Stanbee building on sustainability mission

The US-based manufacturer of heel counters and box toes is working hard to prove its commitment to innovation.

Stanbee, the global manufacturer of heel counters and box toes, is about to mark its 75th year in business – and its 15th year in Asia.

Headquartered in New Jersey, Stanbee is said to have been committed to shrinking its carbon footprint since first opening its doors in 1948. Founded by Manny Berkson and his son Stan, the company was later run by another of Manny’s sons, Howard. Now Stanbee is led by the third generation of the Berkson family, Howard’s son Michael, and has operations located in the US, Thailand and Vietnam.

When speaking of sustainability, Michael Berkson is proud to talk about the company’s zero-waste net-part programme. “We employ a true closed-loop process,” he says. “If you send us a DXF file, we’ll cut your parts for you, and then recycle the waste to make even more products. It’s the most effective way to reduce the global waste stream.”

Expansion in Asia

Building on almost 15 years’ presence in Thailand, Stanbee is further developing its facilities in Asia. The company is now adding 2,200 square metres to the state-of-the-art plant to give more than 6,100 square metres of manufacturing, warehousing and administrative space. That location already serves as a major hub of Stanbee’s production with three extruding lines and full cutting and shipping capabilities. In addition, the company operates out of Amata Nakorn’s Free Zone, allowing it to import machinery and materials duty-free.

In Vietnam, Stanbee is adding another 6,000 square metres of space – and the first of three planned extruding lines – to its manufacturing facility just east of Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, the company will now have its own supply chain in the Vietnam factory, extruding sheets in the same place that net parts have been cut.

Today, Stanbee reportedly has a production capacity of more than 33 million pairs of components every month. When the expansions are complete, this number is expected to jump to 43 million pairs in the future.

“Our manufacturing capabilities in Asia are being expanded and streamlined at the same time,” says director of sales, Leo Provencher. “Our entire work chain is being rebuilt. Now, in Vietnam, we’ll be able to extrude product right where we cut net parts, and we’ll continue delivering the components to the factory door. We’re eliminating a range of logistical issues and cutting lead times significantly.”

“The unwritten code at Stanbee is to innovate in ways never thought possible,” remarks Mr Berkson. “That’s what tests us. That’s what drives us. If you told my grandfather, 75 years ago, that his company would be a global leader in innovation, he’d be proud. That was his vision from day one.”

The photograph above shows Stanbee’s facilities in Thailand, which are being expanded to house additional manufacturing, warehousing and administrative space.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 22 of the July/August 2022 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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