History

Midwest Can is committed to our families, committed to the future of the American worker and the future of our country.

Fifty years ago, (in a small shop) in Chicago, IL, John Trippi, Sr. began manufacturing portable gas cans for the American consumer. Back in 1960, Americans expected everything they purchased to have been made in America by Americans. Since then, somewhere along the way, Americans came to accept “offshore” manufacturing and the few pennies it saved them in the marketplace. What many didn’t realize is that buying offshore products ultimately moved American jobs offshore.

John Trippi Sr. never lost sight of the American worker. When the demand for our products increased or we introduced new products, John bought new machines—American made machines. John believed in the power of building his community. At Midwest Can, we practice what we preach. All of our Bekum and Uniloy machines are made in the USA. We purchase our resin from American companies selling American-made raw materials. John never considered shipping production offshore to save a nickel. He hired people from the neighborhood. He hired fellow Americans to run these machines in our factory right here in the USA.

Today, Midwest Can continues to manufacture our entire portfolio of products in the USA. Our commitment to our community includes a commitment to the environment. We are proactive in controlling waste. We recycle all of our unused raw and waste materials, including resin, paper, and cardboard. We perform regular, comprehensive maintenance programs on our machines which result in peak performance, saving energy and reducing negative impact on the environment.

At Midwest Can we come about our pride in America and American made products naturally. Our pride in our country can be traced back to a young teenager who enlisted in the United States Navy as soon as he was old enough. He was shipped off to defend America and the American way of life during World War II. A decade after his honorable discharge from the Navy in the late 1940’s, that young sailor founded Midwest Can Company. Ever since, that young sailor, John Trippi, Sr., has been the driving force behind our business. His innovative thinking and his commitment to the American worker has made Midwest Can a leading manufacturer of portable gas cans.

Here at Midwest Can, we have a long history of design, development, and the kind of dedication that places more value on the American worker than on profit margins. We are proud to manufacture the finest portable gas cans consumers can buy, all the while, protecting our environment. We are proud to support the American economy, to do our part to preserve the American industrial infrastructure and keep America working.

Midwest Can Company…American Owned, American Made, American Proud