For Joel Glickman, manufacturing runs in the family. His father was in the industry for almost two decades before helping found the Rodon Group, the company that gave birth to the construction toy K'NEX. And it wasn't long before Joel and his brother were brought into the fold of the family business. But it was Joel who conjured the idea for the toy while passing time within ear-splitting distance of a wedding band that made conversation impossible. Although K'NEX has those enthusiastic musicians to thank for its existence, the credit for its success belongs at least in part to its parent company, which has been in the injection molding business since 1956. Rodon's senior vice president of manufacturing, Lowell Allen, who has been with the company since 1972, had a front-row seat for the development of the construction toy. Considering Rodon's demonstrated versatility, he wasn't surprised to see the long-time manufacturer take on a more playful endeavor.
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