GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation recently unveiled an interactive, museum-style exhibit at its headquarters to showcase the company’s innovations and employees and provide a peek into the future of the business. The exhibit, introduced to celebrate Raymond’s 100 years in business, will now travel across the country to various company solution and support center […]
GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation recently unveiled an interactive, museum-style exhibit at its headquarters to showcase the company’s innovations and employees and provide a peek into the future of the business.
The exhibit, introduced to celebrate Raymond’s 100 years in business, will now travel across the country to various company solution and support center facilities. The exhibit will end its tour at the ProMat material handling and logistics trade show in Chicago, Illinois in March of 2023.
Before cutting the ribbon on the exhibit during a June 14 event, Raymond officials took some time to celebrate the century-long history of the business that impacts almost every consumer.
The Raymond Corporation got its start in 1922 when George Raymond, Sr. purchased a foundry in Greene, but its beginnings as a material-handling company really began in 1939 when Raymond designed and patented the double-faced wooden pallet and, with employee William House, the first hydraulic hand pallet truck. From there, the company has grown and innovated into an end-to-end warehouse solution company.
“It’s a moment in a lifetime for all of us,” Steve VanNostrand, Raymond executive VP, said at the event. He noted that through its history, the Raymond Corporation has employed nearly 20,000 people in Greene. “What a legacy,” he exclaimed.
The event featured a number of proclamations from local, state, and federal dignitaries; a choral performance by The Voices of Raymond, a ribbon cutting for the museum, and factory tours.
Former employee Steve Raymond, grandson of the company founder, noted that it’s easy to overlook the significance of material handling, but the need became apparent during the pandemic and the current infant-formula shortage. He shared how emotional he felt recently watching planes loaded with pallets of infant formula to help people in need, knowing that the company’s innovations helped make that possible.
“It literally changed the world,” he said of the pallet invented by George Raymond, Sr.
Toyota Industries Corporation acquired the Raymond Corporation in 2000 and Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America was on hand at the event to reflect on the successful partnership. He noted that a forklift is manufactured every five minutes at the Raymond plant in Greene and added that one out of every three forklifts sold is either a Raymond or Toyota brand.
“Toyota is a better company with the Raymond Company,” he said. “Both companies have really learned a lot from each other in many, many ways.”
Wood announced that Toyota has commissioned a statue of one of Raymond’s first forklifts that will soon be delivered to Raymond corporate headquarters at 22 South Canal Street in Greene. He also announced the donation of 100 walkie talkies to the Greene Central School District to help commemorate Raymond’s centennial.
Raymond President and CEO Mike Field wrapped up the event by noting, “Our history of innovation is strong, and so is our future.”
Along with its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Greene, Raymond operates a parts distribution center and its RayBuilt Center of Excellence in DeWitt. It also has a facility in Muscatine, Iowa.