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Category: Business

As we mentioned in our previous post we have been researching, processing, and interpreting data from over 200 manufacturing professionals on the use of heavy-gauge plastics manufacturing.

Did you know: This is the sixth year that Ray Products has been conducting this important industry research.

In this Plastics Industry Pulse, we’ll uncover the data in the 2019–2020 annual survey that deals with overseas plastic manufacturing. As offshore manufacturing grows in a number of other industries, you may be wondering about its impact on plastics manufacturing.

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Category: Business

We’ve been told a couple of times that we’re “obsessive” about thermoforming quality – and we couldn’t agree more. It’s something we’re proud of because that obsessive attention to detail is what sets us apart from our competitors. Our customers know that they can rely on the quality and precision of every product that comes out of our doors.

So how do we guarantee this quality? First of all, we are committed to investing in state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Second, we continually verify the performance of that equipment and technology using measuring techniques that are accurate to within one ten-thousandth of an inch.

But you don’t have to take our word for it –we’re a fully ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing facility. What does that mean, exactly? Great question.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a non-governmental organization with 162 different members, each from a different country. Every member organization represents national standards for their country. The ISO was created to bring together leading experts around the world to collaborate and develop consensus-based international standards to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency across every industry.

The ISO 9001:2015 is for quality management systems, and in order to receive certification, a company needs to demonstrate two things:

  • The ability to consistently produce products and services that satisfy customer expectations as well as regulatory/statutory requirements
  • A demonstrated commitment to improving customer satisfaction through effective application and improvement of the system

We recently received our ISO certification (see it here), and are delighted that our obsession for detail is now internationally recognized. We can’t think of a higher compliment.

Category: Business

By Brian Ray

Brian Ray of Ray ProductsWe’re fast approaching our 70th year in business here at Ray Products. As I take stock of where we started, where we are today and the future, I’m astounded by how much the world has changed. Globally, our technological capabilities have grown exponentially – enabling businesses like ours to better serve our customers, employees and investors.

But Ray Products was in business long before the technological boom of the nineties and aughts, and will continue to be, thanks to a philosophy that began with my grandfather: the importance of doing business the right way.

One of the most revolutionary changes to come out of the internet and social media age is access. We are exposed to the thoughts and practices of world-famous CEOs and thought leaders in real time. On the one hand, this is invaluable: We have unfiltered access to the minds of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. The downside is that this sometimes leads to a skewed perspective: the idea that a business or company is equivalent to its founder or leader, rather than the sum of its parts. This is particularly worrying when the CEO is a larger-than-life celebrity figure whose immediate focus is short-term profits.

In reality, a successful business is built on a foundation of many people: employees, investors, suppliers, customers. And while a cutthroat and ambitious CEO can certainly propel a company into enormous wealth in the short term, that by no means guarantees longevity. Whether or not a company prides itself on doing business the right way is a much better indicator of long-term success.

So what exactly do I mean by doing business “the right way”? A few different things:

  • Quality Product: Building your business around a product or service that people need – and doing it well.
  • Fair Employer: Treating your employees with respect, creating a safe and productive work environment, and compensating fairly – while simultaneously holding them to reasonable standards.
  • Reliable Partner: Establishing solid relationships with partners and suppliers based on trust and mutual respect.

Of course, at the end of the day, a business is a business – and the company’s bottom line is the highest priority. But once any of these pillars crumbles entirely in deference to profits, the collapse of the business as a whole is almost inevitable.

As BusinessInsider (BI) noted earlier this year, many U.S.-based companies have, over the last few decades, begun to equate long-term success with maximizing short-term profit for shareholders. In its “Better Capitalism” series, BI makes a compelling argument for more ethical business practices, not simply because it’s the right thing to do (which it is), but also because it’s better for the economy.

Indeed, from prioritizing the well-being of employees to putting an emphasis on valuing employees, customers and communities, some of the most successful companies in the world – Google, In-N-Out, St. Jude’s, AT&T, P&G, Nike – are doing business the right way.

Ray Products was founded in 1949, nearly half a century before the internet age. At the time, Ray Products’ primary output was plastic baby bassinets. Today, we manufacture a wide range of thermoformed plastic parts for many industries, including medical equipment, transportation, green energy, automotive, building & construction and recreational equipment.

But over the years, our commitment to our customers, employees and partners has never wavered – nor will it. By continuing to invest in technology, our customers, partners and employees, we easily have another 70 years ahead of us.

How Can Ray Products Help You Today?