Tim Butkus is the Project Manager at Stelray Plastic Products, responsible for developing new manufacturing programs from concept to finished product and for maintaining key relationships with both customers and business partners. Tim joined Stelray eighteen months ago with twenty-five years of prior career experience in the Plastics & Injection Molding industry—working his way up from pencil-and-paper draftsman at key manufacturers throughout Connecticut.
Today, we turn the spotlight on Tim to learn more about his experiences so far at Stelray, what keeps him motivated, and the secret to successful project management.
Project Manager can mean a lot of different things. What does being a Project Manager entail at Stelray?
A lot of people—through no fault of their own—see the job as being a scorekeeper or a timekeeper, making sure other contributors are staying on track and on time. That is not me, at least not 90% of the time. I like to be deeply involved, pulling on all of my experience as a draftsman and an engineer, to help the customer take their novel idea and guide them to an ideal final product. Whether that is optimizing the actual design in a DFM process (Design for Manufacturing), finding the right materials, or planning out the value-add steps to get the product across the finish line. To me, this job is the summit of all of my prior roles.
What is most important when onboarding a new project at Stelray?
Whether or not it is a new customer, engaging and developing that personal relationship on each new project is critical. Every program represents a need, not just a thing to be made. I want to understand the scope of the need and how I can best help put together a solution. I believe in approaching every project, every problem hand-in-hand with the customer. Not dragging them along, but building trust.
Going a step beyond, the root of every strong personal relationship is constant, effective communication. I believe very strongly that you can never overcommunicate. As far as I might be concerned, everything may be perfect on a given project. But if I am not communicating updates with the customer, then they have cause to think that nothing is going smoothly which can lead to a lot of confusion and strain the relationship.
Being a Project Manager entails a lot of cross-functional collaboration. What do you enjoy most about that?
As a Project Manager, I am working every day with our Sales team, our Engineering department, and our Tool Room to ensure all projects are moving along as expected. All three are deeply interrelated and critical to overall program success. In my role, collaborating with all three areas, I am able to keep my finger on the pulse and bring a sense of consistency. While I still like to be as hands-on as possible, I do enjoy helping these three instruments all play in harmony. Again, it allows me to use skills gained in prior roles. I am comfortable wearing those hats.
How is your personal passion reflected in your day-to-day at Stelray?
More than anything besides my family, I am passionate about success. When I get up in the morning, I want to live the day to its fullest. I want to make sure I am using my skillset and experience to their fullest. When I walk into work, I put myself in Larry’s shoes as the President of Stelray. It allows me to take a sense of ownership over my output and the overall health of the company. It motivates me to find the optimal solution that will best satisfy the customer and benefit Stelray. We do custom work here at Stelray. There is no cookie-cutter fit to any customer program. If we are going to deliver top tier service, I need to be always thinking with that level of ownership.
From your perspective, where is Stelray headed in 2026?
It is no secret that Stelray has spent the past couple of years investing in the business. I was brought in to grow our Sales and Engineering teams. We did a significant expansion to our production facility and totally updated our Metrology lab. We have added a lot of new equipment, including the largest molding machine in company history (600+ tons). So 2026 is about using those investments to grow. We want to make sure customers new and old know the full scope of our capabilities, that we are a complete contract manufacturer with the agility to deliver on almost any custom program.
We are working diligently to update our marketing materials and our website to reflect this company-wide refresh. We have consecrated our promise to our customers with our “Service you deserve, Experience that delivers” slogan. And we are not shying away from continued improvement, either. We are looking at expanding and certifying our white room into a formally classified clean room in 2026.
Any fun facts or hobbies?
My last name is not a coincidence. I am related to NFL great and Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus. I grew up a huge Chicago Bears fan!
I would consider myself a bit of a History nut: specifically Early American and Revolution era history. Living in New England, it is easy to combine that with family time. My wife and I enjoy taking our son to Old Sturbridge Village and other historical sites around the area. We love the outdoors, so there is usually at least one trip each year to New Hampshire to vacation in the wilderness.
Why Stelray?
Working in this industry and in this state, I have known about Stelray for a while. It has always maintained a reputation as a trustworthy and well-respected company. Being here for eighteen months now, I can see why. Stelray puts a premium on treating everyone right—from employees to customers to business partners. That foundation of respect and trust builds a culture of transparency and responsibility. There is a welcoming, positive atmosphere here. People want to come in every day and work hard, to get the job done right the first time and make our customers happy. I really enjoy being a part of this team.
Interested in learning more about Stelray?
Stelray Plastic Products offers numerous advantages for device manufacturers, including high-quality and precise products, cost-effective manufacturing, and design flexibility. With the ability to produce complex and intricate designs with tight tolerances, Stelray’s injection molding service is the preferred choice for your company’s molding solutions. To learn more about our injection molding services, including our medical molding solutions, get in touch.