Chemical manufacturer Prefere Melamines celebrates its 80th year

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno congratulates Prefere Melamines Director of Operation Ray Carillon on the company’s 80th year in operation.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen

SPRINGFIELD — A manufacturing institution in Springfield celebrated its 80th year in business at the company’s annual Family Day barbecue. Prefere Melamines, a company that makes melamine-formaldehyde resin used in products that range from laminate flooring to vehicle clear coats, welcomed Mayor Domenic Sarno and representatives from state Sen. Adam Gomez’s office to celebrate the milestone.

Director of Operation Ray Carillon said the company has faced numerous challenges over its eight decades of operation, but its success was “a direct result of extremely hardworking” employees. Most of the facility’s roughly 50-person team are local, living in the city and its surrounding communities. He said their common goal was to “keep manufacturing in Springfield for another 80 years.”

The company is located on Springfield’s Eastman Indian Orchard Campus. Eastman Site Manager Dennis Van Nevel remarked that there was a strong partnership between Eastman and Prefere Melamines. Carillon said being in Springfield, near substantial industrial infrastructure, including rail lines, “allows us to take advantage and be efficient.”

“Eighty years. You all look fantastic,” Sarno joked. “Some companies… don’t last eight years, much less 80 years.” He remarked on the longevity of many of the employees, some who had been with the company for 25 or 30 years. Sarno commented that Prefere Melamines was continuing the manufacturing history of Indian Orchard and presented Carillon with a proclamation from his office and a citation on behalf of Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan.

“You really can’t celebrate the name without celebrating the people behind the name,” said Lamari Jackson, district director for state Sen. Adam Gomez. She said she had toured the facility last year and was struck by how enthusiastic employees were to talk about their work. She also presented Carillon with a citation from the Massachusetts Senate.

Prefere Melamines is part of the international company, Prefere Resins, headquartered in Germany. The Indian Orchard site is the company’s only location in the United States. It supplies 50% of the American market with the resin used in vehicle paints and clear coating.

Over the past 80 years, the company has weathered several periods of economic volatility while remaining a leader in the industry. As one example, Carillon said the 2025 federal tariffs provided a challenge, but said the company provided its customers with real time communication backed by a long-term relationship of trust.