Our history

Fox River Valley Game Farm

Norbert, the son of Martin Van Zeeland, succeeded his immigrant father in taking over the family dairy farm and homestead in rural Kaukauna. Through a love for the outdoors, Norbert and his brothers founded “Fox Valley Pheasant Farm”, raising game birds to sell to sporting clubs and state conservation departments, as well as New York night clubs and restaurants in the 1950s and 60s.

As the East Coast market for wild game decreased, Norbert sold his interest in the game farm and continued to operate his family’s dairy farm.

A New Business is Born: “Fox Valley Crate Company”

Through his connection with Badger Northland, a local farm implement manufacturer, Norbert embarked on a new business. Norbert offered Badger Northland the opportunity to lease some extra space on his farm.   While the implement manufacturer declined the lease, they did express a desire for someone to build crates to ship its products across the country.   The Van Zeeland boys were just the people for the job.  With exemplary work ethic and prior experience with building pheasant coops they seized the opportunity.  In 1963 Norbert and his sons began building shipping crates in a pole shed behind their dairy farm.

All of Norbert’s sons were involved in the business in one capacity or another. They worked nights and weekends building crates the old fashioned way, utilizing only hammers and nails. The company began to expand to other wooden products as they supplied pallets to local castings company Neenah Foundry.

In 1968 Norbert unexpectedly passed away at the age of 55. A short time later, a fire destroyed the pole shed manufacturing facility. The boys were now in their teens and twenties. Some tough decisions were now at hand.

New Building, New Name. “Fox Valley Wood Products”

Tom, Don and Dale took the business to the next level in 1970 by building a 6,000 square foot manufacturing building on neighboring property and re-named the business Fox Valley Wood Products. The youngest son Roger began working full time for the company following high school.

Throughout the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, the four brothers built the company into a multi million dollar operation. This included several building expansions and manufacturing upgrades. 

The Next Generation…

As the third generation became teenagers, they also got involved in the business. Following the completion of their college degrees and the retirement of their uncle Tom, Travis and Jeff began to work full time on the production floor in 1996. It was an opportunity and a test to see if the next generation could take the reins by learning from the ground up. Over time, Jeff became the sales and customer service manager. Travis’s position evolved to pallet production and operations manager.

In 2005 Don reduced his hours in preparation for retirement. He continues to help the company on special projects and consultation. Dale plans to continue with the business for several more years and is currently oversees hardwood purchases and continuous improvement.

Being a third generation company, Fox Valley Wood Products is fortunate to have had great examples of hard working, dedicated fathers. They have provided the tools to take this company into a successful future.

The most important virtues gleaned from their experience have been: how to serve our customers, how to treat our employees, and what it takes to operate a successful business.