A Retirement Party 50 Years in the Making
Ontario, Calif (PRWEB) February 20, 2014 -- On February 17, 1964, Richard Benn started his job as a toolmaker at Ray Products in Alhambra, California. At the time, his duties consisted of making small thermoform tools and fixtures for trimming and bonding of various thermoformed parts. Over the years, as the manufacturing scope of Ray Products shifted from baby bassinets in the 1950s and ’60s to computer enclosures in the 1970s and finally to today’s production roster, which includes everything from medical enclosures parts to solar energy modules, Richard performed his duties with adaptive skills and impressive capability. Now, exactly 50 years to the day, on February 17, 2014, Richard is retiring.
"Ray Products will miss its most loyal employee but we wish him all the best as he embarks on this exciting new chapter in his life,” said Brian Ray, Ray Products president. "These days, it’s rare to find employees who come into a job with his level of dedication. But Richard is the kind of employee every company owner dreams of. We have benefited tremendously from his work, and are honored by his 50 years of service."
For three generations, earned loyalty and great relationships have been at the heart of the Ray Products Company. When Allen and Margaret Ray founded the company in 1949, their attention to these principles laid the groundwork for a business model that has allowed the company to adapt to major and rapid technological changes, expansion, and leadership transitions. From its humble beginnings in a 750-square-foot fabrication shop to its current 48,000-square-foot state-of-the-art thermoforming facility, Ray Products is a job creator and plastics industry innovator second to none. Today, its state-of-the-art technology and capabilities include ultra-modern thermoforming equipment with forming capabilities up to 10’x18’, 6-axis fully robotic trimming, CAD and 3-D coordinate measuring tools.
"It’s been quite a journey," said Richard. "I’ve watched this company grow leaps and bounds, and I am proud to be a part of that success. I have known the Ray family for 50 years, and Ray Products and its employees are like a second home. I’ve had a great run and now it’s time to pass the torch."
Ray Products leadership and employees are sending Richard off with a party worthy of 50 years of service. As for what’s in store for Richard: lots of travel, visiting family and putting some miles on in the motorhome.
Ray Products Timeline:
- 1949 – Allen and Margaret Ray found Ray Products in a 750-square-foot fabrication shop in Alhambra, California. The company uses state-of-the-art technology to produce plastic baby bassinets.
- 1971 – Ray Products moves to an 18,000-square-foot facility in El Monte, California. By this time, the company is producing computer enclosures for the burgeoning computer industry.
- 1975 – Bruce Ray purchases the company from his father and takes on the role of president.
- 1995 – Ray Products moves to its current 48,000-square-foot location in Ontario, California. The move puts the production and finishing operations under one roof, streamlining operations and allowing for increased productivity and efficiency.
- 2003 – Brian Ray assumes the role of company president.
- 2009 – Ray Products receives ISO 9001:2008 Certification
- 2011 – Daniel Sweet, VP of Operations, receives lifetime achievement award from SPE Thermoforming Division
- 2014 – Today, Ray Products produces thermoformed plastic products for a range of industries, including medical device manufacturers, aerospace and energy production. Ray Products technology and techniques include ultra-modern thermoforming equipment with 10’x18’ capabilities, 6-axis fully robotic trimming, CAD and 3-D coordinate measuring tools.
About Ray Products: Ray Products is a custom plastics manufacturer based in Ontario, California. Founded in 1949, the company is currently under its third generation of family ownership. Ray Products operates a 48,000-square-foot ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturing facility that offers the largest thermoforming capabilities on the West Coast, fully robotic 6-axis trimming and 3D coordinate measurement accurate to within a ten-thousandth of an inch.
Jason Middleton, Ray Products, http://www.rayplastics.com/, +1 909-740-9037, [email protected]
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