarters in Independence is a home base for 111 employees (including 90-year-old G.B., who still reports to work every day), and allows space to execute design, distribution, administration and innovation. The building houses a technical team that oversees a custom software product, KM-Ware, which helps zoos and other attractions with admissions, donations and e-commerce. This fall, the company opened a brand-new manufacturing facility that will allow it to feature one of the only “made in USA” tags in the entire stuffed animal sector. With the new manufacturing facility and a steady long-term growth plan, “We hope to triple our on-site staff here in Independence,” says Melissa Klubnik, senior global vice president.
The business is focused on its mission of connecting people and animals through sustainable products. That includes a new line of quick-biodegrading stuffed animals that break down in the earth in two years. Wild Republic also actively partners with the National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology to preserve natural habitats for birds and is working on building new, future partnerships that focus on rainforest preservation.
“The goal is to make sure that whatever we eventually do, we leave this planet a better place for future generations, and in the process, educate children about the wonders of nature,” Chandran says.
Heidelberg Distributing
The Independence location of Heidelberg Distributing — an Ohio-based beverage distributor that has been in operation since 1938 and has nine locations across Ohio and Kentucky — has been an East Pleasant Valley Road mainstay since 2002. It’s the company’s distribution center for 10 counties across Northeast Ohio, and it serves as a 140,000-square-foot base for a bustling 24/7 operation where roughly 215 employees work around the clock to distribute wine, beer, low-proof spirits and a slew of nonalcoholic products across the region.
“Anything 42 proof and below we’re legally allowed to warehouse and distribute,” says Ron Utterback, vice president and Northern Ohio general manager. “We distribute wine, beer, low proof spirits and numerous nonalcoholic products, including water and energy drinks. And we’re a brokerage for high-proof spirits.”
Heidelberg distributes to any business that has a license to sell alcohol. “Everything from gas stations to Costco, to national on-premise chains like Applebee’s or Macaroni Grill,” Utterback says. “If you have a place of business and a permit to sell alcohol, chances are you are buying something from Heidelberg Distributing.”
The company, which just celebrated its 21st year at the Independence site and makes an ongoing effort to give back to the community through (nonalcoholic) donations and collaborations, couldn’t be happier to be in Independence. “The land is absolutely beautiful here,” says Utterback. “The Cuyahoga Valley right next to us is the most peaceful, scenic view imaginable. Being in Independence has worked out really great for us.”
Signature Sauces
If you’ve ever eaten at a restaurant or purchased a sauce branded from a chain restaurant, chances are you’re familiar with the work of Signature Sauces. The culinary manufacturer, which has been based on East Pleasant Valley Road since 2010, partners with restaurants of all sizes — independent boutique restaurants to well-known national chains — to create (or recreate) their sauces, soups and dressings and ship them either in bulk directly to the restaurant, or package and distribute them to retailers.
“We have about 700 active recipes, and we make any cuisine, from Indian to Italian, barbecue to salsas,” says founder Perry Stancato.
The site in Independence is home to a culinary innovation center, where five chefs research, develop and test new recipes. An additional 55 employees work to manufacture, package and warehouse the products, and collaborate with off-site distribution centers to ensure everything gets where it needs to go.
“Typically, when a restaurant comes to us, our chefs will reverse engineer their recipes to match theirs, but with more standardized raw ingredients,” says Stancato. “A lot of our restaurants have multiple locations throughout the country, and they count on us to make sure their products are produced correctly for consistency and safety and arrive on time.”
A commitment to customization and a consistent, high-quality product is a driving factor behind Signature Sauce’s success. “We treat boutique restaurants the same way we treat national chains,” says Stancato. “At the end of the day, our clients are focusing on guest experience and opening their restaurants, and they leave the quality to us.”
ROE Dental Laboratory
ROE Dental Laboratory has been helping dentists and oral surgeons bring better dental products to patients since 1926. “We provide a full complement of dental lab products to dentists, everything from veneers to dentures to crowns to orthodontic appliances,” says B.J. Kowalski, president and CEO.
ROE has operated out of its East Pleasant Valley Road space since 2017, with a staff of 280 full-time employees. The team works hand in hand with dental and oral surgery offices to design, create and help implement customized dental products.
The company’s embracing of technology is key to its success. “Our staff uses advanced technology to design customized products on a computer screen, then do the final artistry part with their hands to make it look lifelike,” Kowalski says. At the Independence headquarters, the staff uses 3D printing, milling and metal printing to craft products. ROE Dental holds several patents on specialized dental products and is wholeheartedly committed to staying on top of the latest innovations in the field.
“The dental industry as a whole changes much faster than other medical professions because it is driven by a lot of individual proprietors or small business organizations,” says Kowalski. “The decisions happen a lot quicker in this industry than others. If there’s a new machine that comes out that can make something better or to a higher quality, we’re investigating it quickly and probably getting it.”
ROE recently expanded to a second space on Pleasant Valley Road and continues to target aggressive growth in the future. “We’re invested in creating opportunities for our employees to grow personally and professionally, and to serve more doctors and patients,” Kowalski says.
