We hear all the time that our helically-wound spring is a dying product line. And at every trade show, we hear, “What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it.” It’s not for everyone but, with having made over 2000 different variations (metals and sizes), it certainly does have its place in protecting machines and operators.

While I was just a wee child, my uncle and a colleague or two were traveling from Chicago by train. They’d been there for a trade show (no one’s ever mentioned what kind of trade show though.) I can picture them, smoking their cigars and discussing opportunities uncovered while there. It was pre-OSHA and a recurring topic was the abundance of injuries in the machining industry.

As the story goes, traveling on the train were some Boy Scouts and they were using mess kits, including their collapsible drinking cups. This inspired my uncle: using the principal of the cup and then developing it into a collapsible spring guard, it would be used to protect – both machinery moving parts as well as the machine operators. Pretty cool, eh? He called this spring an Elasticone; we call his invention a Centry© Cover and we still customize them to fit your needs!

I am Ginny Gordon Griffiths, part of the second generation of owners of this woman-owned company. I also am our human resources manager and benefits administrator.

Fun facts about me:

  1. Married to Skip, a retired Lieutenant in the Philadelphia Fire Department, and we enjoy our “blended” family of 5 kids (one daughter, Jean Marie, at Centryco!) and 7 grand kids ranging in age from 28 to 3 and in height from 6’5” to 3’.
  2. I love to travel, collect Dept. 56 villages, have been a Red Hatter, volunteer at church and in the community – love people and having fun!
  3. I have a dirty little secret – my Christmas tree, decorations, and North Pole Village are still up and lit – oh well, it’s almost time for Christmas in July, August, … and it’ll be Christmas again before you know it and I’m ready!

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