First Quality

What First Quality does

First Quality is a family-owned, privately held manufacturer of consumer essentials for personal and household care, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Great Neck, New York. The company operates four specialized divisions: Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, baby diapers, training pants, feminine care, baby wipes under the Prevail, Cuties, Incognito, and Earth + Eden brands), Tissue (ultra-premium paper towels and bath tissue using proprietary Thru-Air-Dried technology under the Plenty brand), Home Care (laundry and dishwashing solutions formed around the April 2025 acquisition of Henkel's Retailer Brands business), and Print & Packaging (flexible packaging with HD printing, solventless lamination, and extrusion capabilities). With over 5,000 employees across more than 14 million square feet of manufacturing space in the U.S. and Canada, First Quality runs a hybrid business model serving both major retailers via private label/store brand manufacturing contracts (multi-year, quote-based pricing) and end consumers via its own branded products distributed through retail and direct e-commerce channels.

The company's competitive positioning rests on proprietary manufacturing technologies (MaxSorb+ Zone for 50% faster absorption, Omni-Odor Guard, TAD paper technology for 80%+ greater absorbency, 10-color flexographic printing), vertical integration from R&D through packaging, and capital intensity: $1.5 billion-plus in announced facility investments over 2025-2028, including a $940 million tissue mill in Defiance, Ohio and a $300 million home care plant in Archbold, Ohio. First Quality sells to large retailers (enterprise private label), healthcare organizations (skilled nursing facilities, home care providers via the Prevail channel with 24/7 eNurse clinical support), CPG companies requiring flexible packaging, and end consumers through brand websites and retail chains. Geographic operations are concentrated in North America across Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, Utah, Ohio, Connecticut, Quebec, and Ontario, with planned 2027-2028 expansions in Connecticut and Ohio.

Revenue mechanics are split between (1) private label manufacturing revenue from major retailers under multi-year negotiated contracts, (2) own-brand product sales through retail and e-commerce, and (3) flexible packaging services to CPG companies. The company emphasizes healthcare-channel expertise (380+ combined years of clinical nursing experience), family-caregiver community engagement (Caregiver Action Network, Cradles to Crayons), and proprietary product performance claims (e.g., 10-hour bladder protection, ultra-premium absorbency). Leadership includes Allen Bodford (President, Absorbent Hygiene), Tonny De Beer (Chief Product Innovation Officer, Absorbent Hygiene), Jim Dodge (CFO), and Sima Delafraz (CCO). No public revenue is disclosed, and the company has no external parent, private equity sponsor, or public listing.

Name

First Quality

Legal name

First Quality Enterprises, LLC

Website

https://firstquality.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

First Quality is a family-owned private manufacturer (founded 1989) operating four divisions — Absorbent Hygiene, Tissue, Home Care, and Print & Packaging — producing private label and own-brand consumer essentials (Prevail, Cuties, Incognito, Earth + Eden, Plenty) across 14M+ sq ft of manufacturing in the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Care and Household Product Manufacturing

NAICS

Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical & Hygiene Disposables (Underpads, Disposable Washcloths, Bed Bath Products) (CRADALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adult Incontinence Products (CRADALAF), Paper Towels & Napkins (Disposable Wipes) (CRAJAGAH), Laundry Detergents & Boosters (Liquid/Powder/PODS, Enzymes, Bleach Alternatives) (CRADAKAA), Fabric Softeners & Conditioners (Liquid, Sheets, Beads) (CRADAKAB), Home Care Tools & Consumables (Sponges, Wipes, Brushes, Gloves, Mop Refills) (CRADAKAM), Primary Packaging (Bottles, Jars, Tubes, Jugs) (IMALAJAA)

Keywords

• Private label manufacturing
• Absorbent hygiene products
• Adult incontinence supplies
• Consumer paper products
• Flexible packaging solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Neck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: First Quality manufactures store-brand/retail brand products for major retailers, producing diapers, incontinence products, tissue, home care products, and packaging. Revenue comes from product sales to retail partners under their store brands.
2. Own Brand Product Sales: First Quality sells their own branded products including Prevail (adult incontinence), Cuties (baby care), Incognito (feminine care), Earth + Eden (baby care), and Plenty (paper towels) through retail and e-commerce channels.
3. Flexible Packaging Services: Print & Packaging division provides packaging solutions including shrink sleeves, laminated film, bags and pouches for various industries including food, pet food, and consumer products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

First Quality manufactures and distributes personal care and household essentials across four operating divisions: Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, baby diapers, training pants, feminine care, and baby wipes), Tissue (ultra-premium paper towels and bath tissue), Home Care (laundry and dishwashing products), and Print & Packaging (flexible packaging solutions). The company primarily operates as a private-label manufacturer for major retailers while also marketing its own consumer brands including Prevail, Cuties, Plenty, Incognito, and Earth + Eden.

