As a third-generation, family-owned manufacturer offering advanced thermoforming solutions, Ray Products is committed to staying at the forefront of industry knowledge and trends. We attended this year’s SPE Thermoforming Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, October 24-26, to learn about the latest innovations in thermoforming machinery, materials, and equipment. President Brian Ray reflects on this year’s conference and discusses the impact it is poised to have on the company’s future endeavors and the evolving landscape of thermoforming as a whole. Q: What was your biggest takeaway from attending ..read more

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. What is the pulse of the industry as ..read more

It’s that time of year, again. MD&M – the nation’s largest medical device industry tradeshow – is hosting its West Coast conference in Anaheim, CA, and Ray Products is thrilled to be returning to the floor as an exhibitor. The showcase provides an excellent opportunity for our company to connect with hundreds of engineers, innovators, designers, and large-scale medical device corporations and share the full range of manufacturing solutions our pressure forming and vacuum forming capabilities can provide. We’ve met many of our long-term clients at previous MD&M showcases, and it’s alway ..read more

There’s a lot more to thermoforming than you think. At Ray Products, we offer on-site and virtual Tech Talks on pressure forming for your complex multi-part plastic enclosure needs. You’ll be amazed at how much your team’s industry expertise can increase in just one hour! Topics we cover include: Pressure Forming vs Other Processes Tooling Automation CNC Robotic Trimming Design Considerations Secondary Processes Tolerances & Guidelines Case Studies Material Selection The Foundation of a Successful Program And much more! Let Ray Products give you and your team the knowledge you need to su ..read more

The team at Ray Products is known for manufacturing custom plastic enclosures that are used around the world, in everything from medical carts and devices to alternative energy applications. Due to our passion for innovation, we have been able to extend our services beyond vacuum forming, leading us to receive the 2021 SPE Thermoforming Gold Award in pressure forming for our multi-part medical cart. From its original urethane-casted parts to a product made with thermoplastics, our new medical cart is a marvel of advanced pressure-forming techniques. The Gold Project: Initially, this medical ca ..read more

For over 70 years, Ray Products has built a reputation as a premier provider of pressure formed plastic parts. With a commitment to constantly upgrade our facilities with the highest quality equipment and latest technology, today we can manufacture custom plastic parts using our advanced, heavy-gauge pressure forming process, delivering the highest quality in the business while reducing tooling costs and turnaround times. With our experience, Ray Products will help guide what pressure forming is, the advantages of pressure forming, and what makes Ray Products a complete partner for your next p ..read more

With the ability to combine multiple custom components into a single, seamless product, along with incredible cost-effective processing and the ability to replace fiberglass and steel, large part thermoforming opens up new vistas for manufacturing in volumes ranging from hundreds to thousands. No matter what the industry—transportation and mass transit, farming and agriculture, green energy, waste and water management, medical devices, or more—large part thermoforming can redefine what is possible for your business. #1 – Large Part Thermoforming is Significantly More Cost-effective than Steel ..read more

Thank you to all who participated in yet another successful Annual Plastics Industry Survey! Your honest answers contribute to the ongoing service of our industry as a whole, particularly as we track various trends across the years. Each year we choose at random one survey participant as the winner of an extra-special gift. Today we are thrilled to announce the 2019 survey winner of a Smart Home Starter Kit: Lance H., Engineering Manager of Stanley Black & Decker in Tennessee. Upon hearing the great news, Lance remarked: “What a surprise to be selected in the drawing for the Smart Home Sta ..read more

In this Plastics Industry Pulse, we’ll examine the issue of recyclability as it relates to the plastics industry, while also considering overall trends in the industry in terms of production. What does the plastics industry think about the need to “go green” with its products? The survey data demonstrates that industry-wide, the desire for 100% recyclability is growing. Chart 1 below demonstrates that after a couple years of decline, to our respondents, the importance of 100% plastics recyclability is definitely on the rise.     The data demonstrates that the desire for 100% recycla ..read more

Every year, Plastics News conducts a survey of North American thermoformers and ranks them by annual sales.  This year, for the first time, Ray Products made the top 100. In fact, we received special recognition in the introduction to the report for moving “up 32 spaces”.  That took us from 122nd last year to a respectable 90th this year. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “What’s the big deal?” Is celebrating 90th place really worth celebrating at all? Yes, and here’s why: According to data from the survey, the thermoforming market in North America is a $13.3 billion market. 85 ..read more