Flashback

Flashback – January 2008

A Global Highlight About a Springmaker’s Anniversary

(Editor’s note: One of the traditions of Springs is to celebrate the milestones of its springmaker members, who come in all sizes. In keeping with the theme of this issue, we present this item about Vulcan Spring and Manufacturing Co. that appeared in our Global Highlights section when the company celebrated its 40th anniversary. As Vulcan’s current president Scott Rankin says, “It’s definitely an old article, but still accurate. We have come a long way since then.” The company will celebrate its 55th anniversary next year.)

The year 2007 marked the 40th anniversary of Vulcan Spring and Manufacturing Co. in Telford, Pennsylvania. From its humble beginnings in the basement of an entrepreneur’s home to its prominent position in the industrial and point-of-purchase marketplaces, Vulcan Spring has grown by constantly inventing new technologies and new uses for springs and retracting tethers.

In 1967, Vulcan’s first commercial application gave voice to the iconic “Talking G.I. Joe” action figure. In 1973, Vulcan Spring provided the precision necessary to create the surgical stapler that became a standard medical device in operating rooms around the world. In 1981, the Pullbox® retractable tether was an innovative solution for product positioning and theft deterrence. In 1990, Vulcan Spring invented the variable force spring for point-of-purchase displays. In 2003, the company supplied the springs that opened the solar panels on NASA’s exploration rover when it landed on Mars.

In Vulcan’s 40 years, it has manufactured over 6,000 individual products for more than 2,000 customers. It employs QC/QA and SPC programs that allow Vulcan to meet the strictest tolerances, documented within 99.9999 percent of specification. n