NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas has become the first professional basketball player in history to acquire majority control of a publicly traded company, now leading Isiah Enterprises through a strategic turnaround focused on sustainable manufacturing. The company, which emerged from the acquisition of One World Products (OTCQB: OWPC), 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 the milestone as both an industrial comeback and cultural achievement. The foundation of Isiah Enterprises was built on Thomas's acquisition of Eco Bio Plastics Midland, a Michigan-based facility that was previously near bankruptcy. Under Thomas's leadership, the company has redirected toward advanced materials science using renewable feedstocks including rice, corn, industrial hemp, soy, paper cellulose, and rubber.
At the core of the company's growth strategy is a patented process for transforming industrial hemp fibers into lightweight, high-performance composites. This proprietary technology pulverizes, micronizes, and pelletizes hemp fibers to create materials with increased tensile strength and heat resistance for automotive components while replacing petroleum-based plastics in packaging applications. The process also reduces material weight and production emissions, positioning the company advantageously as global industries shift toward renewable materials.
Isiah Enterprises has executed a staged expansion beginning with the Eco Bio Plastics Midland acquisition, followed by integration of global feedstocks through One World Products, and now consolidation as a publicly traded, vertically integrated clean-tech leader. The company currently supplies industrial hemp-based bio-composites and reusable containers through partnerships with automotive and packaging industry leaders including Flex-N-Gate, ORBIS Corporation, and West Michigan Compounding.
The timing aligns with significant market opportunities in sustainable manufacturing. Automotive sustainability is accelerating as automakers face mandates to reduce petroleum content, with bio-composites and lightweight materials projected to reach approximately $150 billion by 2030. Simultaneously, sustainable food and consumer packaging represents a market expected to exceed $450 billion by 2030, driven by regulatory requirements and consumer demand. Combined, these sectors create nearly $1 trillion in addressable market potential where Isiah Enterprises maintains technical and geographic advantages.
Thomas brings a proven track record of business turnarounds, having previously returned American Speedy Printing to profitability and rebuilt Eco Bio Plastics Midland into a green-tech operation serving original equipment manufacturer partners. His leadership extends beyond manufacturing to include co-founding the Toronto Raptors, ownership of Cheurlin Champagne, and founding Isiah International LLC in 1990. Additional information about the company's operations and strategic direction is available at https://oneworldproducts.com.
Looking forward, Isiah Enterprises is exploring options for potential uplisting to a national exchange, expanding Michigan manufacturing capabilities, and integrating artificial intelligence-driven production analytics to optimize cost, quality, and throughput. The company's projected break-even by December 2025 establishes a model for sustainable profitability in U.S. manufacturing while demonstrating the viability of renewable material innovation at industrial scale.