Product overview

First Quality is a family-owned manufacturer of everyday essentials for personal and household care, founded in 1989. The company operates four divisions: Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, baby care, feminine care, wipes), Tissue (paper towels, bath tissue), Home Care (laundry and dishwashing products), and Print & Packaging. First Quality produces both store-brand products for major retailers and its own consumer brands including Prevail (adult incontinence), Cuties (baby care), Plenty (paper towels), Incognito (feminine care), and Earth + Eden (baby care). The company operates 7+ manufacturing locations across the U.S. and Canada totaling over 14 million square feet. Key recent expansions include a new $940 million tissue facility in Defiance, Ohio (2028), a $300 million home care facility in Archbold, Ohio (2028), and the acquisition of Henkel's Retailer Brands business adding laundry and dish care products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Earth and Eden: Baby care brand
• Prevail
• Cuties
• Plenty
• Incognito

Products and services

• Prevail Adult Incontinence Products First Quality's flagship adult incontinence brand offering adult briefs, protective underwear, bladder control pads, underpads, and washcloths. Features MaxSorb+ Zone technology for rapid absorption (up to 50% faster than prior versions) and Omni-Odor Guard for odor control. Served through retail, healthcare, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels.
• Cuties Baby Care Products First Quality's baby care brand offering diapers, training pants, youth pants, and baby wipes. Designed to be super-soft, super-absorbent, and safe for babies' sensitive skin. Sold through major retail chains and brand e-commerce.
• Plenty Paper Towels First Quality's ultra-premium paper towel brand. Towels are up to 80% more absorbent than leading everyday brand, manufactured using Thru-Air-Dried (TAD) paper technology at Anderson and Lock Haven facilities.
• Incognito Feminine Care Products First Quality's feminine care brand offering feminine care pads and liners for every stage of life from first period through menopause. Produced primarily at the Drummondville, Quebec Fempro facility.
• Earth + Eden Baby Care Products First Quality's eco-conscious baby care brand offering diapers, training pants, and wipes for a new generation of parents with high standards of quality, efficiency, and value. Responsibly made.
• Private Label / Store Brand Manufacturing (Absorbent Hygiene, Tissue, Home Care, Packaging) Contract manufacturing service that develops and produces store-brand consumer essentials across all four divisions for major North American retailers. Quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts. This is First Quality's primary revenue driver.
• Prevail eNurse 24/7 Clinical Support Round-the-clock clinical support line staffed by licensed nurses with combined 380+ years of experience. Provides free confidential support for incontinence-related topics including product selection and fit. Available to consumers, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
• Flexible Packaging Solutions (Print & Packaging Division) High-definition 10-color flexographic printing, solventless lamination, and single/multi-layer extrusion services for shrink sleeves, laminated film, bags, and pouches. Operated from a 182,000 square foot SQF-certified facility in Anderson, South Carolina, serving food, pet food, and consumer product CPG customers.
• Home Care Laundry and Dish Products Store-brand laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and dishwashing products manufactured primarily at the Salt Lake City, Utah and Concord, Ontario (Jempak) facilities. R&D center opening in Trumbull, Connecticut in 2027.
• Dryden Fibre Nonwoven Materials Nonwoven fiber products and materials operated by Dryden Fibre, ULC as part of the First Quality group. Supplies materials into absorbent hygiene and other nonwoven applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• MaxSorb+ Zone technology absorbs up to 50% faster than previous products
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Caregiver Action Network (CAN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024First Quality joined CAN's Corporate Leadership Council in 2024 and became national sponsor for National Family Caregivers Month 2025. Partnership focuses on empowering family caregivers through resources, education, and the 'Plug-in to Care' campaign. First Quality's clinical director Michele Mongillo co-authored 'Caring with Dignity' caregiver guide as part of this partnership.
• Kimberly-Clark CorporationminorOthers · 1 January 2024Both companies are conducting tissue mill construction projects in Ohio. Kimberly-Clark is building approximately 1 million-square-foot tissue mill expected to begin operations in late 2026 or early 2027.
• Cradles to CrayonscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership since 2021 powers the 'Gear Up for Baby' initiative providing free diapers, clothing, and essentials to families in Chicagoland, Massachusetts, and Greater Philadelphia. Since partnership began, over 30 million diapers and 20 million wipes distributed. Portion of Cuties diaper sales supports the organization (over $3 million raised).

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Essity: Swedish global hygiene and health company (Tena, Libresse, Libero, Tempo) competing in adult incontinence, feminine care, baby care, and tissue. A leading global player in the same categories as First Quality.
• Unicharm Corporation: Japanese hygiene leader (MamyPoko, Moony, Sofy) with growing global presence in baby, feminine, and adult incontinence. Comparable product portfolio and technology focus.
• Edgewell Personal Care: US-listed personal care company with brands like Playtex, Carefree, o.b., and Wet Ones. Competes in feminine care, baby wipes, and adjacent personal care categories where First Quality operates.
• Procter & Gamble: World's largest CPG company with leading positions in baby care (Pampers), feminine care (Always), incontinence (Always Discreet), and home care (Tide, Dawn). Competes with First Quality across nearly every division.
• Kimberly-Clark Corporation: Global CPG giant in tissue, hygiene, and personal care (Kleenex, Huggies, Kotex, Poise, Depend). Direct competitor in baby diapers, adult incontinence, feminine care, and tissue, and explicitly named as a parallel tissue mill builder in Ohio.

Direct peers

• Ontex Group: Belgian-headquartered leading private-label manufacturer of baby diapers, feminine hygiene, and adult incontinence products across Europe and the Americas. Closely comparable B2B private-label hygiene manufacturer serving retailer partners.
• Cascades: Canadian-based manufacturer of tissue, hygiene, and packaging products with significant North American manufacturing footprint. Comparable in tissue and packaging verticals and Canadian operations overlap.
• Attends Healthcare Products: Specialty manufacturer of adult incontinence and personal hygiene products serving healthcare and retail channels. Direct competitor in the Prevail adult incontinence category, especially in skilled nursing and home care.
• Domtar (Paper Excellence): Major North American manufacturer of tissue and absorbent hygiene products including Attends adult incontinence. Direct competitor in private-label tissue and incontinence categories.

Emerging players

• Henkel: German CPG company from which First Quality acquired the North American Retailer Brands home care business in 2025. Closest direct comp in laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwashing for private-label and store-brand programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-quality
• Facebookfacebook.com/111791772173763

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Quality