July 2018

54 55 FIBERGLASS COATINGS INC. F iberGlass Coatings, Inc. had its beginnings in 1961 with a man named John Hicks who owned a chemical packaging company in St. Petersburg, FL. Hicks saw a need in the industry and developed a solution: he created a distribution side to the business where he sold fiberglass and resin solutions and achieved great success. In 1990, the current President, Bill Higman, purchased the company. Since then, FGCI has grown to be the largest independently-owned composites distributor in Florida, serving thousands of customers in diverse industries ranging from marine to amusement, construction, DIY, and everything in-between. “I’ve got 28 years into it at this point,” says Higman, speaking with great pride. “Our headquarters is still here in St. Petersburg, along with our man- ufacturing plant, and we also have another location in Ft. Lauderdale.” Higman explains that FGCI understands composite materials and the proj- ects as they relate to various industries, allowing them to provide superior service, pricing, and products to their customers, whether it’s the individual hobbyist or major manufacturers. FGCI has a multi-faceted business model to meet the needs of its wide range of customers, including an online retail presence, selling to consum- ers through its website as well as Amazon and eBay. Its impressive show- COMPOSITES FOR ONE AND ALL FIBERGLASS COATINGS INC. AT A GLANCE FIBERGLASS COATINGS INC. WHAT: Independently-owned composites distributor WHERE: Headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida WEBSITE: www.fgci.com