WHO:
Howard/McCray -- a leading manufacturer of display cases used in supermarkets and convenience stores -- which has been operating in the City of Philadelphia for over 55 years, will unveil its new curved-glass merchandising line with a product preview and introduction at the company’s headquarters in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, PA.
WHEN:
Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 10 a.m.
WHERE:
Howard/McCray, 2501 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
WHAT:
The product was developed through collaboration among Howard/McCray, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP) and the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC), with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). The new curved glass product line can be used for deli products, red meat, fish or poultry and bakery. The case is a versatile design that will allow it to be joined together for supermarket-style applications, and is also designed and built with a laminate exterior for use in specialty and coffee shops.
Howard/McCray estimates that the new product line -- which is its first launch since 1999 -- will increase its sales (currently at $6 million per year) by $1 million by 2008.
In addition, Howard/McCray’s new product is expected to increase its market vitality by allowing the company to penetrate new markets, such as specialty shops and small supermarkets. The company is planning the industry launch of its new product at the National Association of Food Equipment’s annual trade show in Anaheim, CA on September 23, 2005.
Howard/McCray was introduced to BFTP/SEP’s Technology Commercialization Group (TCG) through a partnership for manufacturing innovation and new product development with the DVIRC. TCG, which is funded by the Economic Development Administration, administers grants that support the implementation of a product development and commercialization network; assist businesses with strategic product planning, marketing and sales strategies, product development and engineering, prototype development and testing, strategic partnering, and funding access. In the case of Howard/McCray, TCG provided matching funds for industrial, structural, and prototype design of the display case, as well as for testing and analysis. These services were delivered by Triumph Engineering Group, a member of the BFTP/SEP and DVIRC provider network.
About Howard/McCray
Led by President Christopher Scott, along with the management team of Dorothy “Dolly” Tyndall, Bill Warren, Brian Tyndall, and John Obodzinsky, Howard/McCray has over 118 years of experience in the manufacturing of commercial refrigeration products, specializing in product displays. The company has built its reputation on delivering a quality product while maintaining a personal relationship with all of its customers, regardless of their size. Its products can be seen in corner stores, small markets, and locally at the Reading Terminal in downtown Philadelphia.
Howard/McCray, which employees 50 workers in its factory and administrative offices, has been located at its Grant Avenue facility since 1961, when it was known as Howard Refrigerator Company. The current company -- Howard/McCray -- was actually formed in 1975. It was then that the Howard Refrigerator Company (founded in 1949 in Philadelphia) acquired McCray (a company that specialized in wooden display cases and was founded in 1887 in Indiana). In 2003, the management team, which has a combined total of 100 years of experience at the company, acquired Howard/McCray, naming their joint venture HMC Enterprises, LLC.
About the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC)
The Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC) is an economic development organization dedicated to helping manufacturers in the Philadelphia region compete and grow. For over 15 years, the DVIRC has been serving the manufacturers in the region through education and training programs, consulting services, government affairs, workforce development, economic development partnerships, executive networking, regional initiative leadership and world-class best practices. The DVIRC is part of Pennsylvania's Industrial Resource Center Network, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
About Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Since 1982, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP) has helped grow the region through science, technology and entrepreneurship. Part of a statewide network in Pennsylvania, BFTP/SEP provides entrepreneurs and established businesses the capital, talent, and expertise they need to compete in the global marketplace. The organization has provided more than $110 million to over 1,400 regional enterprises through various funding means. BFTP/SEP is a founding partner of the Nanotechnology Institute (NTI) and the Mid-Atlantic Nanotechnology Alliance (MANA) and is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
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Contacts:
Howard/McCray
Christopher Scott, President
(215) 464-6800 / (800) 344-8222 / cscott@howardmccray.com
Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center (DVIRC)
Mark Basla, Vice President, Marketing & Business Development
(215) 464-8550 / mbasla@dvirc.org
BFTP/SEP
Samuel W. Pressley, Director, Marketing & Communications
(215) 972-6700, ext. 3085 / samuel@sep.benfranklin.org
Caryn Williams, Project Coordinator
(215) 972-6700, ext. 3214 / caryn@sep.benfranklin.org
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