Bentley Plastics…From Smokey the Bear to Disney World
Posted on March 28th, 2024
Tucked away in a quaint hollow in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas is an interesting family-owned business that has quite a history. Founded in 1984, by John and Virginia Bentley, Bentley Plastics of Perryville now recognizes its 40-year anniversary.
One of the first and most iconic products the plastic extrusion company produced were Smokey the Bear rings for the U.S. Forest Service. The company has always sought out to partner with other Arkansas companies to manufacture products like Sharp microwave oven parts for Polyvend in Conway; toothpick boxes and toothpicks for Prodentec in Batesville; parking meter domes for POM in Russellville; and numerous black powder products for Buck Snort in Murfreesboro.
Detail to precision drew Kimberly Clark in Conway to Bentley Plastics to produce some complex funnels for them that they themselves felt might not be able to be produced locally. For many years, the company held a contract with the Department of Defense to produce missile igniter tubes.
For over two decades now, they have proudly manufactured Bentley Drinkware. Their tumblers can be found in stores across the nation as well at Wyndham Resorts in Hawaii and Disney World in Florida.
They thank the good Lord for the company’s success and credit him for keeping this small manufacturing company in business for 40 years.