November 2009
A new course…
In the early 1990s, Suzann Speck stepped into the family business, working as a production secretary. Her brother Walt, meanwhile, left a radio career to fill a vacant position in sales and marketing. Coupled with his passion for flying, the job was a natural fit—the trained broadcaster could now fly- and pitch sales to customers outside the Lehigh Valley…
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The Challenge:
Two pieces are rarely better than one. When Severn Trent sourced a two-piece, flat-paddle assembly comprised of an extruded component glued to a second part, they realized there was a potential for the parts to separate, causing rejects. What’s more, the two-piece assembly was both expensive and time-consuming to produce…
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September 2009
Without a map…
When Collins Radio solicited a government contract for 5,000 simple dial covers in 1954, Walt Speck jumped at the opportunity. Even though his company was still in its infancy, he collected scrap material at work and took it home to start work on samples. Before long, he and his partners, the Bond and Worrell families, had set up an efficient and effective production line, with the husbands drilling holes in the sample covers and their wives filing the holes to meet the required specifications…
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The Challenge:
A Pennsylvania manufacturer specializing in the production of refrigerated trucks noticed a recurring problem with the curved metal “dormers” covering the refrigeration units on their trucks. Rather than bending under standard driving stress, the metal was beginning to break…
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August 2009
In the beginning…
For the Speck family, clear isn’t just what we do; it’s who we are. For three generations Speck has been at the forefront of plastics thermoforming. In fact, we trace our history to the days before Plexiglas was a household word. The story is a good one, and it underscores just why we’re so good at what we do…
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The Challenge:
A U.S.-based manufacturer of world-class medical diagnostic instruments, surgical devices, and other healthcare products encountered quality problems with the windows on a large diagnostic system. With optical clarity being a key requirement for these windows, the customer simply could not accept components with “fisheyes” and other distortions…
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June 2008
Speck Plastics, Inc. and Bombardier, manufacturer of aerospace and transportation solutions, have come a long way. The business relationship began back in the 1970s between Speck Plastics, Inc. and UTDC, a Canadian manufacturer that would later be acquired by Bombardier.
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May 2008
Speck Plastics, Inc. has honed its manufacturing process into one that successfully thermoforms clear plastic parts for its clients. When glass can’t be used because of certain conditions, risk of breakage or other safety concerns, companies have the option of clear polycarbonate plastic.
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March 2008
Speck Plastics Inc. helps companies like Bombardier, Crayola and Tyco every day. With what? Plastic parts that are needed in either smaller quantities or with design demands that make injection molded plastics an overly costly or less-than-ideal option.
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August 2007
Speck Plastics worked with the National Canal Museum to create model canal boats to illustrate how the canals once operated in their hey day.  Children choose from boats carrying grains, coal or passengers and learn how locks, aqueducts and even an inclined plane worked.
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June 2007
Speck Plastics helped SuiteDigs, maker of doggie condos, design and create its go-to-market unit that will house dogs.  The SuiteDigs units haven’t hit the market yet, but have received a ton of buzz from the dog-lover community already.  They are individual apartments, made from thermoformed plastic, that will house dogs, distribute treats and hold webcams through which the owner can view their dog’s activity via the internet.  Designed for owners on the go, these units help entertain and comfort dogs while they are on their own.