NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first professional basketball player to acquire majority control of a publicly traded company through his newly formed Isiah Enterprises. The company emerged from the acquisition of One World Products (OTCQB: OWPC) and is projected to reach break-even profitability by December 2025 through operational discipline and expanded manufacturing operations in Michigan. Thomas, serving as Chairman and CEO, described this achievement as both an industrial comeback and cultural landmark in business leadership.
The foundation of Isiah Enterprises was built on Thomas's strategic acquisition of Eco Bio Plastics Midland, a Michigan-based facility that was previously facing bankruptcy. Under Thomas's leadership, the company underwent a fundamental transformation, redirecting its focus toward renewable feedstocks derived from rice, corn, industrial hemp, soy, paper cellulose, and rubber. This strategic pivot established new product lines across automotive and food-service packaging sectors, creating a diversified manufacturing platform positioned for sustainable growth.
Central to the company's competitive advantage is its patented process for pulverizing, micronizing, and pelletizing industrial hemp fibers. This proprietary technology transforms raw hemp into lightweight, high-performance composites that significantly increase tensile strength and heat resistance for automotive components while simultaneously replacing petroleum-based plastics in packaging applications. The patent protection provides significant barriers to entry as global industries accelerate their shift toward renewable materials and sustainable manufacturing practices.
Isiah Enterprises has executed a carefully staged buildout strategy, beginning with the revitalization of Eco Bio Plastics Midland to establish a robust U.S. manufacturing hub. The company then expanded through One World Products to integrate global feedstocks and supply chains, now consolidating as a publicly traded, vertically integrated clean-tech leader. Current operations include supplying industrial hemp-based bio-composites and reusable containers through strategic partnerships with industry leaders including Flex-N-Gate, ORBIS Corporation, and West Michigan Compounding.
The company's timing aligns with substantial market opportunities across multiple sustainability sectors. Automotive sustainability initiatives are accelerating as automakers face increasing regulatory mandates to reduce petroleum content, with bio-composites and lightweight materials representing a market projected to reach approximately $150 billion by 2030. Simultaneously, sustainable food and consumer packaging markets are projected to exceed $450 billion by 2030, driven by both regulatory requirements and growing consumer demand for environmentally responsible products. Combined, these sectors create nearly $1 trillion in addressable market potential where Isiah Enterprises maintains both technical and geographic advantages.
Thomas brings a proven turnaround track record to the venture, having previously returned American Speedy Printing to profitability and successfully rebuilding Eco Bio Plastics Midland into a green-tech operation serving original equipment manufacturer partners. Looking forward, Isiah Enterprises is exploring options for potential future uplisting to a national exchange, expanding manufacturing operations in Michigan, and integrating AI-driven production analytics to optimize cost, quality, and throughput. The company's projected break-even by December 2025 positions it as a model for sustainable profitability in U.S. manufacturing while demonstrating the viability of athlete-led industrial turnarounds in public markets.
