From Burlap to Beyond: Sprosty Bag’s Next Chapter

When you spot a green “S” around Smithville, many locals might first think of the Smithies. But just outside the Village sits another green “S” that has symbolized local industry for generations — Sprosty Bag. With roots dating back to the 1930s, the company has grown from reconditioning burlap and cloth bags into a trusted packaging distributor serving customers across North America.

Founded in the 1930s by Ray C. Sprosty, the company began on Madison Avenue in Wooster, where used burlap bags were cleaned, repaired and given new life. After officially incorporating in 1947 and relocating to Oil City Road, the business continued to evolve. Just a year later, Ray C. Sprosty Jr. moved operations to Liberty Street in downtown Wooster, expanding into the printing of multiwall paper and woven plastic bags for feed, seed, and potato producers, an important step in the company’s growth and diversification.

Decades later, the next generation continued that pattern of growth and reinvestment. In 2011, Ray C. Sprosty III (Chuck) relocated the company to its current 21,000-square-foot facility on Apple Creek Rd. in Smithville. The expanded footprint created room for significant operational upgrades, including the addition of four 4-color printing presses and increased warehouse capacity, positioning Sprosty Bag to better serve its customers and meet growing demand.

A graduate of Bowling Green State University’s business school, Chuck took over the business from his dad, guiding its growth until 2021. That year, he sold the company to Adam Lowe, a Wayne County native with entrepreneurship in his blood, the grandson of E.L. “Gene” Buehler, founder of Buehler’s Fresh Foods. Chuck remained involved for several years to ensure a smooth transition into retirement, while Lowe began shaping the company’s next chapter.

Under Lowe’s leadership, Sprosty Bag has continued to evolve, expanding its custom printing services primarily for agricultural clients, growing its industrial and retail applications and strengthening its role as a full-service packaging distributor.

Before acquiring Sprosty Bag, Lowe spent 15 years working in corporate finance, traveling extensively and relocating to several cities throughout his career. While the experience was professionally rewarding, the demanding pace led him to consider a different path, one centered on ownership and long-term impact.

As he began exploring acquisition opportunities, rather than launching a risky startup from the ground, he was drawn to the growing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) movement. “ETA is a model focused on acquiring strong, established businesses with steady cash flow and loyal customer bases that became popular after two Harvard professors started teaching about it 15 years ago,” stated Lowe. “With many baby boomer business owners seeking succession plans, the approach has gained momentum in recent years.”

For Lowe, Sprosty Bag represented the ideal opportunity: a respected company with deep roots, a solid foundation and room for continued growth. “It’s both a responsibility and an honor that Chuck entrusted me with carrying the business forward,” Lowe stated.

Sprosty Bag is driven by a disciplined focus on innovation, quality and efficiency. The company maintains a strong customer-first approach that ensures solutions are tailored to specific operational needs. Efficient logistics, clear delivery communication and responsive service support fast turnaround times and low minimum order requirements. Backed by the “Sprosty Promise” — a commitment to exceeding expectations — the company remains focused on delivering measurable value to its customers.

Wayne County’s central location within agricultural markets has been vital to the company’s long-term success, supported by efficient transportation access via Interstates 71 and 77 and U.S. Route 30. “It’s so easy to move across America’s heartland,” said Lowe.

Lowe brought a lot of ideas with him from the corporate world, having worked for an asset management company with experience in finance, sales and leadership. However, Lowe emphasized that Sprosty Bag’s success is due largely to the strength of its team rather than individual leadership. “Continued growth, customer relationships and employee development remain our top priorities,” said Lowe.

Since acquiring the company, Lowe has focused heavily on building a strong leadership team and improving infrastructure. Key hires include a controller, director of operations, director of sales, warehouse manager, customer service team members, purchasing manager and sales analyst.

Along with hiring, significant investment has also been made. “Sprosty Bag is an awesome company with great, long-term customers, who I look at as partners. The only problem was, we were mostly in northern Ohio,” Lowe stated. “We’ve added additional printing press capacity, expanded warehouse space, strengthened global supplier partnerships, enhanced customer service capabilities, and continue to revamp our sales, marketing and ERP technologies,” said Lowe.

In late 2025, Sprosty Bag partnered with KCN Companies, a Kansas City-based holding company. The partnership provides long-term investment support to fund continued growth, including workforce expansion, technology improvements, acquisitions, and new warehouse development. “KCN operates with a long-term investment philosophy and supports operational growth initiatives,” said Lowe. “This is what drew me towards them, their willingness to invest for the long term.”

The company’s growth strategy has largely been driven by responding directly to customer needs and feedback. “As we look to the future, we’ll continue to focus on growth through organic expansion into new geographical markets by opening additional warehouse locations, while also pursuing strategic acquisitions when appropriate,” stated Lowe. “It’s a matter of finding the right partner at the right time.”

Thank you, Sprosty Bag, for your continued investment in Wayne County and for carrying forward a green “S” we can all rally around.

For more information on Sprosty Bag, visit sprostybag.com.