About Carma Laboratories

Carma Laboratories is located in Franklin, a small community just south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The facility uses assembly line equipment specially designed for production of Carmex. But making the popular lip protection product wasn't always so sophisticated.

In 1973, Alfred's son Don left his masonry business and joined his father in the company. Until that time, Carmex was still being poured by hand into the little glass jars. Don found some used assembly line equipment in Chicago and reworked it to meet the needs of the company's manufacturing process. Now, state of the art equipment is built to the company's specifications.

Until the mid 1980s, Carmex was primarily available in the midwest, with distribution in Texas, California and the ski areas of the Rocky Mountains. It is now sold in all fifty states, Canada and Australia with a growing presence in Europe.

Yet despite all the success, the company continues to be a low-key family operation. Carma Labs currently employs about 60 people. Until age 96, Alfred continued to run the company. Now, Alfred's son Don and grandsons Eric and Paul continue in the family tradition.

Paul, Eric, Alfred and Don make up the three generations of Woelbings overseeing operations at Carma Laboratories.

Keeping a friendly homey atmosphere is important to the Woelbings. "We want people to come to work and enjoy it," says Don.