04.09.07
Stanford continues its innovative line of seaming equipment.
Stanford Products LLC has just announced its continued advancement into the shrink sleeve market with their launch of continuous operation seaming equipment. This new line of equipment allows the customer to choose from three levels of continuous operation ranging from single position unwinds to dual position and non-stop unwinds. All three models feature a continuous operation rewind with the identical patent-pending oscillation system of the original SM10 Seammachine. The unique solvent application system (patent-pending) gives clients a range of sleeve widths from 2” (50.8 mm) to 10” (254 mm) along with the capability to run PVC, PET, PETG, OPS and PLA. There are various options available for lay-flat, seam inspection as well as quality control systems. Stanford equipments’ new nip roll system eliminates crushed edges.
This new line of Seammachine represents a new and higher level of performance for producers of shrink sleeves. With its patent-pending processes, increased speed and minimal waste, the Seammachine provides increased efficiency, productivity and ease of operation.
Currently in its 64th year serving the converting industry, Stanford also manufactures a full range of Doctor Machines® as well as a complete line of duplex differential slitter rewinders.
2007
Ed Byars retires after nearly five decades of dedicated service to the Stanford (Engineering) company in Salem.
Having started his engineering career at the company on April 10th, 1959, Ed Byars’ last day at the company was April 9th, 2007. Speaking at a reception to honor Ed’s 48 years of service, Stanford’s president Mr. Séamus Lafferty recapped what he described as a “stellar” career filled with engineering accomplishments that largely facilitated Stanford’s success and growth in the global converting marketplace.
Ed was Stanford’s longest serving employee and in Lafferty’s words he brought “gravitas and leadership to Stanford’s engineering department down through the years”. “Ed commanded the respect of his peers within Stanford and within our industry…and among our global customer base”, he said. “He enjoyed the respect of all not only because of his engineering prowess, but because of his exceptionally high moral character and work ethic. The dedication he showed to his job is uncommon by any standard, and his unfailing loyalty to the company served to make him an integral part of our business”, he continued. “The wealth of experience Ed has amassed over his 48 years is rarely found in one individual, and his absence from the day-to-day operations of Stanford will be greatly missed. Modest by nature, Ed would never sing his own praises, but his accomplishments and his standing in our industry speak for themselves”, Lafferty stated.
Presenting Mr. Byars with a gold watch as a token of appreciation for his long years of service, Lafferty wished Ed and his wife Janet many years of healthy retirement.
Ed Byars started his career with Stanford Engineering on a part-time basis while he was still in high school. Introduced to the company by his drafting teacher at the time, Bill Matthews, he went full time after graduating from high school. Ed worked for the founder of the company, “Dutch” Stanford and his two older sons, Wayne and Bud. Ed still recalls his first summer with the company, and has vivid memories of specific equipment he worked on in those early days.
A self-taught engineer, Ed took on projects within the company that others often avoided. This approach quickly led to his advancement within the company. For approximately thirty years Ed managed the electrical design and control of the slitting and rewinding equipment manufactured by Stanford. Ed was promoted to Manager of Engineering in August 1995, and then to Vice President of Engineering in 2001. Ed retired as Executive Vice President of Stanford.
Describing the changes he’s seen over the years, Ed remembers Stanford’s old phone number was “554”! “With only rotary dial phones, you had to get an operator on the line to call long distance. The fastest means of communication at that time was the telegraph”, he said.
In 1963 Ed was drafted into the Army, but was given a deferment to complete a project for DuPont that he was working on at the time. Ed served at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma and was attached to the Post Engineers from April 1964 to January 1966. During this time Ed was allowed to continue working on projects for Stanford while serving in the Army. While Ed was serving in the Army, Stanford was sold to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation.
Over the years Ed was part of several technological advancements of the Stanford product line. In 1972 Ed was involved with development of the electronic controls for the Ashton Press printing equipment. In 1982, he worked on creating the first computerized control system for a Stanford Model 338MCS slitter rewinder. Stanford was among the first companies to put a computerized system on a slitter rewinder. In 1988 Stanford went to an IBM based CAD system that Ed was also instrumental in implementing.
Ed cites his favorite part of working for Stanford as being the R&D side of the job…creating and designing. He is also quick to attribute a lot of his success to the good people that he has worked with and his mentors Dale Morris and Spencer Jones.
In his retirement, Ed plans to spend more time with his family – his wife Janet, his son Mark, daughter-in-law Becky and five grandchildren. He hopes to spend more time on church related activities, and on his hobby of genealogy. He also quips that he hopes to catch up with work on the farm and has plans to travel around the US.
