by John Peck, Ithaca Journal
Friday, June 18, 1965

Early in 1961, two friends got to chatting about plastics. One was Edward Buechel of Brooktondale who had been painting signs since 1947, and who had “been in” a few shops where they worked with plastics – and found the idea interesting.

The other was Burr Ripley, a builder of 406 E. Upland Rd. who was very handy with machinery of all kinds; and who also thought there might be a place for a plastics firm in the City of Ithaca .

Buechel and Ripley opened Ithaca Plastics in the former Post Office garage at 305 W. Green St. in May of that year. They are still there today – and they are still so busy that they haven't even had time to build an office.

The building materials for the office have been delivered but Buechel, Ripley and a third employee, Wayne Palmer, have been so busy making plastic objects for local customers and national firms that they haven't had time to start construction.

Ithaca Plastics makes all its own forms and molds for scores of plastic objects ranging from individual letters and signs to skylights for buildings, and a window for a private airplane.

The two men built all the machinery (except woodworking machines) used in the manufacture of their plastic products. Most of the machines were gathered from scrap heaps, rebuilt; and then their original purpose changed for the manufacture of plastics.

Buechel and Ripley built a heat sealer, a milling machine, a vacuum former and a plastic press.

Among the newer products made by the firm are “bubbles” which contain all sorts of small products and are attached to a cardboard sheet for display in stores. The company also makes bubbles to house individual parts in large manufacturing operations.

Ithaca Plastics also makes plexi-glass table sections for conveyor belt operations; as well as plastic containers for products being carried on conveyor belts.

Sign Painting and plastic sign construction also constitutes a large part of the company's operation.

A large number of orders received by the firm consist of nothing more than an “idea.” Ithaca Plastics takes it from there. Drawings are made, molds are manufactured and the machines set-up to turn out the new product. Sometimes there is considerable trial and error before the new plastics object is “invented.”

The firm has been asked to manufacture and erect such large signs that Buechel and Ripley finally constructed a large crane to raise the sign parts in place. “We're quite proud of that crane,” Buechel said. “Several people thought that we bought it from a crane manufacturer.”

The firm is now engaged in building eight-by-ten-foot wooden frames for housing and air conditioning displays to be used throughout the country. The frames are facsimiles of the actual sides of houses.

Variety is the spice at Ithaca Plastics, even if the firm hasn't yet found the time to build that office.